There have been a lot of movies that have received backlash for including big name white actors in movies that are predominantly set in Asian or African settings. Along with recent movies like The Great Wall, the Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai has received a fair amount of criticism for various reasons, with its conformity to the “white savior” trope being at the top of the list. This all comes despite the movie being critically praised on its release, and also picking up a handful of Oscar nominations in the process. However, one person who doesn’t quite agree with the backlash is the movie’s star, Ken Watanabe.

In an interview with The Guardian, Watanabe, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in the film, defended The Last Samurai against those claiming that it is nothing more than a “white savior” movie. In the actor’s opinion, the movie provided a valuable chance for Asian characters to be portrayed in a way that moved on from many years of racial stereotyping. The actor said:

“I didn’t think of it like that. I just thought we had the opportunity to depict Japan in a way that we were never able to before. So we thought we were making something special. [...] Before The Last Samurai, there was this stereotype of Asian people with glasses, bucked teeth and a camera. It was stupid, but after [The Last Samurai] came out, Hollywood tried to be more authentic when it came to Asian stories.”

Related: Jay Leno Apologizes for Decades of Jokes Perpetuating Asian Stereotypes

Hollywood Continues To Struggle To Please Everyone With Their Approach To Diversity

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

While The Last Samurai came at a time when there were more calls for diversity in movie roles for all minority groups, there has been an ongoing battle in Hollywood to try and get the balance right to please everyone. While there have been changes, in the fact that Asian characters are now being seen in more prominent roles, something that took a huge leap forward with the success of Squid Game on Netflix, as well as Marvel’s release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

However, there are others who argue that representation in some movies and TV shows is being pushed to the point that every production has to have someone from each race, gender, sexual orientation, and more, which doesn’t necessarily put the right people in the right roles. When this noise arises, it sets off another wave of usually toxic social media posts, and the cycle begins again.

In recent years, there have certainly been more opportunities arising for Asian and Black actors than ever before, but there is never going to be a quick fix and Hollywood still has a huge learning curve to continue along. It is unlikely that there will ever be a point in time when all TV and film productions are made without someone being unhappy at casting choices, the way certain characters look or how certain people are depicted. However, in the meantime, the work of writers, producers, and studios will continue to try and get the balance right on their future projects.