Johnny Depp as Tonto
Geez Louise! Are there no Native American actors? I mean, even the 1950's TV version of The Lone Ranger had Jay Silverheels doing the role.
Yeah, yeah, I know, it's because Depp can open a movie and in LaLaLand, it is always about the money, but ...
During the Bruce Lee documentary I watched last night, they talked about The Warrior, Lee's concept/treatment for a TV series that morphed into Kung Fu, starring David Carradine. They didn't think Americans would tune into a show wherein the lead was Asian, so they hired a dancer and made-up his face. This was in the 1970's.
Kinda hoped we might be past that by now. I mean, even in animation when I was writing it, if you had a black character onscreen, you were supposed to hire a black actor to do the voice.
But that bottom line? It rules.
Heigh, ho, Silver ...
There was a lot of talk about this last year before it got shut down for a while, and supposedly Depp has Native American ancestry, which is possibly a reason not too much has been made of it. Not sure how true that is, but offering it up for consideration.
ReplyDeleteSo after he's cast in the movie, he reveals his great-grammy had quite a bit of Cherokee or Creek in her?
ReplyDeleteUh huh.
I heard that quite a long time ago, before he was cast, but I still don't know how much or if it's true.
ReplyDeleteActually - Depp has a tattoo on one of his arms, the first or second one he ever got, in honor of his native American ancestry. I remember reading about it in the junket for Edward Scissorhands.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't come up much - he's not 100%, probably about as much as I am (my mother was half-Cherokee) but he does pay due shrift to it.
Whether or not H'wood could have gotten a more authentic actor to play Tonto...eh. Weren't YOU the one who told me they were a different species out there?
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Gettum Up, Scout!":
ReplyDeletewell you're old enough to know better but you DON'T smh, it was already revealed a LONG time ago, that one grandparent on both sides EACH was full Cherokee, and grandpa on mom's side and grandma on dad's side. At least do the research before bashing the guy.
of course the comment won't get posted, will it? smh
Why wouldn't I publish your comments? I don't mind if folks disagree with me.
ReplyDeleteHere's what Depp himself had to say:
""I guess I have some Native American [in me] somewhere down the line. My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek."
Great-grandparent is not the same as grandparent, and by that measure, a lot of folks can claim ethnicity that is a long way from what they are.
I don't think Depp has enough Native American in him so that's the first thing you think when you look at him.