Chapter 897: Black-and-White Controversy

The press room in the Warner Building was packed, with reporters from hundreds of media outlets gathering together. As a black reporter, Christine found the main cast sitting on the interview panel rather glaring. No matter how she looked at them, she felt uncomfortable. That swath of skin tones—either Asian or white—had already struck a sensitive nerve.

There was no need to mention the old Star Wars iron triangle of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford—they were standard white people. Yet among the three new lead actors, there surprisingly wasn't a single black person either.

Since when did Latinos and Asians have a higher status in Hollywood than black people? They simply didn't deserve these roles!

"This is Daisy Ridley..."

Amid the constant flashing of cameras, Robin Grande officially introduced the three lead actors to the media. "This is Daniel Wu, and this is Oscar Isaac..."

Although rumors had long circulated that the primary lead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a woman, Duke, the crew, and Lucasfilm had never given any direct confirmation. However, the way the three new stars were standing had already revealed this to the media.

Daisy Ridley stood right in the center. The tall, handsome Daniel Wu stood on her left, while the distinctly Latino Oscar Isaac stood on her right.

Just like the old Star Wars iron triangle of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Daniel Wu, and Oscar Isaac formed a new iron triangle.

The media's focus was entirely on these three. Even though they had been practically unknown actors in North America before this, the reporters knew very well that now that they had boarded the super-express of Duke Rosenberg and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, their rise to fame was inevitable.

Compared to the frenzied reporters, the black female journalist Christine wasn't particularly interested in them. Her eyes stayed locked on Duke Rosenberg, who was standing off in the corner. Rumors had actually long circulated in the industry that this Hollywood super-director had never much liked black actors. She intended to ask later if there was racial discrimination involved in the casting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

This was a highly sensitive topic. Not a single black actor stood up there. If Duke Rosenberg couldn't provide an explanation...

At this thought, Christine let out a cold smile. If Duke Rosenberg and Star Wars: The Force Awakens were suspected of racial discrimination, she could manufacture a massive headline that would shock all of North America.

And as the one who unearthed the story, she would undoubtedly become famous overnight.

Christine had remained silent during the earlier part of the interviews. Only when Duke Rosenberg took the stage did she seize the opportunity and snatch the right to ask a question.

Looking at the famous director on the small stage, Christine stood up, took the microphone, and asked point-blank, "Director Rosenberg, there isn't a single black actor on the main cast list for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Do you have a prejudice against black actors?"

Duke had anticipated this kind of question long ago. He glanced at the black reporter and replied unhurriedly, "Of course not. The crew and I chose the most suitable actors."

Christine wasn't willing to give up. She asked again, "But black people..."

Duke interrupted her before she could finish. "Miss, do you believe that the crew and I are suspected of racial discrimination?"

Perhaps driven by an innate inferiority complex and a sensitive, fragile ego, Christine spoke without even thinking, "Yes, I believe the crew of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is suspected of racial discrimination."

"Suspected of racial discrimination?" Duke looked at the new iron triangle, a hint of mockery slipping onto his face.

The other reporters glanced at the three stars on stage, and the looks they shot Christine were equally filled with ridicule.

Keenly catching these subtle shifts in the press room, Duke said in a clear, ringing voice, "My team and I have always advocated for justice, freedom, and equality. We treat every actor who auditions equally. A massive number of black actors also participated in the auditions and other aspects of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but for the three most prominent roles, my team and I chose the three most suitable individuals..."

At this point, he looked toward the three stars and named them one by one. "Daisy Ridley from Britain, Chinese-American actor Daniel Wu, and Guatemalan-born actor Oscar Isaac."

Christine suddenly realized that she had been so focused on black people that she had completely overlooked the backgrounds of the two male actors.

Even she knew that black people held a higher status in North America and Hollywood than Asians and Latinos. With Daniel Wu and Oscar Isaac starring in the film, attacking Duke Rosenberg and his project for racial discrimination was simply impossible.

But Christine was still unwilling to accept it. The Oscars should have a share for black people, and Hollywood's super-projects should have a share for black people. If there were no black people involved, then it was discrimination!

She tried to speak again, but her microphone was promptly taken away.

Duke wasn't going to leave anyone with a handle to use against him. This was especially true given that all the acting, directing, and screenwriting nominees in this year's Oscar nominations were completely white, which had once again sparked protests from the black community. Under these circumstances, he definitely wasn't going to give them a chance to manufacture a controversy.

"Daisy Ridley, Daniel Wu, and Oscar Isaac became the stars of this film because of their hard work, not their skin color!"

Compared to his earlier statements, Duke was completely lying through his teeth now, yet no one could refute him.

"Their talent and effort make them entirely deserving of the acting contracts they signed. If the crew and I had passed over them—the best performers in the auditions—in favor of black actors, wouldn't that be understood as unfairness and racial discrimination against them?"

Christine pressed her lips tightly together. After this brief buffer, she gradually shook off the fragile state of mind so deeply rooted in her heart. Looking at Daniel Wu and Oscar Isaac, she knew that with these two present, any suspicion of so-called racial discrimination simply couldn't hold water.

Duke's words grew forceful. "I choose actors based on their hard work and acting skills, nothing else! If an actor were to get a role in my film simply because they were black or white, that would be true discrimination, and a violation of the justice, equality, and freedom we have always advocated for."

Having said this, Duke handed the microphone over to Robin Grande and refused to answer any more questions.

Daniel Wu and Oscar Isaac suddenly began to clap, as if Duke's words had struck a deep chord within them. Then, more people in the press room joined in the applause. The white, Asian, and Latino reporters in particular clapped so loudly the room shook, seemingly using this as a way to strike back at the black reporters who had been jumping up and down making a fuss for the past month.

Ever since the Oscar nominations had been announced and black people hadn't received any heavyweight nods, they had truly had enough of these people's protests, fragile egos, and persecution complexes.

Because of the related questions encountered at the press conference, Duke specifically paid some attention to the controversies surrounding this year's Oscars afterward.

With less than half a month left until this year's Oscar ceremony, the debate sparked by the release of the shortlist was only escalating. Because Gravity had been filmed by Duke much earlier, the past year was absolutely an off-year for the North American film industry's awards season. The Oscar candidate list was propped up by movies that were "above passable, but below good." Yet, this lackluster annual summary had once again triggered a massive "great debate on the truth of Hollywood."

Among the heavyweight individual nominations for Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay, there wasn't a single black person.

Driven by the fragile egos of the black community and the bad habit they had picked up from the Oscars over the past few years—where not getting nominated automatically equaled racial discrimination—it was easy to imagine what kind of reaction this situation would provoke from black actors and organizations.

However, Duke's remarks at the press conference caused the voices of protest from the black community to weaken. After all, Latinos and Asians had received nominations for these awards. What Duke hadn't expected, though, was that the related protests and discussions didn't end there; instead, they developed in a much deeper direction.

Soon, a highly targeted hashtag appeared on social networking sites—#oscars so white.

The original "black-and-white controversy" rapidly evolved into a wave of denunciation from various "marginalized" voices within Hollywood. Latino and Asian filmmakers complained that almost all people of color and ethnic minorities were being stereotyped and marginalized; non-heterosexual directors and actors were furious over the neglect they suffered; and finally, the women in the industry grew angry as well: when tossing around adjectives like inclusion and diversity, could they first achieve equal pay for equal work between men and women? Did they dare let more women into the decision-making echelons?

The controversy sparked by skin color escalated into an equal rights movement that permeated the entire industry. The arguments stretched from North America to Europe, reaching a point where both Obama and Hillary stepped forward to make their stances known. Obama spoke in broad, politically correct strokes, saying things like, "Race and gender should not become professional boundaries." Hillary was a bit sharper: "Arguing to this extent is making a mountain out of a molehill, but the Oscar selection committee should also consider keeping up with the times and stop shutting women and minorities out."

But industry veterans like Duke knew very well that it wasn't just the Oscar selections that were monotonous; all of Hollywood was just as monotonous. It was impossible for Hollywood to achieve true diversity—unless the middle-aged and elderly white men who monopolized the decision-making ranks stepped down.

Anyone paying attention wouldn't find it hard to see that ethnic minorities weren't just suppressed during the awards process; they were marginalized and silenced on the silver screen as well, rarely able to step to the forefront of the camera to make their voices heard.

Under normal circumstances, the roles they played were nothing more than psychic mediums, maids, the female lead's loudmouthed best friend, socially awkward nerds, rich and cruel Arab sheikhs, thugs, terrorists, bumbling sidekicks, muscleheads, and loyal, generous servants or deputies—with that last one being considered the most respectable kind of role.

The mainstream aesthetic of all of Hollywood could be described as overwhelmingly white and straight.