Casting Update: Who is Up For The Role Of Tetsuo In ‘Akira’?

This is always a hard movie for us to report on. Akira is such a classic Manga and Anime… it really just sucks to see it being so literally whitewashed. Look, we get it, there are not any Asian actors that are big enough to keep studio producers from whizzing in their pants when they think about putting them as the faces behind a major tentpole picture.

That said, if you like the story, but feel the need to change it so fundamentally… Changes the damned name.

Here’s a simple example that turned out more than OK for the studios: Romeo and Juliet, but in America, with whites and Puerto Ricans, with lots of dance numbers… It was so different that they called it West Side Story! You know what, the play and movie both did pretty well.

What I’m saying is this. If you want to make a movie like Akira, but you want it to have an all white cast and take place in the US, just don’t call it Akira. It really isn’t that challenging.

Anyways, enough ranting. Last week we reported that Garret Hedlund was in final negotiations to play the role of Keneda. Now we are getting a good look at who might be on board to play Tetsuo. I would not be surprised if they end up changing the name of the character to Tommy.

So, there are two people currently up for the role:
First up is the star of the terrifying looking new indie film, ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’, Ezra Miller. Also up for the role is Alden Eherenreich, the star of Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro. Will either of them get the part? I don’t know… I wonder if they are white enough.

Source: THR