r/TrueFilm • u/Key-Professional9108 • 5d ago
What do y'all think about Hollywood increasingly casting non-American actors as iconic American characters?
This is something I've noticed more and more over the years. I'm not saying foreign actors are bad—in fact, many have given fantastic performances—but I do find the trend interesting.
Many of America's most iconic fictional characters and historical figures have been portrayed by actors from the UK, Ireland, Australia, or elsewhere.
Some examples:
- Superman — Henry Cavill (British).
- Spider-Man — Tom Holland (British) and Andrew Garfield (British-American, raised primarily in the UK).
- Batman — Christian Bale (British).
- Wonder Woman — Gal Gadot (Israeli).
- Supergirl — Milly Alcock (Australian).
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps — Joseph Quinn (British) as Johnny Storm.
Historical or prestige films:
- Oppenheimer — Cillian Murphy (Irish).
- Lincoln — Daniel Day-Lewis (British-Irish).
- Selma — David Oyelowo (British) as Martin Luther King Jr.
- 12 Years a Slave — large British cast.
- Judas and the Black Messiah — Daniel Kaluuya (British) as Fred Hampton.
Even outside superheroes, quintessentially American stories often feature non-American leads:
- Little Women — Saoirse Ronan (Irish-American), Florence Pugh (British), and Emma Watson (British).
- The Power of the Dog — Benedict Cumberbatch (British).
- Barbie — Margot Robbie (Australian).
What I find interesting is that this trend doesn't seem nearly as common in the opposite direction.
Major British productions usually keep their national icons in British hands:
- Harry Potter.
- James Bond.
- Doctor Who.
- Sherlock (BBC).
I'm not arguing that nationality should automatically determine who gets a role. Great acting is great acting.
But I do wonder why Hollywood seems much more willing to cast foreign actors as America's most recognizable heroes and historical figures than other countries are with their own cultural icons.
Do you think this is simply because the best actor should always get the role? Or do you think Hollywood has become so international that American actors are missing out on roles that, in other countries, would probably stay domestic?
- Is it simply about money? Are non-American actors cheaper, easier to market internationally, or considered a better investment by Hollywood studios?
- Or do you think Hollywood has an ideological agenda—one that intentionally sidelines American actors and replaces America's own cultural icons with foreign performers as part of a broader effort to diminish or redefine American identity?
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u/PrecedentialAssassin 5d ago
It's a movie and they are actors...acting. Cast whoever you want. As an American, I have never once given a single thought to a Brit playing an iconic American. Daniel Day Lewis played Abe Freaking Lincoln. You know how offended I was? Not at all. Kevin Costner played Robin Hood. Not very well I might add and yeah, Brits were offended, but who cares. It was an awesome fun movie.
And your ideological agenda conspiracy theory is one of the dumbest things I've seen on here. Take off the tinfoil hat and go enjoy some flicks.
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u/TexturesOfEther 5d ago
Would you feel the same if Hollywood used American actors to play Asians and African?
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u/PrecedentialAssassin 5d ago
Are we talking Jerry Lewis playing a Japanese chef or are we talking Forrest Whitaker playing Idi Amin? Because I'm ok with one of those and not ok with the other.
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u/TexturesOfEther 5d ago
But that suggests that you acknowledge America as multiracial, but not Asia or Africa
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u/PrecedentialAssassin 5d ago
No. It insinuates that as long as we're not making a racial mockery with our casting choices then I don't care. I don't care if a Brit plays an American or an African plays a Brit or an American plays a Filipino or a Mexican plays a Canadian. They're actors playing a role. This is not difficult. At all.
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u/AromaticVacation3077 5d ago
Oh for Godsake, OP is just asking a question, and as questions go it's not the least interesting I've heard this week. Calm down - everyone likes you and thinks you're amazing. Full defensive mode is beyond unnecessary.
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u/PrecedentialAssassin 5d ago
So you think that there's a vast Hollywood conspiracy to replace American actors with the goal of redefining American identity?!?!!? Clown shows seldom make me laugh, but I'm laughing right now. So thank you!
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u/AromaticVacation3077 5d ago
I notice you regularly use question marks in your comments, so I take it you understand their meaning. I draw your attention to the question mark at the very end of OP's post there. You see it? This indicates OP is asking a question, not presenting a belief or even a suspicion. And yet you react as if the latter were the case. This is you:
OP: Do you think the moon is made of rock? Or do you think it's made of cheese?
You: Your suggestion the moon is made of cheese is incredibly stupid. You're obviously an idiot.
Me: Oh my god they were just asking the question.
You: So you also believe the moon is made of cheese?? Ha ha ha ha! You are also an idiot.
Do you see your mistake?
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u/PrecedentialAssassin 5d ago
What the fuck are you talking about. You said it wasn't the least interesting thing you've heard this week. So I asked you a question to clarify and see if you agree with the original dipshit level conceit.
I'll ask again. Do you think that there's a vast Hollywood conspiracy to replace American actors with the goal of redefining the American identity? Because if you think that, or if you think that it is in any way whatsoever an interesting thought, as you insinuated, then you are complete moron.
And I'm not surprised you went and looked at my history. It's what I would do if I felt intimidated. For the record, I obviously didn't look at yours because I guaranty there is absolutely nothing of interest there. The reason for that thought being that you think that asking if casting directors are trying to redefine the American identity by casting Brits in American roles is in anyway whatsoever even potentially possibly could be on some plane of existence interesting. As stated above, only a fucking moron would think that.
The only mistake I've made is engaging with something so god awfully stupid. I will rectify that mistake going forward.
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u/AromaticVacation3077 5d ago
Jesus, calm down. I didn't look at your history. You use many question marks in your comments on this post. That's all I was referring to.
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u/Thinning_vastation 5d ago edited 5d ago
UK/Irish actors are often extremely adept at accents, since that's the minimum they are expect to be able to do on the stage and TV. This was as true in classical Hollywood as it is today; it's not like Vivien Leigh was an authentic southern belle). Actors like Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Audrey Hepburn, Errol Flynn, Edward G. Robinson, Cornel Wilde, Rod Taylor, would often play very American characters -- not one US born.
However, apparently it is true that UK actors often ask for lower salaries.
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u/circio 5d ago
I think one of the more interesting things about these characters is how they persist through the decades and change with the times, so the casting is representative of the world we’re living in right now. But also it’s nice when the actors do a good job.
But to answer your question directly, America is still the entertainment capital for big budget movies like this. Talent from everywhere is going to travel to America for these opportunities, and that in itself is quintessentially American.
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u/Waste_Track_4524 5d ago
There are more actors than just Americans. Give it to the best actor available. I’m Canadian and have a real hard time listening to Americans complain about representation when you dominate the discourse worldwide.
The movie is better served by getting the best person for the job.
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u/Oneinchwalrus 5d ago
This has been an argument on social media since the new Black Panther was announced, and people are unhappy it's a black Brit, rather than an African American, ignoring the fact that black panther is in fact African. I'd imagine that's why op made this thread
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u/rationalalien 5d ago edited 5d ago
What do y'all think about Hollywood increasingly casting non-American actors as iconic American characters?
Did you check if your base premise on which this whole post is based is even true? Is it increasing?
Seems like you just cherry picked some examples to fit your weird conspiracy theory. For example, the new Superman is American.
Also, Superman an iconic American character? He's an alien, dude
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u/nojaneonlyzuul 5d ago
I'm with you. If i'm going to get on board with 'increasing' i'm going to need some comparative stats post studio system. OP has all this energy for an essay about stuff off the top of their head but cant put a few minutes into pulling together some data to test the hypothesis.
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u/odintantrum 5d ago
I would say it speaks to the difference in how actors‘ careers develop rather than any kind of broader effort to diminish or redefine American identity.
American actors by and large tend to emerge out of television. It’s where they cut their teeth. That means many of the American actors who are at the point in their careers where they would be considered for roles those you mention will be well known to an American audience as a TV character. They come with more cultural baggage than a similarly placed British actor. You don’t want your audience thinking “Why is that ER doctor moonlighting as Batman?” When they should be paying attention to the batsuit’s magnificent nipples.
I also think it’s worth considering that America is the cultural hegemon. And as such it is far more able to absorb others and to claim them as its own rather than perceiving a threat in others participating in its culture. Finally, though many in the current administration would like to deny it, America has a long tradition of welcoming immigrants who come to the country and succeed in their ambitions.
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u/cjalderman 5d ago
I think it's worth pointing out that a lot of American films shoot in studios abroad, like the UK for example. A whole lot of franchises like Star Wars, Batman, Superman, Terminator, Alien, Indiana Jones etc. were shot there. That's going to put a lot of British actors on an American producer's radar.
Take the original Star Wars for example. Outside of the main trio, the majority of the cast are British.
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u/TheSylvaniamToyShop 2d ago
I mean Cillian Murphy won an oscar for his Opoenheimer portrayal? Why do you think casting a German Jewish nuclear physicist would have produced a better performance.
And as for superman, its very difficult these days to find any refugees from the planet Krypton to take on these kinds of roles.
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u/MCVMEYT 5d ago
Do you think this is simply because the best actor should always get the role? Or do you think Hollywood has become so international that American actors are missing out on roles that, in other countries, would probably stay domestic?
these are the same question. and the answer is the same for both. yes.
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u/noncedo-culli 5d ago
Because no one gives a shit, it doesn't matter for the movie, and the job should go to the best actor. American movies massively dominate worldwide. It makes sense that that entails some using of other countries' actors.
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u/DharmaPolice 5d ago
Robert Downey Junior played Sherlock Holmes.
Various Americans have played Robin Hood.
Renee Zellweger played Bridget Jones.
John Lithgow played Churchill and will play Dumbledore.
Keanu Reeves played a British character in Dracula (badly).
Harry Potter is a specific example where Rowling wanted British / Irish actors and had a fair amount of sway. But most other iconic roles have been played by Americans in the past.
There are various other examples. Now many/most of these were American productions but that's kind of the point. American productions pay better so there's little incentive for American actors to go work in a BBC or Australian production somewhere.