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It's really interesting seeing the perspectives on white actors playing PoCs in streams. One danger is expanding too hard from this situation to a broader idea; a white voice actor who has demonstrated consistent listening to PoCs is IMO less of a problem than one who hasn't.
My own dislike of MM playing a PoC diaspora story includes my feelings that he hasn't listened to PoCs in the past and is a star of media that has a LOT of race problems. The issues with MM playing this role goes beyond "white man playing Asian man" until Crit-Fandom does better.
I'm not going to go too much deeper into this because I've made my thoughts pretty known in the past, but that is a part that *cannot* be taken out of it. The role of celebrity gives opportunity to uplift, but reputation influences response people have.
As the author of PasiĂłn de las Pasiones, I want people to play characters outside of their race. If Critical Role played PdlP I'd be thrilled and make a bunch of money! But if they took that as an opportunity to explore diaspora on screen I'd be worried they'd do it wrong.
Yes, RPGs are an empathy exercise, but streamed media stories can be harmful in the same way that scripted media stories (like tv) can be harmful. When I see someone who doesn't listen to PoCs doing an important PoC story, I assume it's gonna have those same issues.
We don't need Bright or The Help for ttrpgs.
(This is for illustrative purposes, not me saying "This would have been really super bad.")
That said, I am really loving seeing different perspectives. I undervalued the utility of having status help to bring eyes to a project which is not an uncommon thing for me to miss!
I hope people keep discussing this because the general points AND the specifics are important.
I hope people keep discussing this because the general points AND the specifics are important.
This also was a situation that was made more complicated and muddled by surrounding events;
I can see the perspective that Matt didn't take a seat at the table for Darker Hues even if I don't fully agree.
The voice acting in Yakuza that's mixed in with this he clearly did.
I can see the perspective that Matt didn't take a seat at the table for Darker Hues even if I don't fully agree.
The voice acting in Yakuza that's mixed in with this he clearly did.
I think a lot of the angrier tweets came not because of the initial announcement, but because of the initial brushing off of concerns and the *SUPER* weirdness of the coincidental next day announcement.
Which again... Context is so important.
Which again... Context is so important.
There's no grand point to all of this and I'm not an expert. I know my own lived experience is different from other PoCs. It's important to have these discussions to take note of perspectives we may not share, because marginalization isn't a monolith.
Actually, this is a pretty good opportunity to draw people's eyes to the #PoCInPlay hashtag for TONS of really cool PoCs from radically different experiences and lives.
