Hollywood flubs again, casting really white guy to play a person of color—for absolutely no reason

There were so many wonderfully diverse films recognized this year that it was almost possible to think that Hollywood had made some significant progress toward diversity and inclusion in casting. Almost. The social media campaign #OscarsSoWhite, created by activist April Reign, brought attention to the fact that for two years in a row no actors of color were nominated for acting awards and the resulting movement led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to expand its board and recruit new members. So it looked like Hollywood may be close to finally learning its lesson about why representation in film matters—except for the fact that they can’t seem to stop casting white people in roles that are supposed to portray real life people of color. Here’s the most recent one.

Zach McGowan has been cast as the lead role in Gabriel Robertson’s historical drama Ni’ihau. Shooting begins at the end of the month at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios. [...]

Ni’ihau is based on a true story set during WWII when Shigenori Nishikaichi, an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service pilot, crash-landed his Zero on the eponymous Hawaiian island after participating in the attack on Pearl Harbor. McGowan will play Ben Kanahele, an island leader who saves Nishikaichi before learning his part in the attack.

This is what Benehakaka “Ben” Kanahele (1891-1962) looked like. He’s the one on the left holding the certificate. 

Here’s what Zac McGowan looks like.