Fans were not happy when it was announced that live-action adaptation of "Ghost in the Shell" will feature Scarlett Johansson. Many were upset and accused of whitewashing the character.
In an interview with IGN, director of the original series Mamoru Oshii has opened up about the issue. He stated that he is okay with the casting of Scarlett Johansson.
Oshii said that since The Major is a cyborg, her physical form is an entirely assumed one. Therefore, fans shouldn't be upset that Scarlett Johansson will be playing the character in the upcoming flick.
Oshii said that neither the name 'Motoko Kusanagi' nor her current body is original. So there is no reason an Asian actress must play the role and Scarlett Johansson is the best choice.
He added that even if, hypothetically speaking, the character's original body was a Japanese one; he would've been fine with Scarlett Johansson portraying the role. Oshii stated that there have been many actors who played roles that are not of their ethnicity.
The director also said he is sensing a political motive behind the opposition and movies shouldn't be mixed with politics. According to Oshii, director of the new adaptation, Rupert Sanders should be allowed directorial and creative freedom. He believes that selecting Scarlett Johansson for the role of Motoko has been the best possible casting decision.
"I certainly would never presume to play another race of a person," Marie Claire quoted Scarlett Johansson. "Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive."
In an interview with Financial Times, Scarlett Johansson opened up about the struggle of balancing motherhood and career. The actress stated that the "Ghost in the Shell" was very tiring for her to film.
The movie features a fair amount of action scenes and the role itself was physically demanding. According to Scarlett Johansson, although it's a rare movie role for her, it was still exhausting.
