Rooney Mara has picked up a big role as Tiger Lily in the movie version of Peter Pan, but the casting has drawn a massive controversy online.
The news that the white actress would be playing Tiger Lily, who is Native American, were met with immediate curiosity online. The casting of Rooney Mara was compared to the selection of Johnny Depp to play Tonto in The Lone Ranger, which itself was controversial.
The opposition to Mara has grown more organized in the days after her casting was announced. The hashtag #NotYourTigerLily started trending on Twitter, and more than 5,000 people signed a petition through Care2 to protest the casting.
Rooney Mara and her casting seems part of a larger issue in Hollywood. Many filmmakers and actors have taken up the cause to call for better representation of actors of color.
Disney has a difficult history with the character. In its 1953 Peter Pan movie, Tiger Lily’s father was portrayed in red face.
Some critics have taken issue with the role of Tiger Lily, calling it an insensitive portrayal of Native Americans.
Disney has tried to deflect the controversy over Rooney Mara, saying that the character is being represented differently than in the original story.
Rooney Mara herself hasn’t spoken about the controversy over the Tiger Lily casting.