Current Events > Should white actors be allowed to voice black characters in cartoons and games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Yeah, its happened before many times. But should it continue?

Or should black cartoon/videogame characters only be voiced by black actors?

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I like to believe in a meritocracy, but I also believe those roles should be cast for the people who can represent them.

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they should hire people who have the voices they want for that character, periodic. People should also create a diverse set of characters whose voices should be able to be voiced by people of all demographics

The whole point of acting is being something youre not.

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Chicken posted...

The whole point of acting is being something youre not.

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When I hear a character talk like a stereotypical black dude and find out he's voiced by a white guy, Im kinda irked tbh

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Yes, and anyone who says otherwise is a bigot. Just like black people should be able to voice whoever, same as Asians and Hispanics and anyone else. Whoever's voice sounds the best for whatever the role is. I mean the whole point is you are listening to them. I literally don't give two shits what color the person's skin color is as it makes absolutely no difference at all, I just don't want them to suck as the voice.

Most of these complaints are just coming from people that hate white people. On some of these shows you have black actors voicing multiple white characters, and yet no one has ever complained or even cared. Kratos has been voiced by not one but two black guys, and the only time anyone complained was when they were replacing the original black guy. Now apparently white people can't even voice half white characters anymore.

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Not for another 50 years

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Yes. Overcorrecting disenfranchisement often leads to more racial inequality.

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Chicken posted...

The whole point of acting is being something youre not.

I personally don't care but this is something that makes white people really mad and for that reason alone I'd like PoC to voice PoC characters

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Id like to hear from the talking animal voice actors before I make a decision on this very touchy subject... I dont want to be on the wrong side of the people that write the history

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Alucard188 posted...

I like to believe in a meritocracy

Holywood isnt a meritocracy at all

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Chicken posted...

The whole point of acting is being something youre not.

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MacDaMurderer posted...

Holywood isnt a meritocracy at all

I know it isn't, which is why I said I like to believe in one.

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Blue_Inigo posted...

When I hear a character talk like a stereotypical black dude and find out he's voiced by a white guy, Im kinda irked tbh

What if it's a black guy doing it though, like Barrett in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The actors normal voice is uh... normal.

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I mean...

I think saying that white people can't voice biracial characters is a bit overprotective. In terms of white people playing black characters, I can't really see a reason why you would. Even if someone comes across as convincing, you're still kinda taking a paycheck away from someone else.

Maybe if there's a trade off in which a white actor voices a black character and a black actor voices a why character, but what would really be the point of that?

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MacDaMurderer posted...

Holywood isnt a meritocracy at all

White people know this, but hope we don't

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What does the greatest voice actor in the world Phil Lamar think about this?

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R1masher posted...

What does the greatest voice actor in the world Phil Lamar think about this?

He plays aquaman so is he gonna step away from it?

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I don't care.

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I'd be annoyed if this ended up being applied to animal characters.

I don't want people saying that you have to be Chinese to voice a panda or black to voice a lion. I don't want people getting mad at a white actor voicing a black lab or a black stallion because it's animal blackface.

That would be the point where I'd say people were being oppositional for the sake of being oppositional.

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Alucard188 posted...

I like to believe in a meritocracy, but I also believe those roles should be cast for the people who can represent them.

These are pretty much my thoughts whenever I hear Barrett's hilarious fake black guy voice in FF7 Remake.

Yes, they should. Other way around too

I'm playing a game where a white woman is voiced by a black lady and couldn't give less of a shit

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Voice acting should be forced to be completely anonymous that way we always get the voice that best suits the character and no one can complain about people willfully taking anyone's job.

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No, people of color need more representation. I'm aware Kratos was voiced by a black guy and other situations like that, but the difference is people of color don't have the same amount of opportunities. Those situations are rare

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WallStreetWolf posted...

No, people of color need more representation. I'm aware Kratos was voiced by a black guy and other situations like that, but the difference is people of color don't have the same amount of opportunities. Those situations are rare

So racism is ok as long as you agree with it?

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Gamerguymass posted...

So racism is ok as long as you agree with it?

Do you know what racism is

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I really dont care who voices who in cartoons

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it doesn't matter either way as long as the voice acting is good

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if people want to look at the current demographics of voice actors and use that to examine/improve employment opportunities for minorities in the VA industry, sure. More power to em.

But Im not losing any sleep because an Asian-American voiced a White British man. >_>

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dj1200 posted...

I really dont care who voices who in cartoons

Saying someone shouldn't be allowed to voice a character because of the color of their skin is racist. When people complained that a black chick was playing Ariel, a white charater, they were called racist. And that is live action where you see an actual person. So saying someone shouldn't be able to use just their voice with a character based on the color of their skin certainly is.

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Yes, they should. And black actors should be able to voice white characters

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Gamerguymass posted...

Saying someone shouldn't be allowed to voice a character because of the color of their skin is racist. When people complained that a black chick was playing Ariel, a white charater, they were called racist. And that is live action where you see an actual person. So saying someone shouldn't be able to use just their voice with a character based on the color of their skin certainly is.

the key difference here is that white people have historically not been denied such opportunities for their race

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Is the race of the actor doing the voice integral to the character?

That's the rule I've seen touted as gospel.

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averagejoel posted...

the key difference here is that white people have historically not been denied such opportunities for their race

Which has nothing to do with the present day situation. Its real simple. If you deny someone a voice acting role, where the actual person will never be seen, based on the color of their skin then that is racist.

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Gamerguymass posted...

Which has nothing to do with the present day situation.

objectively, 100% incorrect

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Sure, but steps should be taken to ensure POC are represented enough in the industry. AKA hire more actors of color.

CommonJoe posted...

Yes. Overcorrecting disenfranchisement often leads to more racial inequality.

Gonna need some evidence for that, bud.

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https://youtu.be/W1dXB_XpmXs

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Bass_X0 posted...

Yeah, its happened before many times. But should it continue?

Or should black cartoon/videogame characters only be voiced by black actors?

If the game is of Japanese origin and uses Japanese VA's in the original, should it even get dubbed at all?

You're disrespecting the original work created by Japanese VA's by dubbing over them.

If the game is of a foreign origin and uses VA's of that country's language, they shouldn't get dubbed right?

You don't want to disrespect another cultures language by forcing your own language on top.

The least you can do is just use accurate as humanly possible subtitles and call it a day.

If you want English Dubs or Dubs in your own language, have IP's / Games made by devs for your language.

Don't try to appropriate another country's IP and cover over their talent, right?

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It should just be about ability. Black people can voice white people, women and voice men, men can voice women; it shouldn't be that big a deal honestly.

Goku's OG voice actor was a woman; and she's Iconic in the series for it. Same with Bart form the Simpsons.

Some things aren't actually issues.

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I personally don't think it should matter, but I won't ignore the disparity of opportunity either. Despite how much people like to pretend that "the best person will get the job", that is NOT how Hollywood or most of life actually works in practice. Most actors are cast because of who they know & who they are. When it comes to voice actors, a lot of work gets swiped from the actual voice actors for top celebrities that may or may not have any actual talent for voice work, where the role was often times tailored to them. If you're black & trying to be an actor, the odds are already stacked against you; we've heard too many instances of directors worried about if audiences will identify with a black actor or how marketable they will be. To that end, if it gives aspiring black voice actors even a slightest bit of chance where there was most likely none, I can't completely oppose it.

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darkbuster posted...

Most actors are cast because of who they know & who they are. When it comes to voice actors, a lot of work gets swiped from the actual voice actors for top celebrities that may or may not have any actual talent for voice work, where the role was often times tailored to them. If you're black & trying to be an actor, the odds are already stacked against you; we've heard too many instances of directors worried about if audiences will identify with a black actor or how marketable they will be. To that end, if it gives aspiring black voice actors even a slightest bit of chance where there was most likely none, I can't completely oppose it.

So you're saying it's rigged because of "Nepotism".

It's about who you know, and nobody is forcing to make sure that it's a qualified and fair audition?

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KamenRiderBlade posted...

So you're saying it's rigged because of "Nepotism".

It's about who you know, and nobody is forcing to make sure that it's a qualified and fair audition?

When you get right down to it, that's basically how all of life works. Why go search for someone if you already know someone who can handle it? For black people in America, that creates a very challenging uphill battle, as it means that they don't likely have an "in" with those types of social networks.

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ultimately, casting decisions are made by humans. humans have biases.

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Yes, and vice versa

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