As a consequence of Paramount's refusal to address any concerns over their discriminatory casting practices, we pledge to:
- Boycott The Last Airbender. (theatrical release, DVD sales, etc.)
- Discourage friends and family from watching the film.
- Support and endorse the protest activities of Racebending.com
The following statements and actions have caused anger, disappointment and disgust to members of the community, many of whom would otherwise have been enthusiastic fans of the movie:
The initial casting breakdowns for the lead characters and the resultant all-Caucasian initial cast. The casting calls clearly indicated a preference for Caucasian actors to play the show's ethnically Asian characters, by using the wording "Caucasian or any other Ethnicity," rather than “Asian or any other Ethnicity” or even an unbiased “Any Ethnicity.”
The subsequent tokenism resulting from the casting of minority actors to play only supporting and antagonist characters, while all of the heroic lead characters remain white.
The inappropriate and offensive language used by various members of the production, including casting director DeeDee Rickets’s repeated culturally ignorant statements (such as calling traditional clothing “costumes,” “If you're Korean, wear a kimono”) and actor Jackson Rathbone’s assertion that he will “get a tan” to look more like his ethnically Inupiat and Yupik character.
The casting decision to seek "authentic Asians"—a description Rickets gave to The Washington Post—to play background extras, when the very same "authentic Asians" were so blatantly discriminated against in the casting calls to play the lead characters
The decision that the two most subjugated ”Nations” in this Asian fantasy setting will be retrofitted from Shaolin and Tibetan Buddhist and Inupiat and Yupik ethnic peoples to be Caucasian peoples, even as the film continues to appropriate the franchise’s core Asian concepts, including a Hindi Avatar and the Four Buddhist Great Elements.
Paramount's choices have taken the film away from the integrity and dedication to cultural accuracy that fans respected in the animated series. As members of the viewing public, we pledge to reject this movie and do everything in our power to ensure The Last Airbender’s financial failure.
We, the undersigned, pledge to boycott the 2010 Paramount Pictures film The Last Airbender.
Kai Sarin, , United Kingdom
Michelle DeSouza, , Hong Kong
Karen Michele Hodo, IL, United States
M Mitchell, , Canada
Raven Raines, FL, United States
Kevin Kou, ,
Marshall Shirley, TX, United States
Hanh Tran, TX, United States
Tu Vue, CA, USA
Danayett Wills, , Canada
(latest 10 signatures displayed)
