As talk of racism throughout the globe takes the spotlight, Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf has been accused of looking in brownface for his upcoming film The Tax Collector.
The Terminator star, who plays a gangster in the film was called out shortly after the trailer was dropped for the future David Ayer-directorial.
Social media users were up in arms about LaBeouf taking a brownface to look like a Hispanic crime boss.
One Twitter user wrote: “It’s so sad we don’t have very Chicano actors who were in the gang life for roles like this. Thank God for that little white boy stepping in and saving the day.”
“Oh hey, another movie w/ Latinos and Blacks in glorified gang culture on steroids that reinforces stereotypes & concerns for white folks & promotes the cop mentality that ‘it’s a battlefield out there.’ Sigh…..Hollywood, come on. We don’t need this right now,” added differently.
“Shia Labeouf in a new movie and I’m really hoping he’s not playing brownface,” a third chimed in.
The controversy pushed director David Ayer into issuing a report in response to a user’s request for an explanation on LaBeouf’s character: “Really important answer – Shia is playing a whiteboy who increased up in the hood. This is a Jewish dude playing a white character. Also the only white dude in the movie.”
He further clarified that he too, had grown up under similar circumstances: “I grew up the hood and I’m a whiteboy. Chicano art is inclusive – I’ve seen whiteys, Asians, Blacks, Filipinos all putting in work for the hood. It’s part of street culture.”
To another tweet, Ayer repeated that he had carefully and thoroughly researched the culture before filming.