Hollywood is racist: Chloe Bennet on changing her name

Image
Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Sep 02 2017 | 12:57 PM IST
After actor Ed Skrein dropped out of "Hellboy" reboot following public outcry against whitewashing in Hollywood, Chloe Bennet has revealed that she had to change her name because "Hollywood is racist".
The 25-year-old took to Instagram to praise the English actor for stepping down from the project as it was important to "honour ethnic minority stories and voices in arts" when he he himself comes from "a mixed heritage family".
Skrein was roped in to play Major Ben Daimiom which was an Asian character in the "Hellboy" graphic novels.
When one of the followers asked Bennet why she had changed her name from Chloe Wang, the "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." actor said people would not give her a job as her name would make them uncomfortable.
"Changing my last name doesn't change the fact that my blood is half-Chinese, that I lived in China, speak Mandarin, or that I was culturally raised both American and Chinese.
"It means I had to pay my rent, and Hollywood is racist and wouldn't cast me with a last name that made them uncomfortable. I'm doing everything I can with the platform I have to make sure no one has to change their name again just so they can get work," Bennet wrote.
Earlier, the actor had posted a note thanking Skrein for standing up against Hollywood's "continuous insensitivity and flippant behaviour" towards the Asian-American community.
"There is no way this decision came lightly on your part, so thank you for your bravery and genuinely impactful step forward," she wrote.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 02 2017 | 12:57 PM IST

Next Story