Why JK Rowling Is Being Heavily Criticized For Casting Korean Actress Claudia Kim In “Fantastic Beasts”
Actress Claudia Kim has been confirmed to be playing Nagini in JK Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
On September 25, Warner Bros. Pictures released the official trailer for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and fans noticed something that wasn’t revealed in previous trailers.
Claudia Kim will be playing the role of Nagini, which is a villainous, evil snake character that appeared in “Harry Potter” films and books. Viewers from all around the world didn’t like the casting choice and directed their hate towards the writer JK Rowling for casting her to play the role.
The hate is generated because she cast a Korean actress to play the role of a character that later becomes the pet of Lord Voldemort.
One fan tweeted,
“Listen Joanne, we get it, you didn’t include enough representation when you wrote the books. But suddenly making Nagini into a Korean woman is garbage.
Representation as an afterthought for more woke points is not good representation.”
JK Rowling replied explaining the origin of the word Nagini saying,
“The Naga are snake-like mythical creatures of Indonesian mythology, hence the name ‘Nagini.’ They are sometimes depicted as winged, sometimes as half-human, half-snake. Indonesia comprises a few hundred ethnic groups, including Javanese, Chinese and Betawi. Have a lovely day.”
The Naga are snake-like mythical creatures of Indonesian mythology, hence the name ‘Nagini.’ They are sometimes depicted as winged, sometimes as half-human, half-snake. Indonesia comprises a few hundred ethnic groups, including Javanese, Chinese and Betawi. Have a lovely day 🐍
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 26, 2018
This didn’t quiet down the controversy as many people jumped in to explain how wrong her statement was, Indian author Amish Tripathi refuted her claim and stated,
“Actually @jk_rowling the Naga mythology emerged from India. It travelled to Indonesia with the Indic/Hindu empires that emerged there in the early Common Era, with the influence of Indian traders and Rishis/Rishikas who travelled there. Nagin is a Sanskrit language word.”
Actually @jk_rowling the Naga mythology emerged from India. It travelled to Indonesia with the Indic/Hindu empires that emerged there in the early Common Era, with the influence of Indian traders and Rishis/Rishikas who travelled there. Nagin is a Sanskrit language word. https://t.co/cXHSlDD7Kc
— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) September 26, 2018
JK Rowling tried to explain why she cast a Korean but it backfired badly, fans found that giving the role of a loyal pet of a white man to an Asian woman is pretty problematic. Fans also pointed out that casting a Korean since ‘Indonesia comprises a few hundred ethnic groups’ doesn’t make much sense, fans think her statement lacks cultural understanding.
The film had previously been under controversy for its lack of diversity. Fans wanted the cast to include more actors from different backgrounds and are calling this casting ‘racist, ‘misogynist’ and a ‘disaster.’
I feel like this is the problem when white people want to diversify and don’t actually ask POC how to do so. They don’t make the connection between making Nagini an Asian woman who later on is the pet of a white man. So I’m going to say it right now. That shit is racist.
— Ellen “Call Me General” Oh (@ElloEllenOh) September 25, 2018
I was already planning to not go see Fantastic Beasts 2 because of JK Rowling’s transphobia but I’m definitely not going now with her engaging in hurtful racist stereotypes. Throwing in last minute gay rep that’s likely going to be a 30 second scene isn’t enough to save her.
— CCTakato (@CCTakato) September 25, 2018
Full disclosure: I never watched the Fantastic Beasts movies and don’t intend to. But in addition to Johnny Depp, the revelation that Nagini is actually a human woman (with an Asian actress cast in the role) cursed to become a snake is…a racist, misogynist disaster. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
— Kelly Van Sant (@bookishchick) September 26, 2018
What do you think of this?
As an Indian who’s very much in touch with her religion and cultural nuances I don’t think making Nagini a woman as a “misogynistic” thing. Because the word Nagini in itself means “a female snake” whereas “Naga” is the male counterpart of it. And according to Hindu/Buddhist/Jain mythology, a “naagin” or “nagini” is a female serpent that often takes human form and lives in the human world. There you go.
Now, about the racism. I really don’t see anything racist in casting a korean origin actor for the role considering how JK Rowling’s version of a Nagini is from the Indonesian mythology and gave the casting directors when they found a south east asian looking woman. That’s not racist, it’s pure ignorance.