I've just read some harsh criticism of Ben Affleck because of his decision to cast himself as the star of the movie Argo, instead of "a Latino actor". This - like so many other ethnocentric criticisms of virtually everyone in the news - is bullshit. The thesis is that the CIA agent whose actual activities were the basis for the movie is a guy named Tony Mendez. The criticism runs thus: Since the guy upon whom the story is based is a Latino, you should have starred a Latino actor.
My response is this: If Mr. Mendez, during the time when he was performing the heroic acts that are depicted in the movie, was acting "first as a Latino, and secondly as an American CIA agent", then the criticism is just. However, I suspect that Mr. Mendez would acknowledge that when he was performing the heroic acts that are depicted in the movie he was acting, first and foremost, as an American CIA agent- nothing more, and nothing less. The fact that Mr. Mendez is of Latino descent is purely incidental to the entire basis of the movie. If the name of the CIA agent had been Ted Wojowiczi, would the casting director have been criticized for not casting a Polish actor in the lead role? Of course not. Therefore, Ben Affleck's having not cast a Latino in the role of Tony Mendez in the movie should not be criticized in the slightest.
This is just another example of much ado about nothing brought about by people who get paid to write something - and are generally paid the same no matter how good or bad, no matter how "strong" or how "lame" is that which he/she has written.
Just MHO, of course.
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