The Walt Disney Co. can’t win for losing, as the old expression goes, amid new angst and anger over the company’s reboot of the classic “Peter Pan,” in which a woman of color portrays one of the beloved characters.
“Fans of the classic 1953 film Peter Pan are voicing their critiques on the upcoming Disney adaption in which the story’s hallmark fairy, Tinkerbell, will be portrayed by Yara Shahidi, who is of black, Choctaw, and Iranian heritage,” The Post Millennial reported.
While some fans expressed excitement for this new representation, others felt that Disney should have created new stories to give representation to other ethnic groups rather than reusing the same characters.
First look at Yara Shahidi as Tinkerbell in Disney's ‘Peter Pan & Wendy.’ pic.twitter.com/13SCOvCZAN
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 28, 2023
A Twitter user proposed that instead of reusing characters, Disney should produce a film adaptation of an underappreciated Nigerian fantasy movie that draws on West African folklore.
“There are incredible African stories to be told. Why does Hollywood continue to ignore this and just casts them in remakes?” the user noted. “Mami Wata should be made by Disney. It is currently on the market with little coverage, especially by social media. Why?”
There are incredible African stories to be told. Why does Hollywood continue to ignore this and just casts them in remakes?
Mami Wata should be made by Disney. It is currently on the market with little coverage, especially by social media. Why? pic.twitter.com/xZvTccOJ9Z
— C🤍MFY (@AhComfy) February 28, 2023
Another tweeter shared: “So instead of giving poc their own movies or making new movies with poc characters, they decided to just make white characters black for some reason to be like heey we are so accepting we support everyone.. this is so weird.”
So instead of giving poc their own movies or making new movies with poc characters, they decided to just make white characters black for some reason to be like heey we are so accepting we support everyone.. this is so weird, other then princess and the frog there isnt any other
— Flo💬 (@scarletWitch729) February 28, 2023
Another Twitter user noted that Yara Shahidi already bears a resemblance to a black fairy named Iridessa in Disney’s Tinkerbell universe. Iridessa is known for her magical powers related to the sun.
Give her a yellow dress and she’s Iridessa. Even has the same smile pic.twitter.com/vCmTX2eW9L
— Jorge Garcia (@Pakalbalam12) February 28, 2023
“The reason studios make beloved characters black in the live action adaptations is so they don’t have to go to the trouble of actually giving special, brand new unique characters made from scratch to black people,” another user complained.
“What audiences deserve: More original ethnic/diverse characters like Tiana, Moana, Hiro, and Raya,” wrote another Twitter user. “What they’ll give us: Inexplicably modified characters like black Ariel, nonbinary Hercules, female Quasimodo, and trans Kuzco.”
What audiences deserve: More original ethnic/diverse characters like Tiana, Moana, Hiro, and Raya
What they’ll give us: Inexplicably modified characters like black Ariel, nonbinary Hercules, female Quasimodo, and trans Kuzco
— 【 𝓓𝖗. 𝓥𝖔𝐱 𝓞𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖎 】 (@Vox_Oculi) March 1, 2023
