In this podcast from 2011, Adam Spunberg and Savanna New, hosts of the Hunger Games Fireside Chat podcast talk about the backlash experienced by the makers of theHunger Gamesmovie on account of their casting decisions. There was a significant resistance from some fans of the book upon which the film was based, who felt that the race of some cast members did not match their previously held conceptions.

discussion

What role, if any, do you think race should play in casting decisions? When a book is made into a film, to what extent should readers’ perceptions of characters’ race influence the race of those cast in the film?

Put yourself in the role of the casting director – how would you balance the many different constituencies you are trying to please (for instance, fans of the book, the author, director, studio, and potential film audience members, among others).

critique

While those participating in this podcast make a good attempt to open up an important discussion about race in the casting process, some could be criticized for asserting a number of assumptions about the race of characters that might not necessarily be true.