A week after Netflix’s premiere of its series Wednesday, viewers on social media are criticizing its casting of black actors as villains.
The series, directed by Tim Burton, has Latina Jenna Ortega playing the titular character from the Addams Family, with black actors Joy Sunday and Iman Marson starring as her bullies.
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“Tim Burton stop being weird about Black people challenge,” television writer Charles Pulliam tweeted with a screenshot of Marson in a pilgrim costume.
Tim Burton stop being weird about Black people challenge pic.twitter.com/97QoxSO1B9
— Charles PM (@CharlesPulliam) November 29, 2022
“The only thing I really hate about “Wednesday” (and most YA Netflix shows) is how the antagonist is almost always a young Black woman/’trouble maker,'” producer John Paul tweeted. “It’s not lost on me and I just wanted to name that I see it.”
The only thing I really hate about “Wednesday” (and most YA Netflix shows) is how the antagonist is almost always a young Black woman/“trouble maker”.
It’s not lost on me and I just wanted to name that I see it.
— Jon Paul, Ed. D. (They/Them/Tired)?️?✊? (@DoctorJonPaul) November 29, 2022
“i really love Wednesday but the tim burton is jumping out with these Black characters, right?” television host Ryan Mitchell tweeted, along with a GIF that was captioned: “That’s suspicious.” Burton has previously been criticized for a lack of diversity in both his live-action and animated films.
i really love Wednesday but the tim burton is jumping out with these Black characters, right? ? pic.twitter.com/RLDL1pt6Ok
— ryan mitchell (@TheSlayGawd) November 26, 2022
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“Loving Wednesday but I’m giggling at the wrong bits. Morticia’s pale a** looking a Black man dead in the eye, and saying ‘men like you have no idea what it feels like to not be believed,'” author Bolu Babalola tweeted. “No bc I cackled.”
Loving Wednesday but I’m giggling at the wrong bits. Morticia’s pale ass looking a Black man dead in the eye, and saying “men like you have no idea what it feels like to not be believed”. No bc I cackled
— Bolu Babalola ?&? (@BeeBabs) November 29, 2022
Despite the criticisms, Wednesday has risen to record popularity, reporting the most hours viewed in a week for an English-language series on Netflix, at 341.2 million hours. The record was previously held by Stranger Things.
