Whitewashing in Hollywood : a legacy of racism

Abstract

If it is true that one picture is worth a thousand words, then how big is the impact of a prolonged sequence of countless images accompanied by music tracks and a myriad of other cinematic effects? Films are audiovisual means, which can provide entertainment, transfer knowledge, and communicate ideas. They can also serve as carriers of ideologies and cultural heritage. Since its inception, the American film industry has been continuously and predominantly casting white actors in non-white roles. The accurate term coined to describe this phenomenon is whitewashing. In this article, I will briefly examine this existing racist practice in Hollywood by highlighting some selected whitewashed race representations in American cinema. I will also attempt to explore and demonstrate multiple dimensions and impacts of this phenomenon on the US culture and beyond.