Milka ad casting call - awful

[Dippypippy1980]

I have just red the really creepy casting call for a little girl to advertise milka chocolate.

While there is lots and lots wrong with the call, I am outraged by the no red hair. I have red hair, so does my daughter. We will now be boycotting* this product.

But it has got me wondering, why are unkind comments about red heads still a thing? I endured nasty comments through my childhood, and within the last decade distance myself from a friend who was making nasty comments about a friends baby with red hair. What the hell is wrong with people.

Why do people who would be (quite rightly) outraged by comments about skin colour think it’s okay to target people because of hair colour?

The way this advert is written is disgusting. Very creepy.

That looks fake to me though I don't work in the industry [thank goodness]

I understand that modelling agencies have requirements, but the way the ad was written is disgusting. It sounds as if it was written by a man too, it’s just terrible.

I’ve seen lots of casting calls that ask for children who have not yet reached puberty (usually they term it underdeveloped) but it’s usually when they are after 8-12 year olds who can play younger eg Matilda, the Banks children etc)

But the whole tone was just wrong.

Jo Hawes a famous children’s casting director has publicly said there was no need for that wording.

I would bet it is written by someone whose first language isn’t English hence why it sounds “off”

Lots of redheads in North Africa too

The wording has been translated from German which hasn’t helped and it is massively OTT in terms of how ‘beautiful’ the child is etc.

In terms of the rest, then a lot is fairly standard.

If they want a child to be an actor more than a model then they generally want small but older - they take direction better and can work longer hours. It’s very common for a small 10/11 year old to be cast to play a 7-8 year old.

All child castings for 10/11/2 year olds state they must be undeveloped/child-like for girls (ie no hint of puberty) or voices unbroken for boys.

These briefs go to the talent agents, not to parents. Agents look through their books and submit children who tick the boxes.

My DD does a lot of this kind of thing and the time and expense that goes into it. I’d rather know upfront if my DD isn’t going to fit the brief. That way we don’t waste our time. There are always far more castings she isn’t suitable for than ones she is.

On the red hair, DD has been begging me to dye hers red as not only is she envious of it but she’s convinced that is the secret to being cast in things as it’s so striking - instead of which she is one of a million kids with dark blonde.

It is an appalling casting. But don’t worry on the whole red hair is the no1 thing for child modelling. Not that that’s the point of this but does show that for most advertisers it is very desirable.

Height requirements are also standard.

To audition for Matilda you have to be under 4ft 3” and as close to 10 years as possible - over 90% of 10 year olds will be taller than that.

I don’t know a single MT casting that doesn’t specify height. You are out as soon as you hit 5ft till you are an adult.

There is nothing fair about this business at all, and you should only do it if you have a child who is extremely resilient and can take endless rejection without getting bothered by it.

If you’re going to boycott Milka because they want a non-redhead to represent a German product then they won’t miss you as much as you will miss Milka.

First world problems. If you’re looking for companies to boycott because of their attitude to children, you could start with the Asian sweat shops employing children to make clothes and shoes. In terms of social injustice, Milka’s casting call pales into insignificance when you look at the bigger picture.

That ad is INCREDIBLY creepy. But, in modelling they are looking for a certain look/characteristics so you are BU for taking offence to the red hair comment. And I’m a redhead too!

It’s creepy and the red hair thing, meh, if it wasn’t what they’re looking for, ok.
But I absolutely agree op with the way people speak about red hair. People make down right disgusting insulting ‘jokes’ everywhere constantly that are laughed at and praised, in the mainstream media also. It is disgusting. It absolutely should not be acceptable.

I love Milka chocolate. The casting director in question is female and known in the industry to be a bit of a cunt apparently.

Red hair was considered a stereotypical Jewish trait in continental Europe for hundreds of years, and as such has been considered undesirable.

Red hair isn’t considered positive in the ME - Asia either.

It is creepy but I don’t think the no-red hair thing is so bad because theyalso want someone with brown eyes so that rules out lots of blue/green eyed kids.

That ad is utterly repellent in every way and confirms all my suspicions about selling ones children into 'the business'. Revolting.

It is creepy but I don’t think the no-red hair thing is so bad because theyalso want someone with brown eyes so that rules out lots of blue/green eyed kids.

It says that eye colour doesn't matter. I know that it describes Mia as having brown eyes but they aren't actually specifically looking for someone with brown eyes, they're just describing their idealised vision of her. Confusing I know. The Heroes thing is equally weird.

Why do people assume this was translated? I saw the name of the casting director concerned and so far as I remember it wasn't a foreign-sounding name - and from what Shatner says she has a track record for similar calls in Spotlight, so it sounds as if has nothing to do with language.

This isn't about fair opportunity for everyone. It's about looking for a model who looks a certain way. If your child fits, go for it!

Their loss.

I and my daughters are all ginger. We own it to fuck and they fully believe it to be their super power. So far no one has dared contradict them 😂 But regardless of hair colour never in a million years would I put them forward for something like that. Hideous wording.

Fun fact:

Shitloads of Finns have red hair.

Loads of ‘em.

I’m with everyone who says the whole ad is creepy. It’s very toddlers and tiarasesq. Urgh.

Send me your beautiful, prepubescent, beautiful, non-red headed, beautiful little girls. Must be beautiful. If you read this and your little girl isn’t beautiful unread it immediately.

she has a track record for similar calls in Spotlight

Someone should send her a link to a thesaurus.

Perhaps the design/graphics for the advert could not accommodate any colour of red. You could be judged as reacting in a way red heads are renown for!