I mean, it really irritates me when people use the indifference of Japanese citizens towards discrimination faced by Japanese Americans to justify why they don’t need to care. Scarlett Johansson’s casting as Major Kusanagi means nothing to Japanese actors, who have plenty of opportunities to be cast in Japanese films…

Japanese fans weren't, Japanese American fans were. 

Get ready for people to lose their shit. 

Not only that, but when you focus on the actual quality of the film over the marketablity, you already have a built in fan base and a much higher probability of gathering a following.

I admit, I had no great issue with Johansson playing Major - aside from the ambiguity of race in manga and with the AI character, Japanese fans weren’t concerned or offended, and many Americans suggested a Chinese-American actress play the role, which was just as offensive (and much more opposed by Japanese fans and…

Neither was Scarlett until she was cast in that boring movie Lost in Translation. She’s been skating since then on the lack of imagination of casting directors.

“bankable name recognition" was the standard. She has it. You just went into changing the goalposts logical fallacy territory. Congrats?

She said the “art” suffered.  What does bankability have to do with artistic quality?  

I think it’s fair to say that if I showed her picture to just about anyone, they would know damn well who she is and most likely her name too. 

And many people didn’t know her til OITNB, maybe if a trans man was given the same opportunity like a leading role in a big movie... they too would have a big career. All famous actors didn’t start out famous (well maybe some who were born into it, like Goop and Drew Barrymore), so to say some unknown trans man actor…

And how exactly do they get to the status you deem appropriate if they are never cast in higher profile roles and movies? Practically every year the Oscars have some relative unknown person get a ton of attention so don’t act like only “bankable” people get these jobs.

Why is trans actor in quotes? They’re not fucking unicorns, you can easily find them on your TV if so inclined.

Laverne Cox

That would be an Oscar worthy performance!

She also was going to produce the project as her Oscar attempt, so she’s responsible for the casting choice as well.

There’s a big difference between Lopez playing Selena and Scarlet playing a transgendered man. And you’re right, it shouldn’t be all on her that this (casting debacle) happened, but she chose to say the things she said in that interview and she came off bitter and ignorant (dating male comedians will do this to you).

the number of trolls defending their girlfriend Scarlett Johansson down here in the grays...

Personally, I’d like to see her try playing a person who gives a shit about Palestinians.

You know if she made these comments when she first dropped the gig I would think “wow....you sound like a ignorant idiot” but on some level I could understand how losing that role caused her to be butt hurt and when people are butt hurt.... they say some real dumb shit. But she says these things now? She’s had a lot…

You know what, I think Scarlett is right. She would be perfect in the role of the tree, it would suit her wooden and stiff acting style.