Earlier this week, news came out that David Franzoni, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of the 2000 hit Gladiator, was working on a film depicting the life of the 13th-century Persian poet Jalaluddin al-Rumi, better known as Rumi.
A Sufi mystic, theologian, and Islamic scholar, Rumi was an incredibly influential figure in the Middle East and remains revered as a spiritual master and poet to this day. Needless to say, he was not white.
That didn't stop Franzoni and the film's producer, Stephen Joel Brown, from suggesting during an interview with the Guardian that their ideal casting for the role would be actor Leonardo DiCaprio, perhaps with a supporting role played by Robert Downey, Jr. While casting isn't currently underway and it's unclear if these actors would even be willing to accept the roles (so far they haven't responded to requests for comment), the entire project is incredibly troubling.
To add insult to injury, Franzoni claims the film claims to challenge negative stereotypes of Muslim characters in the media. Casting an actor who isn't Muslim and doesn't resemble the actual historical figure's ethnicity isn't the right way to change hearts and minds, and does nothing to combat prejudice.
While Leonardo DiCaprio is an incredibly talented actor, Hollywood needs to learn that the most popular stars aren't necessarily the best choice for every role. It's incredibly hard for people of color in Hollywood to land roles, and this is particularly true for Muslim-American actors, who usually just get cast in bit parts as terrorists. They're basically given the choice to buy into inaccurate and damaging stereotypes about their own culture or not work in their chosen field at all. It's insulting, and it's unfair.
If Franzoni and Brown really want to challenge stereotypes about Muslims, they can start by making the role of one of the Islamic world's most influential figures open to Muslim actors, rather than just casting whatever white actor they think will be the biggest box office draw.
If you're upset about Rumi being whitewashed, please sign and share this petition demanding that David Franzoni and Stephen Joel Brown cast actors of Middle Eastern descent in this film when the time comes.
