Whitewashing controversy has surrounded Dakota Fanning’s casting in Sweetness in the Belly. 1 / 7
The movie follows a Muslim Ethiopian woman, prompting many to question why a white woman would be cast. Context is key. 2 / 7
Whitewashing takes place when white actors are cast in non-white roles (see Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's). 3 / 7
In recent years, Emma Stone was cast as a Chinese character in the box office flop Aloha. 4 / 7
Rooney Mara portrayed a Native American character in Pan. The list goes on and on. #Hollywood 5 / 7
Analeigh Tipton's Warm Bodies character is Ethiopian in the book - Fanning's case is similar but still different. 6 / 7
Fanning's character is based on a British woman who was abandoned in Africa and raised Muslim (nothing to do with race). 7 / 7