Dakota Fanning defends role as white refugee in Ethiopia: ‘It was a great privilege’
Actor was met with hostility after first clip of new film Sweetness in the Belly was released
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Dakota Fanning has responded to allegations of whitewashing after it was revealed she plays a white Muslim refugee in a new film.
In Sweetness in the Belly, the actor plays a child refugee who is raised as a Muslim after being abandoned in Ethiopia by her parents.
The first image and clip from the film, an adaption of Camilla Gibb’s 2005 novel of the same name, was met with consternation on social media when it was released on Wednesday.
Many Twitter users questioned why Fanning would be cast in the role they said should have gone to a woman of colour or someone who has experience of being a refugee.
Fanning responded to the criticism on an Instagram story.
“Just to clarify. In the new film I’m part of, Sweetness in the Belly, I do not play an Ethiopian woman. I play a British woman abandoned by her parents at seven years old in Africa and raised Muslim.
“My character, Lilly, journeys to Ethiopia and is caught up in the breakout of civil war. She is subsequently sent ‘home’ to England, a place she is from but has never known.”
She continued: ”This film was partly made in Ethiopia, is directed by an Ethiopian man (Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) and features many Ethiopian women. It was a great privilege to be part of telling this story.”
Sweetness in the Belly also stars Bafta-winning actress Wunmi Mosaku, The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar, Aquaman actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who’ll next be seen in HBO’s Watchmen.
The film will premiere later this month at the Toronto Film Festival.
Additional reporting by Agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments