Hollywood: Casting the Enemy

Hollywood: Casting the Enemy

Al Jazeera’s Josh Rushing talks to some of Hollywood’s most prominent Arab voices.

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Josh Rushing talking to Tony Shalhoub

Since movie-making began, the US film industry has often been accused of perpetuating negative stereotypes – the incompetent African-American and the savage Native American, the sinister Asian and Italian mafia mobster are all Hollywood staples.

But while American cinema has evolved to depict a more balanced view of many cultures, world events mean that Arabs remain the ‘bad guys’ of choice poised to threaten the Hollywood hero.

From Bedouin thieves to gun-wielding terrorists, Arabs and Muslims are struggling to be cast in a sympathetic light.

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There are concerns from some that as these images permeate the audience’s consciousness, so too does misperception and fear.

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Josh Rushing, right, with actor
Alexander Siddig

Ironically, it seems that since 9/11, the way in which Arabs are portrayed in Hollywood films has become more nuanced.

A number of Arab actors and filmmakers have made names for themselves within the industry and that fame offers the opportunity for Arabs and Muslims to transcend the on-screen stereotypes.

Join Al Jazeera’s Josh Rushing in conversation with some of the most prominent Arab voices in Hollywood as he explores Hollywood’s influence on how different cultures precieve one another. 

From the star power of Tony Shalhoub, the legendary Omar Sharif and Star Trek regular Alexander Siddig, to a film about Arab-American frustrations in the aftermath of 9/11, conventions are being actively challenged, and new stories are starting to emerge.

Watch Hollywood: Casting the Enemy here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Click here to see Josh Rushing’s biography


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Published On 30 May 2007