Colorblind Casting involves casting directors putting together characters or ensembles without taking an actor’s race or ethnicity into consideration. This usually means that the production doesn’t consider race and ethnicity in the story world and script in an important manner.

There has been an ongoing discourse about casting in two major productions within the social media sphere in the last week. This discourse stems from Disney's ongoing trend of creating live-action adaptations of their animated classics, leading to the rise of fan casts on the internet. Fans of these movies and shows begin pitching their favorite actors and actresses to be cast in these non-existent productions. Often, fans make these decisions based on matching the physical appearances or the essence of these fictional characters.

Recently, a fan cast has sparked racist backlash on the internet. Indian American actress Avantika Vandanapu has been the subject of backlash due to rumors that she was cast to play Rapunzel in a live-action version of the Disney animated film "Tangled." It's important to note that this project has only been rumored and has not been confirmed by the production company. Many fan accounts claimed that the actress was screen-testing for the role. While many supporters of the film liked the idea, others hated it enough to make harmful statements about the actress. If we follow the theory of art mimicking life then the notion of Rapunzel being indian is valid given that current world record holder for the longest hair is an Indian woman.

This situation particularly got me thinking about the idea of race in cinema and the concept of colorblind casting. It's not new, as with the rise of colorblind casting in films and TV, often racist trolling occurs with many minority castings in live-action remakes, such as Halle Bailey, a black woman, when she played Ariel in "The Little Mermaid." Many people took to social media to express their displeasure with the casting choice. Some even went as far as creating pseudo-scientific justifications as to why a non-existent creature like a mermaid can't be portrayed as black. Additionally, in the original "Little Mermaid," a crab was depicted singing in a Caribbean accent.

The second discourse emerged with the announcement of the casting of Francesca Amewudah-River, a black actress, as Juliet in a London West End production of "Romeo & Juliet." She has received unfathomable racist remarks all over her social media and the internet about her involvement in the project and her portrayal of Juliet.

Colorblind casting is especially popular in theatre, most notably in productions like "Hamilton," where minorities play the roles of ancient figures in American history. Prioritizing talent and suitability for a role over racial considerations, colorblind casting aims to dismantle barriers and challenge stereotypes in the casting process.

It's interesting to note that the first-ever performance of "Romeo and Juliet" took place at the Theatre in London in 1597, where the role of Juliet was played by a man named Robert Goffe. This was a popular trend at the time, as many female characters were played by men or young boys because women were not legally allowed on stage until 1661. Additionally, the fact that the story of "Romeo & Juliet" is fictional means it can and has been played by women of any race.

Often, the comparisons made when colorblind casting is done involves hypothetical scenarios, such as a white person playing the characters Black Panther or Princess Tiana, Mulan, or Pocahontas. In these instances, colorblind casting is not appropriate, because a specific culture plays a significant role in the narrative or experiences is tied to a character's racial or ethnic background. There is a misconception of Rapunzel being German, but the story’s origin is unknown but the earliest mention in Persian mythology, and has been found in folktales, across all continents. Characters like Romeo and Juliet and Disney’s Rapunzel are fictional characters with no ties to an existing culture.

Western entertainment has historically centered around white characters and stories, so much so that even a rumored casting choice can open the floodgates of racist abuse. This ongoing pattern of creatives being subjected to abuse due to the choices of casting directors is concerning. The portrayal of women of color in film should not be limited by preconceived notions or societal expectations but defined by talent, determination, and resilience of the creatives who bring these characters to life.

The rejection of colorblind casting has detrimental effects on performers of color, who already face systemic barriers in the entertainment industry. I am of the opinon that more stories should be written for people from all cultural backgrounds for more well rounded, rather than placing POC to check boxes in a diverisity quota. However, by dismissing their talent and denying them access to roles based solely on their race or ethnicity, critics of colorblind casting breathe life to discrimination and marginalization.