Tilda Swinton Addresses 'Doctor Strange' 'Whitewashing' Controversy

Tilda Swinton has responded to critics of her latest film, ‘Doctor Strange’, who have accused the film of “whitewashing” one of the original comic’s main characters.

The news that Tilda would be starring as the Ancient One received a mixed reaction from fans, with some praising producers’ decision to give a woman the part, but others criticising the fact a traditionally Tibetan role had gone to a white woman.

In the lead-up to the film’s release later this year, Tilda has now addressed the controversy, insisting she was never “asked to play an Asian character”, adding: “You can be very well assured of that.”

Speaking out over the controversy to Entertainment Weekly, she explained: “Anybody calling for more accurate representation of the diverse world we live in has got me standing right beside them.

“I think when people see this film, they’re going to see that it comes from a very diverse place, in all sorts of ways. Maybe this misunderstanding around this film has been an opportunity for that voice to be heard, and I’m not against that at all.

“But I do think that when people see the film, they’ll see that it’s not necessarily a target for that voice.”

Producers previously spoke out over the backlash in May, with Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige insisting he was trying not to “play into any of the stereotypes found in the comic books” by casting Tilda in the role.

Tilda stars opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange’, with the ‘Sherlock’ actor taking on the titular superhero role.

‘Doctor Strange’ will serve as the latest release from Marvel Studios, who have received generally positive reviews for their past few projects, including ‘Ant-Man’, ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and the TV series ‘Agent Carter’.