Fans of perfectly sculpted pecs and Jake Gyllenhaal are no doubt ecstatic about the upcoming release of Disney's new Prince of Persia movie, but the casting decision to put Chesty Jake in the starring role isn't sitting well with everyone.
Gyllenhaal as Dastan in the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which hits U.S. movie theaters this weekend, is "not only insulting to Persians, it's also insulting to white people," says indie filmmaker and blogger Jehanzeb Dar. According to an AP report on the matter, Dar's not the only one annoyed by the "whitewashing" of films like Prince of Persia—which also stars English actress Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley—and M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender.
That "whitewashing" has been labeled "the standard procedure for Hollywood films" and "habitual practice" by some academics and protesters, a reflection of outdated casting decisions. Shyamalan's adaptation of The Last Airbender seems to be drawing the most ire of the two, despite the ancient Persian Empire setting of the Gyllenhaal flick.
What say you? Offended by the whitewashing of Prince of Persia or simply delighted to see Jake's washboard abs on the big screen?
Critics: 'Airbender' & 'Prince' were 'whitewashed' [AP/Yahoo Movies]