Daniel Dae Kim May Replace Ed Skrein in ‘Hellboy’ Reboot After Whitewashing Controversy
Hellboy is about to have a new Major Ben Daimio!
Hawaii Five-0 star Daniel Dae Kim is in talks to play the character in Lionsgate’s upcoming Hellboy reboot starring David Harbour, Variety reports.
MORE: Ed Skrein Leaves 'Hellboy' Reboot Following Whitewashing Criticism
Deadpool star Ed Skrein was initially cast in the role, but exited after backlash ensued -- in the comic books, the character is Asian.
"It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voice in the Arts,” Skrein tweeted as the reasoning for his departure. “I feel it is important to honour and respect that. [Therefore] I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.”
MORE: Meghan Markle Talks Being Labeled 'Ethnically Ambiguous' in Hollywood
Hellboy is set to premiere in 2018.
Meanwhile, whitewashing in TV and movies is far from a new phenomenon, and this past year’s Oscars addressed Hollywood’s diversity problem head on.
Watch the video below for more.