Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Does racism in Hollywood blockbusters exist?  By Hollywood, I mean the industry that produces the world's highest grossing films, regardless of where they are actually made or funded.  Blockbuster films are distributed around the world, typically earning between 50% and 80% of their total revenue from international (non-U.S.) sales.  Since these films target the widest possible audience, one might assume they would strive to offend as few people as possible.

This week I examined number 10 on the list of highest grossing movies (Boxofficemojo.com) since President Obama took office: Alice in Wonderland (2010) - ("AW2010").  AW2010 is Disney's quasi-live action sequel to their animated version of Alice in Wonderland.  Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska, is now a grown-up 20 year-old, on the verge of betrothal to a wealthy, but otherwise undesirable nobleman.  Alice escapes the proposal party by once again chasing the white rabbit down a hole and begins a whole new set of adventures.

Directed by Tim Burton, the film has been a huge financial hit, earning $1.025 billion to date.  It features loads of star power: Johnny Depp plays the Madd Hatter; Anne Hathaway plays the White Queen; and Helena Bonham Carter plays the Red Queen.  Many of the film's characters are animated, voiced by well-known actors.  Yet, try as I might, I could not find a single non-white actor.  Not even for voicing some of the animated characters.  Perhaps I missed one, but if I did, he or she is so poorly known they didn't even rate an IMBD or Rotten Tomatoes photo.

Why would Disney do this?  Though AW2010 is non-original work, with the exception of Alice,  Disney couldn't legitimately claim they were stuck with previously casted characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines racism as "the belief that each race or ethnic group possesses specific characteristics, abilities or qualities that distinguish it as inferior or superior to another such group."  Does Disney really believe non-white people are inferior actors?  One thing is clear, Disney shied away from non-whites when it cast Alice in Wonderland (2010).