EXCLUSIVE: “I’m currently in the middle of filming and I need to stay focused on bringing to life this character without judgment, so I decided to remove myself from Twitter for the time being,” Iron Fist star Finn Jones told Deadline exclusively today about why he temporarily deleted his social media presence on Sunday after a debate over diversity. The exchange, digital exit and return come just less than two weeks before the Marvel series launches on Netflix.
Currently filming the team-up series The Defenders for Marvel and Netflix, the Game of Thrones alum dropped off the digital radar for about 18 hours this weekend after getting into an back-and-forth about diversity, representation and why the mystical martial arts character should have been played by an Asian-American.
Here is Jones’ full statement Monday on the matter:
There is a huge benefit to engage and help shape conversations on social media, especially when it comes to giving a voice to social matters. My original intention was to amplify a speech made by Riz Ahmed at the House of Commons. It was a very articulate and important speech on representation that I wholly agreed with. After posting I was inundated by people accusing me of not being allowed to share his voice based on an assumption that our show is going to play into the problems of racial inequality on screen. I engaged politely, diplomatically and attempted to bridge the divide. I’m currently in the middle of filming and I need to stay focused on bringing to life this character without judgment, so I decided to remove myself from twitter for the time being.
I am very proud of the work everyone has done on this series and I’m excited for people to see how we’ve adapted the story. We have gone to great lengths to represent a diverse cast with an intelligent, socially progressive storyline. I hope people can watch the show before making judgments. In times, as divisive as these, we need to stay unified, compassionate and understanding in our differences.
As the statement says, the whole thing started when Jones posted this on March 5:
representation is important. and here’s why. https://t.co/w4rVuPtyrH
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 5, 2017
A blunt response from the Singapore-born and Australia-based creative director of a fan site dedicated to “creating diversity with popular culture” soon took the wind out of Jones’ sails:
………….. Are you for real https://t.co/4LzUOGdgLT
— AsyiKinney 🍍 (@AsyiqinHaron) March 5, 2017
With references to how Iron Fist was a white guy in the original comic and previous Marvel/Netflix series Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, Jones replied:
@AsyiqinHaron yes, I am for real. please don’t make assumptions on our show before you have seen it. the characterization of..
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 5, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron Danny Rand may have remained true to its source material but our show incorporates and celebrates actors from..
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 5, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron all different backgrounds. I will go as far to say that it may be one of the most diverse shows out of the three.
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 5, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron there are a lot of characteristics in Danny which are problematic, that’s the point, rather than shy away from them we..
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 5, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron inspect them. It makes for a rich, intelligent, thought provoking show.
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 6, 2017
Which, among other tweets, was received with this — not probably what Jones was expecting:
I don’t doubt it. I’m just saying an Asian Danny Rand could’ve made an even bigger impact but sure. Do you.https://t.co/cD4x06Vs2I
— AsyiKinney 🍍 (@AsyiqinHaron) March 6, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron all of us making this show care about about creating a socially..
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 6, 2017
@AsyiqinHaron progressive story whilst keeping true to the comic book fan base..
— Finn Jones (@FinnJones) March 6, 2017
Jones then ended the exchange Sunday that apparently challenged his assumptions and soon afterward deleted his Twitter account. In the meantime, while seeing some support, Haron was trolled throughout the rest of the day for making her point. Undoubtedly sick of such abuse, she has since made her Twitter profile private
Jones returned online, diversity exchange and all, just before noon Monday with a link to a musical act and no mention of Sunday’s dust-up. His continued absence could have proved problematic for the highly promoted Iron Fist if it had gone on much longer.
In another recent change of note, the header for Iron Fist’s official Twitter feed currently features co-star and fellow GoT vet Jessica Henwick not Jones.
The full 13-episode first season of Iron Fist debuts on March 17, with Rosario Dawson, Jessica Stroup, Tom Pelphrey and Carrie-Anne Moss co-starring and Scott Buck as showrunner. Jones and Henwick join Daredevil‘s Charlie Cox, Jessica Jones‘ Krysten Ritter and Luke Cage‘s Mike Colter as well as Elodie Young’s Elektra in the upcoming The Defenders eight-episode series that will be released later this year.
So whitewashing Black characters is racist and unacceptable, but whitewashing Asian characters is OK?
How is it whitewashing when Danny Rand IS a white character and was created as such for a specific reason? Do some research and know what you’re talking about before jumping on the extremist band wagon and playing the race card.
Having him played by an Asian actor would be doing the same thing you, and attention-seeking Asyiqin Haron, are accusing the series of, except in reverse.
Danny Rand is white because his white creators ASSUMED that no one would want to see an Asian hero. It’s the same racist rationale that prevented Bruce Lee, ffs, from starring in the show HE created, Kung Fu, in 1972, the success of which no doubt played apart in the creation of the Iron Fist character in the first place, just two years later.
They cast a white actor as Danny Rand for the same reason they cast black actors as The Falcon and Black Panther, a white woman as Black Widow, a black woman as Misty Knight, a white man as Daredevil, a black man as Luke Cage. To have cast against race simply to appease the SJWs and their hot topic screams for diversity would have done nothing more than trivialize the very notion of diversity itself. It would have been empty pandering.
Diversity is too important an issue to squander on this particular non-starter. Especially now, with a very real, very serious threat to diversity occupying our Oval Office. If you’re going to take offense, if you really want to argue for diversity, take it to the egotistical bigot currently doing his damnedest to ban Muslims for no other reason than that they’re Muslims. Don’t waste it bickering about a TV show sensibly casting a white actor as a white fictional character.
I totally agree with u
Imagine the outrage and SJW moralizing if a white actor had been cast as ANY character that was originally written as a black or asian. They’d lose their minds.
You may very well be right. Then again, you could reason the same for the (relative) lack of black, female, and others groups as well).
That being said, Iron Fist is still an white guy.
So the character is inherently racist, and then why would it even be worth your time?
This is very incorrect. Roy Thomas said that he created the character for a fish out of water character surrounded by Asian culture because he loved bruce lee films. Please read the iron fist comics before ever commenting on something you have no idea about in the first place.
You didn’t read the comment if you think this in any way negates what they said.
i think your off base. Bruce lee was very popular, so much that they had modeled shang chi off of him who is an amazing martial arts master in the comics. Think of Iron Fist like a play on chuck norris if that helps remind you that white people can do karate. of course you probably dont read the comics and seem to have a blackbelt in manufactured outrage, otherwise youd have a more astute “opinion”.
That is absolutely wrong. Marvel had *already created* a kung-fu comic book in Shang Chi Master Of Kung Fu *months before* creating Iron Fist.
Stop making things up and do some actual research, thanks.
Iron Fist isn’t an Asian character, Pedro.
Iron fist isn’t Asian. He’s a white character.
He was a white savior
But how is it “whitewashing asian characters” when the character was never asian in the first place. Do some research before you comment on something you know nothing about.
…And at no point did Asyiqin Haron address the fact or give credit to the Iron Fist production for employing a diverse cast of actors, instead she targets the show’s lead to further her own agenda.
Don’t think for one second that Asyiqin Haron is doing this purely out of concern for racial diversity, she’s a wannabe internet celebrity and as they say in the industry, any publicity is good publicity. People like you and the media are just helping no talent hacks like her become famous for nothing.
I’m tired of this forced diversity nonsense. If a white actor living in asia or africa complained there are NOT enough white characters even though we’re less than 5% of the population, they’d be laughed out of town. The total White population of USA (including White Hispanics and Latinos) are 77%. We make a majority for the majority and a minority for a minority. This nonsense is why Trump won. Enough!
It’s your statistics can be “laughed out of town”.
You can’t just lump Latinos into the white population to shore up your racist arguments. That’s ridiculous. And a typical Trump trick.
Facts, as of 2010 from the U.S. Census Bureau:
White 63.7%
Hispanic or Latino 16.3%
African American 12.2%
Asian 4.7%
Two or more races 1.9%
American Indian 0.7%
Other races 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.15%
It’s not “diversity nonsense” that U.S. studios use to make decisions about whom to cast. It’s about trying to make the most money from the movie going audience. And since only 63.7% of the U.S. population is white — why not try to get the business of the remaining 36.3%?
That’s fascinating. Where would white or black first generation immigrants from Africa fit into that? Would the white African count as white, but the black African as “other”?
They do, by creating quality programming. People don’t watch TV shows because of the racial makeup of the cast, despite your hysterical hangups.
That would be racist if they did.
The person tweeting him is a moron. These SJWs are sickin their minds, hearts and souls. They are spewing Marxist ideals and don’t even know it. Someone always has to be the victim. What that they don’t realize is that in that paradigm at some point (inevitably) they become the oppressor.
Exactly, there are hundreds of Asyiqin Harons out there playing the victim when in reality they are doing the same thing they accuse others of, spewing hatred for one race without being informed. Meanwhile I’m willing to bet anything she’s the one who grew up “privileged” and had more opportunities handed to her than the people she’s preaching against.
Everyone on social media these days is a wannabe activist, it’s trendy to be “socially aware” but few of them know what they’re talking about much less what they’re fighting for.
lol
I’m an Asian actor, however it befuddles me how come no one is demanding there be more “diversity” in casting (i.e. more Caucasians, Blacks, Latinos, etc.) in Asian countries like Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea, etc.?
If diversity casting is being demanded in the U.S., then it only makes sense that it should be demanded across the globe… Why single out the U.S. like that? Seems hypocritical to me. Being a minority does not make me entitled.
Wouldn’t your question be best directed to whites, Latinos, etc. who live in those Asian countries instead of people of color who live in the US?
You may want to ask Asian-Americans how they feel about being underrepresented in American media. They ARE Americans and want to see themselves.
I’m white, and I’m not guilty about it. Like every other person on the planet, I was unable to choose my qualities before birth. This whole argument is getting so old.
Agreed
It’s getting old for you, but you know why it doesn’t get old for Asians or blacks? Because after how many decades of Hollywood existence, they’re STILL considered second-rate to preference for white actors. And they’re still waiting to be represented in media.
Anonymous, how are those leading man roles treating you?
Why would anyone expect there to be an equal amount of asian leading roles in a country that is over 70% caucasian? The casting has to fit the narrative… and in this case it does fit the narrative so plz just shut up about it. Your anti racism talk is not needed when no racism is present.
But if race doesn’t play a significant part in the narrative (as with most stories), then why does it matter that the country is over 70% Caucasian and why can’t an Asian American play the role? Are you suggesting that Caucasians only want to watch Caucasians in the media? In telling American narratives, Asian Americans are just as much American as Caucasians, right? You say no racism is present, but there’s a subtle form of racism in your comment if you think about it.
Yes why does it matter?? why complain? As a Japanese man if I want to see more representation of my race I will watch shit made in Japan. You guys say well there is a 60+% whites and the 30+% others well Hollywood just reflect that by showing most movies as a 70/30 representation. hey sometimes some movies are even HIGHER OMG something to complain about
Not 70% white — 63.7% white and declining every decade. We can’t have a debate when one side keeps repeating non-factual information.
Asians are 4.7% of the U.S. population, yet they don’t even get close to having that percentage of roles on TV or in movies. Wrap your head around that. It would be reflective of the audience if almost 1 in 20 roles were cast with Asian actors — yet the number of leading roles for Asians is barely 1%. Shameful.
….is there a huge population of blacks and Whites in those Asian countries that I’m not aware of? I’d be interested to know the demos. Bc that’s the only reason why there would be a need to see more of them in film/TV )in those countries) — bc their presence would reflect the ACTUAL demographics of Singapore, Japan, SK, China. Otherwise…
America is made from immigrants from all around the world. The only people original to the land are Native Americans. Whites are 63% of Americans. 47% are not. Non Japanese are only 1.5% of the Japanese population.
37% are not caucasian… Apparently math is not your forte.
1. Highly doubt you’re actually an Asian actor.
2. The % of non-Asians in those countries is tiny.
3. The % of non-Asians who speak those native languages fluently enough to act in those projects is even tinier.
Ah, the “but other people are wrong too so it’s OK to ignore the problem here” argument beloved of so many who won’t be honest about their own issues. See also those who resent moves towards female equality in the “developed” world and consistently try to distract with issues in countries other than their own.
I’ve been to most of those countries and a bunch in Europe. I think the USA has less racism than any country I’ve visited. I was called racial slurs on the street in Beijing and Mexico City.
u are so right
Marvel said they were being progressive by changing the Ancient One in Dr. Strange from an Asian male to a white woman. They couldn’t stay true to the comic and have the Ancient One be Asian male because it was so offensive/appropriative. They could only resolve the offense with complete racial/gender change. So we got an “improved”&”progressive” white character who appropriates martial arts movements and wears Asian style clothes. On the flip side, as white-man-most-talented-at-kung-fu, keeping Iron Fist as a white man is textbook offensive/appropriative, but it’s “improved”&”progressive” because they “stayed true to the comic” and didn’t do complete racial/gender change. What is this logic. SMDH.
And then folks come on to Deadline to whine about “SJWs”. Lol.
Maybe because we’re tired of SJWs whining about everything
Stop giving them a reason.
There’s always gonna be a reason, Ben.
Don’t act like “SJW’s” are these selfless souls looking to right all the wrongs. As probably best exemplified by the hypocritical former Gawker snoots, these are predominantly self-serving moralists who will latch onto any worthy cause that allows them to stick it to some rich honky.
It’s about gathering a virtual mob to berate and shame the people they resent and/or envy, and it’s only gotten more transparent over time.
All SJW’s have proven is that you can be right and still be full of shit.
Agree with Jingle’s comment, the majority of SJW are doing it for the attention, many of them don’t even know what it is they’re “fighting” for, it’s become a trend on social media to look like you’re smarter and more socially conscious than everyone else even when you’re cutting and pasting fake news from click bate sites. And judging from Iron Fist’s ratings absolutely NO ONE cared about the casting non-issue.
They are Hollywood insiders.
Your mistake is in thinking that they even consider these things when making a casting decision. There are so many factors at play when choosing an actor for a role that you are not even aware of, but all you can see is this racial bullshit. give it a rest. they do what they can to combat racial inequaity, just look at the rest of the fuckin cast..
They changed the Ancient One because of pressure from the Chinese government, which didn’t want the references to Tibet. The rest was just a smokescreen so they wouldn’t have to acknowledge the truth.
We’re so sick of the brainwashed totalitarian leftists who just got mind fucked by their Marxist communist professors at colleges where there’s stacks of Marx & Engel books in campus book stores yet no trace of Jefferson or any of the great people that made this country great.
Audiences and most moderate normal Americans are not into this “race war” game or “race teams” shenanigans. We don’t see color, we only see compelling actors. From Jennifer Lawrence, to Michonne, to the beautiful Asian-Black actress Sydney Park on Walking Dead or the handsome Asian actor from Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
You want to live in a global community but then bitch and moan about appropriation. If someone wants to create a white character like Iron Fist who gets all up in Asian power so be it. If someone wants to create an Asian race character who gets infused with Celtic mythology powers so be it.
We are Americans we do what we want. Let the viewer decide if they want to watch. We are the people of earth tired of your divisive extremist rhetoric. Both far left and far right have gots to go!!
AMEN!
What a bunch of pathetic losers who believe their race’s greatness is interrupted by racist writers.
Hey, here’s an idea…go create your own story and characters.
I am SICK and TIRED of SOCIAL JUSTICE SNOWFLAKES constantly bemoaning their gripes on social media. Finn Jones got cast as the Iron Fist because he was the BEST POSSIBLE MAN for the role (in the eyes of the creative team).
Do people want good entertainment based on story and production value, or do they care about bean counting ethnicity of those cast?! UNBELIEVABLY stupid…
There is a conversation to be had about Marvel’s decision to stick with the 1974 decision to make Iron Fist a white dude, sure. And that conversation very much SHOULD be had. We need more Asian representation on screen FO SHIZZLE. Stop making excuses. Explore options for more diverse casting.
But don’t take it out on the guy who was, before this role, an unemployed actor who’d never had a lead role in anything. C’mon. If you were out of a job and told “Here. Come work for Marvel and Netflix” wouldn’t you take it??? Really?! And to his credit, he appears to have approached the role with an embrace of exploring Buddhist philosophy, kung fu and wushu, and a nuanced understanding of diversity and the problems behind a White Dude being the Iron First.
TLDR: Attack the studio. Not the actor.
This 100%
Or dont blame anyone because theres no fucking reason to the charaters white so they hired a white guy to play him fucking shocker i know so stop blaming people for no legitimate reason
Do people really want a martial-arts superhero to be necessarily Asian? Isn’t that kind of a cliche?
When Ken Leung was cast as Karnak in The Inhumans, there was squawking about “oh look of course the martial-arts superhero is Asian.” (In the case of Karnak, it’s never been totally clear what race he is supposed to be, other than Inhuman as a race I guess.)
But I don’t get why celebs run their own social media accounts. Can’t they hire a PR firm for that, one that knows how to avoid pitfalls?
Isnt it cliche to have a white guy learn from asians and save the day?
This is the fundamental problem with Iron Fist (both in the comics and on screen.)
Keep Danny Rand white and people lose their shit because it “should” have been an Asian American actor.
Make Danny Rand Asian and people lose their shit because it’s not comic canon and why do all Asians have to be martial arts legends?
Both are fair comments to make about on screen diversity **in general** but put it this way… I don’t think Iron Fist was really the hill on which people who want more Asian male lead roles should be dying. It was never a great move in either direction.
Man the apologists are out in full force. So Marvel finds any excuse to remove Asian guys from their products and when they get called on it the peanut gallery shows up to cape for Disneycorp. So the Ancient One gets white-washed because “reasons” but making Iron Fist Asian is an abomination. Nice. BTW why is an Asian guy being a martial artist problematic but an “Asian-y Kung Fu Fighting Female” is fine and dandy?
Uh… how is Danny being a white guy “removing Asian guys from their properties”? He always was one. It actually ties into who he is, and his outsider status plays a factor in later story arcs for him.
Plus I dunno if you noticed, but they’ve got Asian guys in their products. They actually changed Wong from a simple manservant to a Master of the Mystic Arts. They’ve got Karnak in the Inhumans series being portrayed by Ken Leung. One of the Howling Commandos was an Asian man. Hell, one of the Norse GODS is Asian in the MCU. They exist.
The Ancient One was changed due to both complicated politics in China as well as wanting to avoid accusations of stereotyping. So as the tie to Mysticism was more important, in their view, they chose an ancient Celtic woman as their rep. Mordo was made a black man too, so it’s not as if she was the sole change. And again: Wong was actually elevated.
Forget the fact that Danny Rand is white in the comics, the problem is why is Finn Jones being attacked? He did a job, he acted well, got the part. If you want to complain about white washing, attack the source, tweet, message whatever the producers and the writers, not the actor bringing the role to life.
he made the argument that representation is important, people were calling him out on the hypocrisy
There was no hypocrisy there.
it’s never been about diversity, it’s about taking white out of everything
As a black comic book fan I’m glad Danny is as he was, he can’t be a white guy with a black best friend in a strange environment if he’s Asian and it would have been a racist stereotype anyway!
The irony here is that his GoT coworkers have contributed to this nonsensical way of thinking…GRRM, Lena, Sophie, Maisie…all those moronic PC pushing lunatics are brainwashed people into being complete hypocrites. OK, you want more diversity? That’s fine. But getting it by going after the actor who’s trying to find work? Uh, wut?