Wednesday’s Casting Backlash Brings Up Racism Issues

After fans took to Twitter to air out their frustrations about the show’s casting decisions, Wednesday‘s casting backlash brought forth a discussion about racism.

Despite its popularity after its release, Wednesday became a trending topic when social media users noticed that some actors were chosen for a bully or villain role.

Viewers were quick to point at executive producer Tim Burton about the possible decision flaw that overshadowed the immense success of the series. Viewers of the show noticed that the three black characters, Joy Sunday, Iman Marson, and Tommie Earl Jenkins, were cast for villainous or bully roles. 

Sunday portrays Bianca, a popular kid in Nevermore student, while Manson and Jenkins portray the father and son, Noble and Lucas Walker. As the series goes by, viewers discover that Bianca is the typical mean girl and instantly becomes Wednesday’s bully and nemesis. 

Meanwhile, Noble is Jericho’s mayor, who keeps skeletons inside his closet and glorifies historical genocide. His son, Lucas, throws in red paint during a Nevermore prom. 

Viewers React to Wednesday’s Casting Backlash with a Variety of Responses

Wednesday‘s casting backlash invited a slew of reactions from netizens, especially on Twitter. Here are some of them:

Shinyfluff over at Hive @ShinyFluffdnd tweeted:

why is the the Black girl in Wednesday's school an aggressive bully tho? hmmm tim burton is a known racist….. no surprises there…..

— Shinyfluff 🌿🪬 (@ShinyFluffdnd) November 26, 2022

This netizen did not mince her words when judging Tim Burton. She just casually said she was not surprised by what the producer did. 

chey @CheyBreeezy tweeted:

after finishing wednesday lemme just say tim burton ain't beating them racist allegations :/

— chey 🪬 (@CheyBreeezy) December 5, 2022

Although a bit vague, this user still expressed disappointment over the series. 

John Cornejo @John_Cornejo tweeted:

This really took off!

What TV/film characters have you seen that have cast a Black person but not thought about how their Blackness would’ve affected the character?

A Black mayor who owns a museum celebrating pilgrims and colonisers in #Wednesday is really wild for me. https://t.co/bZy0Cx1feO

— Jon Cornejo 🍉 (@Jon_Cornejo) November 29, 2022

John Cornejo is a known anti-racism consultant, thus questioning how the series went. In particular, Cornejo’s queries seemed like Noble’s character was written from the perspective of a white guy but was given to a Black actor. 

deej @fanoniscanon tweeted:

https://twitter.com/fanoniscanon/status/1596984785884569600?s=20&t=qb7pg_PUfkL1-iAUMxVP6w

This netizen seems lost in her words, as if she does not understand what just happened. 

Indeed, woke netizens took over Twitter upon noticing this apparent decision flaw. In this day and age where proper representation in media is vital, Wednesday‘s casting backlash seems to be a step backward. But this also prompted the concerned actress to air her side to open the critics’ minds and give the villains a chance for character development. 

Image: Netflix

Concerned Star React to the Show’s New Controversy

Sunday, one of the villain casts, told Deadline the statement below after finding out about Wednesday’s casting backlash:

“Bianca is riding on the coattails of so many characters before her, and I think this conversation and any conversations about this is always important because we can all learn something. It’s always insightful to hear, but I would also encourage people to give her a chance to bloom; we’re just meeting the characters for the first time and there are only 8 episodes. There are so many places for them to go. Even people who are beloved and are good characters could become really evil. Bianca wasn’t a villain or evil at all, she was just responding to the stimulus around her as anybody would.”

Sunday’s character, Bianca, might be the typical diva or “the closest thing Nevermore might have for a royalty.” But then, she is just like any ordinary person her age. She needs validation, feels anger and sadness, and “just responding to the stimulus around her as anybody would.”

The actress also invites the viewers to get to know Bianca more and give her “a chance to bloom.” Throughout the show, tidbits of her past are hinted at, proving that the character has more to give. She has a troubled past, and her real name is Brandy Jane. She wants to be free from her con artist mom, so she’s in Nevermore. 

What do you think about Wednesday‘s casting backlash? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.

Wednesday is now streaming on Netflix. 

Paul is many things. He's a fan of anime, superheroes, and everything in between. He dedicates his downtime to annoying the heck out of his cats and dog.