Tilda Swinton, who plays The Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is glad Marvel Studios President and Marvel Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige regrets whitewashing the character.
During an interview published in May, Feige talked about the process of casting The Ancient One for 2016's Doctor Strange, saying it was "a wake-up call to say, 'Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out? Is there any other way to both not fall into the cliché and cast an Asian actor?' And the answer to that, of course, is yes." Swinton learned about Feige's comments for the first time during an interview with Variety, stating she is "very, very grateful that he said that.”
Stephen Strange's mentor in the mystical arts, The Ancient One is traditionally depicted in Marvel's comic books as a Tibetan man named Yao, who hales from the ancient city of Kamar-Taj in the Himalayas. Doctor Strange co-writer C. Robert Cargill once cited the character's Tibetan origins, which could've prevented the movie from screening in China, as part of the reason why they were changed for the MCU. Cargill later clarified he hadn't been involved in The Ancient One's casting discussion and process.
“I remember at the time having a question mark in my own mind, and being attendant to the public response to the idea that a Scottish woman will be playing this character," said Swinton, claiming there was "no resistance at all" from the public at first, as far as she was aware. She went on to say the criticisms of the casting grew "righteously" over time, reflecting what she views as a "really healthy social development" where audiences feel "ever more empowered to contribute to the narrative and to feel heard within the narrative" concerning representation in cinema.
Following the character's death in Doctor Strange, Swinton briefly reprised The Ancient One during a key scene in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. However, she is not expected to appear in the sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which wrapped filming in mid-April.
Directed by Sam Raimi, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Xochitl Gomez. The film arrives in theaters March 25, 2022.
Source: Variety