This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Fainite Auguste. Find her on Instagram at @ceilingdancing. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
The internet is once again angry over a woman of color potentially playing a character on screen. This time the bricks are being thrown at Avantika Vandanapu.
Who is Avantika Vandanapu?
Avantika Vandanapu is an American actress who got her breakout role by playing Karen Shetty in the 2024 Mean Girls movie. Although the movie received mixed reviews, I thought she played the role well. Since the movie was released this year Avantika has been fresh in people’s minds.
What are Rapunzel and Tangled?
Rapunzel is a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm and is also the name of the main character. The original fairytale begins with a couple struggling to conceive a child. They also live near a beautiful garden where rampions grow; a species of bellflower. However; the garden is owned by an evil witch. Even though the flower is off-limits; the couple desires the rampion. The husband sneaks into the garden twice but is caught by the witch the second time. The witch makes him promise to give up their firstborn child in exchange for all the rampion they want. He agrees, with the belief it won’t be possible for them to have children.
The couple does eventually have a baby girl and the witch takes her and names her Rapunzel. The witch keeps Rapunzel in a doorless tower with only a window. In order to get into the tower the witch witch yells the now famous phrase, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your hair!”
In the Disney version, the fairytale is charmingly called Tangled. The couple is king and queen of a small kingdom instead of normal country folk. The flower is magical and created from a drop of sunlight that fell from the sky. The witch, Mother Gothel, finds the flower and uses it to stay young. One day the queen falls ill while pregnant, and the guards use the magical flower to heal her in the form of tea. After the baby is born, Mother Gothel kidnaps the baby and puts her in a tower.
The Live Action Issue
The Disney version is well-known and loved. It’s hopeful and adventurous. Since Disney has produced many reboots, remakes, and live-action movies over the past few years people assume there will be a live-action Tangled. Discussions on who should be cast as Rapunzel have been happening for years. I’ve seen people fan cast Florence Pugh as the main character; although she is beloved she may be a little too old to play an 18 year old girl.
The Weak Argument
The ones who are against Avantika Vandanapu playing Rapunzel argue that she shouldn’t be cast because Rapunzel is German and blonde. But Florence Pugh is also not German or a natural blonde. Germany does not have a significant impact on the story. Unlike in The Princess And The Frog, Tiana’s race and culture do affect the plot.
So why are people obsessed with a white woman playing Rapunzel? There’s an answer for this that people will not like to hear. Girls of color are constantly treated older than they are because of both misogyny and racism. Although Avantika is absolutely stunning people do not think she is pretty enough to play Rapunzel.
People of color specifically young girls are hoping to see someone like them on screen. So many of the animated Disney films erase the features of the women they are portraying. Someone even went as far as to say that she would make a great Mother Gothel. Which doesn’t make much sense because Avantika is a 19 year old college student. She shouldn’t be cast as an old witch. If there is a live action movie a talented, age appropriate, person should be cast no matter her race. Avantika is exactly that.
Who do you think should be in a live action Tangled? What do you think of the Avantika Vandanapu Rapunzel potential casting? Let us know!
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