Zoe Saldana Questions Why White Actors Have Played Characters Of Color For Decades

Marvel’s newest Human Torch, Michael B. Jordan, rekindled a long-standing debate in Hollywood over race and casting in a candid essay for Entertainment Weekly published Friday. In response, actress Zoe Saldana spoke out in support of the actor in a Facebook post Saturday, and raised a notable point of her own.

Jordan, who will star in the upcoming “Fantastic Four” reboot as Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch, pushed back against Internet trolls who’ve criticized the decision to cast a black actor as a superhero originally illustrated with blond hair and blue eyes.

Zoe Saldana not only posted the essay to her Facebook over the weekend, but she also asked critics to instead question the longtime practice of casting white actors to portray characters of color.