The internet was abuzz a few weeks ago when the first photos for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune 2020 adaptation came out, but where were all the MENA people who should have been cast in a work clearly informed by the Middle East and its people, down to blatantly using Arabic and Persian words? In our exasperation at this blatant exclusion, we have our friend and lifelong Dune fan Rocky on again to discuss why this is troubling and its overall implications for MENA representation in Hollywood. Why did Warner Brothers and Villeneuve not cast any MENA actors or We’re very tired. We also discuss the return of Legends of Tomorrow and what we thought of Tala Ashe’s mesmerizing performance, give our recommendations for our collective time in quarantine, and much more!
- Rocky’s Pajiba article on Dune’s Middle Eastern Representation Problem
- Hanna Ines Flint’s SYFY articles on Dune‘s Religious Appropriation and why Arab and Islamic Representation Matters in Dune
- List of Arabic terms used in Dune
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Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi
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