TV's BATWOMAN Seeking Out Actress, of "ANY" Ethnicity. Maybe not Jewish?

[Comic-Reader Lad]

I was interested in the announcement of the new CW show for Batwoman and having that character interact with the other Arrowverse shows, but according to an article on the front page of CBR, Berlanti Productions is seeking an actress of "any ethnicity."

Here's a quote from the article:
"Following the news that The CW is looking to launch a new series starring Batwoman, new details have emerged for casting the title role, with the network reportedly seeking actors of any ethnicity.

TVLine also reports the preference would be to find an actor between the ages of 25 and 29 who is lesbian, to accurately depict the Kate Kane from the DC Universe."

https://www.cbr.com/batwoman-the-cw-...-lgbt-actress/

So, they want a comics accurate Batwoman in the following sense:
- female actress
- lesbian actress: in other words, Batwoman will be a lesbian character in the show as in the comics, but ideally, the ACTRESS portraying Batwoman would ALSO be lesbian
- between the ages of 25 to 29

all being done "to accurately depict the Kate Kane from the DC Universe."

Well, from what I've read, Kate Kane from the DC Universe is also Jewish, so why is this the one aspect of the character that doesn't matter to the producers?

Here's a quote from Batwoman's wiki entry:
"The modern Batwoman is written as being of Jewish descent and as a lesbian in an effort by DC editorial staff to diversify its publications and better connect to modern-day readership."

I realize that there might not be a ton of Jewish lesbian redheaded actresses that are 25-29 out there, but you can certainly keep the character Jewish even if the actress herself is not.

By casting a wide net for "any ethnicity," you are basically saying that the character being Jewish is not a "must have."

I understand that the producers want to continue their diversity campaign, but keeping Batwoman Jewish IS diversity. Given how few Jewish heroes there are in comics and in television/movies, I think possibly doing away with Batwoman's Jewish ethnicity is really wrong-headed.

Quite frankly, I'm a little surprised Greg Berlanti doesn't see anything wrong with his decision.

[jump]

Tbh I think it's more important that she's pasty looking rather than Jewish, maybe I'm not remembering the original Greg Rucks/J. H. Williams III run (I didn't read her debut in 52) but I don't seem to remember anything about her being Jewish.

[Carabas]

Tbh I think it's more important that she's pasty looking rather than Jewish, maybe I'm not remembering the original Greg Rucks/J. H. Williams III run (I didn't read her debut in 52) but I don't seem to remember anything about her being Jewish.

Oh, it was definitely there from the start.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Tbh I think it's more important that she's pasty looking rather than Jewish, maybe I'm not remembering the original Greg Rucks/J. H. Williams III run (I didn't read her debut in 52) but I don't seem to remember anything about her being Jewish.

Really? You really think it's more important that she's "pasty looking" than Jewish?

Anyway, that's just an art effect by JH Williams that became part of her depiction. She wasn't pasty in her introduction in the 52 miniseries.

Also, I can guarantee you that if they cast a Puerto Rican actress, they won't make her pasty looking, so I think that aspect won't be part of the TV version in any event.

[jump]

Really? You really think it's more important that she's "pasty looking" than Jewish?

Also, I can guarantee you that if they cast a Puerto Rican actress, they won't make her pasty looking, so I think that aspect won't be part of the TV version in any event.

Yeah, her being pasty adds tremendously to her look both in and out of the costume and is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about her but I don't remember anything at all Jewish about the character.

Fun fact, Puerto Rico actually has the largest population of Jews in the Caribbean.

[SJNeal]

I missed most of the original Rucka/Williams run in Detective Comics, but was it ever explained why she had that pasty countenance?

[Elmo]

As long as she is still Bruce Wayne's cousin I don't mind what she looks like

[KurtW95]

This is dumb. She's half ethnically Jewish and doesn't practice. It she resembles physically the character and can act, it doesn't matter. The focus on identity of character matching actor, writer, and director is absolutely moronic and will destroy the entertainment industry if they stay on this track. RDJ and Scarlett Johansson are both half ethnically Jewish. Does that mean they are now unqualified to play non-Jewish character Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff? Should Sean Penn have his Oscar revoked because he's not gay like Harvey Milk? Should Phil LaMarr not be allowed to voice Samurai Jack?

[Carabas]

...Bruce Wayne's cousin...

I liked her better before that dumb retcon.

[Cyke]

But people of Jewish practice or descent can be any ethnicity as well. Lisa Bonet, Maya Rudolph, and Rashida Jones are Jewish (not that I would recommend Bonet for the role -- she's married to Aquaman).

Keeping the character Jewish would be important. Casting a Jewish person in the role helps eliminate the whitewashing of Jewish roles. But Jewish people come in different colors. Even China had Jewish people in the 17th century. Casting an actress of any ethnicity doesn't exclude Jewish applicants.

[jump]

I missed most of the original Rucka/Williams run in Detective Comics, but was it ever explained why she had that pasty countenance?

She puts white make up on in the costume to become even more pale but in general she's pale to begin with.

[AnakinFlair]

Honestly, what I can remember is she started rocking the pasty white look during a storyline about a vampire seducing her, and it just stuck from there. But it could have started back in the first issue of her own ongoing as an artistic choice.

[RikWriter]

Well, pasty-skinned, red-haired 25-29 year old Jewish Lesbians has to be one of the smallest minorities in existence.

[jump]

Never mind.

[Immortal Weapon]

I thought her pale look was artistic choice. I didn't think she was actually white as a ghost.