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Okay so WJH did pretty good job. His "Wakandan" accent was much easier to listen to than James Mathis III or Chadwick Boseman (RIP).
However... why are American actors consistently cast to play T'Challa? The only exception I can think of is Djimon Honsou in the miniseries. https://twitter.com/MrBenibo/status/1332542368860475392
However... why are American actors consistently cast to play T'Challa? The only exception I can think of is Djimon Honsou in the miniseries. https://twitter.com/MrBenibo/status/1332542368860475392
Not trying to start a diaspora war here. I want to be very clear on that.
I'm thinking in terms of what happened with @/redclayscholar earlier this week or early audiobook versions of @/Nnedi's who fears death.
And no, I don't think that this is on the same level as what happened to @/redclayscholar.
And yes, I know Wakanda is not real place and thus would not have a "real" accent
And yes, I know Wakanda is not real place and thus would not have a "real" accent
But Wakanda, whichever version, writer, or creative direction it's under is always a tiny African nation nestled between larger, usually real, African nation.
Occasionally there's a Niganda or, in this case, a Rudyarda. But there's always Uganda, Kenya, Congo, or SA visible too.
Occasionally there's a Niganda or, in this case, a Rudyarda. But there's always Uganda, Kenya, Congo, or SA visible too.
My question is this: if Wakanda is between/next to those countries. Why are there never actors from these countries, or even general regions, tapped to voice T'Challa or other Wakandans?
If not that, why is there no specificity to the accents?
If not that, why is there no specificity to the accents?
The Black Panther MCU film aimed for specificity... with varying levels of success. Letitia's accent was on point (from what I could tell), but some actors just imitated their parents (Danai and Daniel). Others pulled from accents on the opposite side of the continent ( Winston)
Even Chadwick's accent was a bit off. Both John and Atandwa Kani were in the film as T'Chaka, with legitimate Xhosa accents. Chadwick sounded like neither.
His accent was more a caricature of the Xhosa accent. And I think that's my point of contention: The caricature
His accent was more a caricature of the Xhosa accent. And I think that's my point of contention: The caricature
That's what links it to the situation with Dr. Regina Bradley (@/redclayscholar). Not only did the VO/VA not match the background of the author, he also opted for an offensive caricature of what he thinks southern Black women sound like.
That's what happens with Wakandan characters (and frankly characters from real African countries).
The VO/VA will just do an approximation of an "African" accent with little/no specificity. That approximation is always a caricature of how Americans think Africans sound.
The VO/VA will just do an approximation of an "African" accent with little/no specificity. That approximation is always a caricature of how Americans think Africans sound.
What's worse is that the caricatures are considered on par with or as good as authentic accents. Djimon Honsou's accent was not matched by his costars. Instead they opted for gross caricatures of African accents
Two people from the same African nation won't even sound the same, but I'm expected to accept an all-encompassing "African" accent that is more flat monolith than amalgam?
No.
No.
It's like everyone is using Coming to America as precedent and direct refeence.
It's gotten to the point where I find myself ranking accents not on authenticity, but rather on which is the least offensive/most bearable. Like I did for this serial.
It's gotten to the point where I find myself ranking accents not on authenticity, but rather on which is the least offensive/most bearable. Like I did for this serial.
There are plenty of voice actors here and abroad who can take on these roles without doing a caricature, but they are passed over constantly. For this and other roles.
While it's not on par with vocal Blackface by any means, I do think it needs to be part of VO conversations.
While it's not on par with vocal Blackface by any means, I do think it needs to be part of VO conversations.
I doubt it will change in the next 5-10 years. Heck, folks reading this might read as more pet peeve than legit grievance. AndI'd bet money that Mathis will be playing T'Challa on the Avengers DLC, if they ever get around to it.
But can they, eventually, do better? Please?
But can they, eventually, do better? Please?
