ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Whitewashing in film

Whitewashing in film is a situation in which characters who were supposed to be of a different race or ethnicity are portrayed by actors or actresses who are White. Imagine if you were playing dress-up, and you wanted to pretend to be a princess from a faraway kingdom. Instead of dressing up in beautiful and colorful clothes that represent that kingdom's culture, you dressed up in the same clothes you wear every day. You might think that you're pretending to be a princess, but you're not really doing it right.

Whitewashing in film often happens when filmmakers want to cast well-known actors or actresses in their movies. They might think that having a famous White actor in a role will attract more people to the movie. But this can be a problem because it means that actors from different backgrounds don't get to play roles that were meant for them.

It can also be hurtful because it sends the message that only White people are important or interesting enough to play certain characters. This means that people from different races and ethnicities don't get to see themselves represented on screen as much as they should.

Ultimately, the problem with whitewashing is that it takes away opportunities for people from different backgrounds to tell their own stories and share their own experiences. It's important to remember that all people, regardless of their race or ethnicity, deserve to be represented in media and culture.