Colour blind casting - am I being thick?

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

I'm watching Sherwood that was on recently, am up to episode 4. What I don't understand, and was told it was colour blind casting when I discussed it, is why actors of obvious Asian heritage are given characters with names like Fraser, Andy and Neil Fisher.

Diversity in drama is one thing but I see this as taking the mickey and denying someone's heritage. Or am I overthinking it?

I haven't watched Sherwood so can't comment on those specific characters but presumably someone with a father with a surname like Fisher could be born in Nottingham to a mother of Asian heritage and be called Neil quite easily. Having said that, I don't especially understand colourblind casting in some situations e.g. in Bridgerton the casting of Queen Charlotte, a real historical figure except to say that the actress who played her was beyond fantastic in the role and her ethnicity had no bearing. The flipside though is, could Benedict Cumberbatch have played Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave because he's a great actor?

So you think that only white people can be named Fraser, Andy or Neil?!!

Because of her appearance in some portraits, and some contemporaneous descriptions, there is a theory that Queen Charlotte was mixed race. Not sure it's an accepted thing by all historians, but it's been at least a rumour for a long time, so that casting comes partly from that.

I live in a multi cultural northern town.
There are plenty of people here that appear Afrucan or Asian but have names such as Wayne Reynolds or Callum Brown. I have a colleague from a different department who has a very English name along the lines of Robert Smith or David Jones. it is clear his skin colour is darker than the average English white guy but hes not black. He us from a black family from Nigeria that still live there.
So watching Sherwood and the character Andy didnt seem odd to me.

I think the idea is that the character is already called, say, Dave, and they get the best actor to play Dave regardless of race. And perhaps historically there wouldn't have been many/any non-white people living the lives being portrayed (e.g. Bridgerton) but they ignore that and again, cast the best actor.

Very sensible I think!

There are Indians living in India known as Anglo Indians who are the descendants of British men living there in colonial times. They look no different to to everyone else but have names like Richard Atkinson.

I think it works well - getting the best actor for that role.
Not everyone's 'cultural heritage' should be explored or made obvious in a drama. For example, if someone had a Scottish accent and were in an English based drama the story wouldn't lack anything if it wasn't explained as to why they came to live in england and what it was like growing up in Scotland.
If it's not necessary to the drama or pace of the story then it's not relevant.
Plus, as PP have pointed out, people have all sorts of names.

True colourblind casting is where you'd have say a brother and sister from white parents in which the brother would perhaps be black and the sister was Asian. Sherwood wasn't true colourblind casting because having the majority of the miners any colour other than white would have been ridiculous (although there was a black family, which probably reflected the times).

I think this was just a case of casting the best actor for the job as Adeel Akhtar was fantastic in the role, regardless of what his name was in the series. And his son was also Asian (or of Asian heritage. I assume both the actors are English/British). But you're being a bit daft to think that every person of Asian heritage in the country has a name of Asian origin and I wonder if you're trolling a bit.

No.

What do you think they should be renamed to OP

So many weird threads about race recently

Bridgerton isn't colourblind casting, it's set in an alternative world where people of colour are commonplace in British high society, under the aegis of a powerful black Queen.

Of course I'm not trolling. Not even a "bit". I'm a "bit" too busy and grown up for that. It was a discussion and we're getting some interesting answers.

I did start to write that the characters were probably meant to be born into multi heritage marriages but deleted that. Too afraid of writing the wrong thing. Someone else has pointed that out.

Of course I'm not trolling. Not even a "bit". I'm a "bit" too busy and grown up for that. It was a discussion and we're getting some interesting answers.

It was bizarre thing to ask. You wondered if they were "taking the mickey" and "denying their heritage". That doesn't sound like someone who is "busy" and "grown up". It sounds like someone who is "being goady". If you wanted a proper discussion, you could have worded your OP better.

This has been commonplace in theatres for decades. Did you never get taken to see a play with school? (Not trying to sound judgy there)

I think I should have directed this to my work colleague's partner who runs a theatre group rather than Mumsnet.

My father is a first generation Indian immigrant and he has a "white" name - think along the lines of Brian

I went to school with an Asian lad called Stuart Knight should he change his name to Abdul Perveen?

Don't be silly.

This, and usually from posters who seem clueless about the issues surrounding race. The Op has even included a racial slur in her first post.

Would you like to enlighten me as to what that is so I'm informed? It's a genuine mistake if I've actually done this. PM if you want. Thank you.

I get what you mean, OP. And for the names to be associated with white British heritage with no cultural diversity, which they are, really undermines the show's aim of colourblind casting because the white default is still there.

(Also where on earth is the racial slur in the first post for goodness sake?)

Some people from different cultures anglicise their names

Yes of course. The phrase "Taking the mick/mickey" can be offensive to Irish people. You can Google it to find out more.

Just because you do not recognise it, it does not mean that it is not there.

Thanks. I'll ask my friend at work what he thinks about this. He's from Galway.