XPost: uk.media.tv.sf.drwho, rec.arts.drwho, rec.arts.sf.tv   
   XPost: rec.arts.tv, can.arts.sf   
   From: mouth@onlegs.org   
      
   doctor@doctor.nl2k.ab.ca (The Doctor) wrote in   
   news:uldpbo$1fbn$1@gallifrey.nk.ca:   
      
   > In article ,   
   > Ubiquitous   wrote:   
   >>According to Doctor Who casting director Andy Pryor, the backlash to   
   >>the series’ race-swapping of real-world historical figure Sir Isaac   
   >>Newton has nothing to do with historical accuracy or a growing   
   >>exhaustion with identity-politics, but is instead based solely in –   
   >>you guessed it – viewers’ own racist attitudes.   
   >>   
   >>Taking place in Wild Blue Yonder, the second of three new Doctor Who   
   >>holiday specials helmed by returning showrunner Russell T Davies’ and   
   >>produced in honor of the series’ 60th anniversary, the historical   
   >>revisionism in question saw the real-world English physicist brought   
   >>to life by half-Indian The Witcher: Blood Origin actor Nathaniel   
   >>Curtis, in doing so portraying him not as the white man he provably   
   >>was, but rather as someone of an unspecified ethnic descent (despite   
   >>his actor’s noted heritage, the episode never specifically addresses   
   >>the background of its race-swapped Newton).   
   >>   
   >>Following the special’s premiere, Pryor provided insight into his   
   >>subversive casting decision during an interview with Digital Spy’s   
   >>David Opie.   
   >>   
   >>First broaching the topic after being met with praise from Opie for   
   >>how well he was able to keep Curtis’ appearance a secret, the casting   
   >>director explained, “Because it’s a brief but important moment, you   
   >>can get an actor in and out quite quickly, with parts like that.”   
   >>   
   >>“That was Russell’s idea, actually,” Pryor added. “We had talked about   
   >>trying to get Nathaniel in the show at some point and I think it’s a   
   >>sort of rather cheeky, but fun interpretation of Isaac Newton. You   
   >>know, it’s not a historical drama [Laughs]. Let’s just have some fun   
   >>with it.”   
   >>   
   >>“Nathaniel was very game,” he further recalled. “He’s a fan of the   
   >>show. Such a lovely guy, and he had a great time.”   
   >>   
   >>From there, Opie then turned their discussion to how “there’s been   
   >>backlash from so-called ‘fans’ of Doctor Who in regard to these   
   >>particular castings, that they’re too ‘woke’, for want of a better   
   >>word,” subsequently asking the casting director, “You’ve engaged a bit   
   >>with this discussion online, but I wondered if you had anything else   
   >>to add on this response to castings such as these?”   
   >>   
   >>In turn, Pryor asserted, “It’s sad that we’re in a time where people   
   >>villainise minorities.”   
   >>   
   >>“This sort of chatter, I’m very good at kind of tuning it out,” he   
   >>told his host. “And I’m also very, very happy to block people on   
   >>Twitter. I don’t really have any time for bigotry at all.”   
   >>   
   >>Proceeding to broaden his argument, Pryor continued, “It then becomes   
   >>even more important to give people a voice and for people to be   
   >>represented, especially for young people growing up who might be trans   
   >>or from any minority. If they can see themselves on screen, then that   
   >>can be a huge lifeline for some people. That can make them feel part   
   >>of the world, which indeed they are.”   
   >>   
   >>“Social media is a bit of a dangerous place because I think people get   
   >>sucked into saying things that I don’t know that they truly believe?”   
   >>he questioned. “It just becomes a game for them. Unfortunately, real   
   >>life isn’t a game, and I think it’s important to stand up for people   
   >>who are marginalised.”   
   >>   
   >>Pryor then declared, “Growing up as a gay man, I’m as aware as anybody   
   >>else of how this stuff makes you feel when you see it. How that   
   >>negativity can affect you. I don’t really think anyone should have to   
   >>go through that.”   
   >>   
   >>“It’s an important thing for me,” he said. “It’s an important thing   
   >>for Russell and the whole Doctor Who team.There are so many ways of   
   >>telling a story and the more you can introduce other ideas and other   
   >>kinds of people, the more exciting it is.”   
   >>   
   >>Receiving subsequent praise from Opie regarding how the “show has   
   >>always been forward-thinking and progressive in that way, so it’s   
   >>really nice that in 2023, Doctor Who can embody that now more than   
   >>ever,” Pryor ultimately concluded, “It always has been a show about   
   >>people ‘outside of the norm’. From day one, really. So, we’re just   
   >>carrying that tradition on in a more modern way.”   
   >>   
   >   
   > Illogical!!   
      
   It probably makes sense if you have an advanced degree in underwater   
   basket weaving.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)