Colour-blind casting

Non-traditional casting, or integrated casting is the practice of casting without considering the actor's ethnicity. It derives its name from the medical condition of color blindness. A representative of Actors' Equity has disputed the use of the term "color blind", preferring the definition "non-traditional casting." Non-traditional casting "is defined as the casting of ethnic minority actors in roles where race or ethnicity is not germane."

The replacement of non-white characters with white ones, or the use of white actors (sometimes in blackface or yellowface) to portray minority roles, is referred to as whitewashing.

Hollywood has recently released a series of remakes of popular films with an all black cast -- films like Steel Magnolias and Death At A Funeral. These remakes like 2014's Annie and the 2010 film The Karate Kid have not gone over well with fans of the original works. Many fans voice anger over studios changing the source material, labelling it "blackwashing."

The Non-Traditional Casting Project was founded in 1986 to examine problems of racial discrimination in theatre, film and television.Actors Equity is a co-founder.

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