Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: TV And Film, Netflix
Emma Guinness
Wednesday is the new hit teen horror drama that's taking Netflix by storm, but now the show has been hit by racism claims.
Specifically, when it comes to the casting of the Tim Burton series, which, as its name suggests, is inspired by The Addams Family.
News of the claims garnered a lot of attention when they were relayed to Twitter by the entertainment website Pop Crave.
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The outlet wrote of the high school drama: "Bianca Barclay, played by Joy Sunday, was portrayed as a mean girl while Iman Marson's character, Lucas Wilson, was written as a bully.
"Character Lucas Wilson is also the son of a corrupt mayor who is revealed to own Pilgrim Land."
This was the general consensus of critical viewers, who questioned the negative characterisation choices in the hit show.
One viewer slammed: "Don't get me wrong… I love Jenna Ortega and that she's playing Wednesday but one thing I hate about this show is that why did they make ALL the black people in this show terrible people?
"Like how did Netflix see nothing wrong with this? I hate Tim Burton's racist self."
A second remarked: "Me trying to badly to push pass the racist and anti-Black undertones in the Wednesday Addams Netflix show. Like whoever thought making the Black man as the owner of a pilgrim amusement park is literally going to HELL."
A third specifically targeted Tim Burton, who has been accused of racist characterisation before, adding: "Boycott Wednesday. Watch Wendell and Wild. Make Tim Burton reflect on his dumbass racist 'aesthetics'.
"That is all."
The Beetlejuice director was previously slammed for alleged racism after he explained why his films feature predominately white casts, specifically, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.
"Nowadays, people are talking about it more," Burton told Bustle of diversity in films. "Things either call for things, or they don't. I remember back when I was a child watching The Brady Bunch and they started to get all politically correct.
"Like, OK, let's have an Asian child and a Black. I used to get more offended by that than just… I grew up watching blaxploitation movies, right? And I said, that's great.
"I didn't go like, OK, there should be more white people in these movies."
However, while some viewers thought that the casting of the Netflix series was racist, not everyone was in agreement.
One fan said the show couldn't have been further from racist in its characterisation.
They wrote: "Y'all shut up!
"The Black girl was also classified as the prettiest most popular girl in the school. A Black girl with NON Eurocentric features. A Black girl with a short cut. A non mixed girl. She's classified as the prettiest!!! They really did a thing."
"So now Black girls can’t be bullies???" questioned a second, "like why can't we be Regina too."
"Wait, but Bianca isn't a mean girl imo," remarked a third. "We were led to believe that in the first few episodes, but then we got her backstory and go to know her more and and sided with her. She's one of the best characters."
Tyla has reached out to Netflix and a representative for Tim Burton for comment.