Disney’s ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ trailer criticized for depictions of Hook and Tinker Bell
The new trailer for Disney’s “Peter Pan & Wendy” has drawn criticism for its depictions of Tinker Bell and Captain Hook.
On Tuesday, the first look at the studio’s live-action adaptation of “Peter Pan” introduced Alexander Molony as Peter, Ever Anderson as Wendy, Alyssa Wapanatâhk as Tiger Lily, Yara Shahidi as Tinker Bell and Jude Law as Captain Hook. The preview sees Peter and Wendy embark on an adventurous journey to Neverland, where they meet various mythical friends and foes.
Twitter users immediately took issue with how Law was styled as Hook, lamenting that Disney somehow managed to make a character who is canonically hot (according to some), played by an actor who is famously good-looking, decidedly unappealing. In the trailer, Law sports a long, frizzy gray wig and a furry mustache while wielding the villain’s signature sickle.
Given its reliance on spanking new, mind-bending visual technology, it would be tempting to say that Disney’s latest classic remake is not your father’s “Lion King.”
“The audacity of casting Jude Law as Captain Hook and making him look like that,” tweeted @bensolohope. “This is a criminal offense.”
“I thought it was impossible to uglify Jude Law and illegal to make an un hot Captain Hook but Disney has proved me wrong yet again,” @neon_heartbeat tweeted.
“I already have very little faith in Peter Pan & Wendy because they were cowards and made the Hook played by Jude Law unattractive,” @plandefeld410 tweeted.
There has also been a racist backlash to Disney casting “black-ish” and “Grown-ish” star Shahidi as Tinker Bell. Others insisted that regardless of how a character has been depicted in the past, getting upset over the race of an actor playing a magical fairy — or a mermaid, for that matter — is absurd.
Disney’s live-action version of “Mulan,” directed by Niki Caro and streaming on Disney+, is something of a heroic muddle.
“Dear white people, Tinkerbell nor Ariel are white women ... one is a fairy and the other is a fictional fish,” @itsKenBarbie tweeted. “Stop masking your racism behind the faux protection of CHARACTERS from your childhood.”
“‘Tinkerbell isnt black’ and fairies aren’t f— real so now what,” @STALLlONAIRE tweeted.
“Go cry somewhere else with the fake outrage,” @DaddyMando_ tweeted. “‘Tinker bell is white’ SHES A F— FAIRY??????????????”
Halle Bailey’s groundbreaking casting as Princess Ariel in Disney’s ‘Little Mermaid’ remake was met with a racist backlash on social media.
Many also complained about the trailer’s dim lighting after struggling to make out the images on the screen. And a number of people were disappointed by what they saw as a lack of effort to make Tinker Bell glow.
Representatives for Law, Shahidi and Disney did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ requests for comment. Directed by David Lowery, “Peter Pan & Wendy” premieres April 28 on Disney+.
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