好萊塢電影中不時有白人演員飾演非白人角色，被坊間批評為「洗白」，這種做法在早期電影及電視製作中十分常見。近日，張藝謀導演的首部英文電影《長城》即將上映，但該片主演美國演員馬特•達蒙卻身陷「洗白」風波，有人質疑達蒙「洗白」角色，搶走了亞洲演員的出演機會。但老謀子與達蒙均表示，這一角色一直被設定為歐洲人，電影並沒有「洗白」。
Matt Damon criticised "outrageous" stories in the era of fake news as he responded on Tuesday to accusations his role in the new China-Hollywood co-production The Great Wall should have gone to an Asian actor.
近日，馬特•達蒙在中國與好萊塢聯合製作的電影《長城》中飾演的角色被指本應由亞洲演員出演。達蒙6日作出回應，他斥責了虛假新聞時代的「離譜故事」。
Some critics have said Damon's casting as the lead character amounted to "whitewashing," in which Caucasians are chosen for roles that should have gone to actors from other ethnicities.
一些批評者稱，讓達蒙擔任主角是在「洗白」，意思就是選擇白種人扮演本應屬於其他種族演員的角色。
The American actor said he thought of whitewashing as applying to Caucasian actors who wore makeup to appear to be of another race, as was common in the early days of film and television, when racism was overt.
達蒙表示，他理解的「洗白」是指白種人通過化妝假扮成其他族裔。這種做法常見於早年的電影電視中，因為當時種族主義十分普遍。
"That whole idea of whitewashing, I take that very seriously," Damon said in an interview, using the example of the Irish-American actor Chuck Connors, who played the lead character in the 1962 film Geronimo, about the famed Apache chief.
達蒙在接受採訪時說，「我對洗白這個說法持謹慎態度。」他以愛爾蘭裔美國演員查克•康納斯為例做了解釋。康納斯在1962年的電影《傑羅尼》中擔任主角，飾演著名的阿帕切族酋長傑羅尼。
Damon, 46, plays a British mercenary in the upcoming $150 million adventure fantasy about a Chinese army battling monsters, helmed by acclaimed director Zhang Yimou.
即將上映的電影《長城》是一部關於中國軍隊對抗兇獸的奇幻冒險片，該片由著名導演張藝謀執導，斥資1.5億美元。46歲的達蒙在片中飾演一名英國僱傭兵。
The movie's trailer sparked criticism in the US that a white man had been chosen to play the lead, who saves the day, in a film set in China meant to showcase Chinese culture.
電影預告片在美國遭到了抨擊，有人批評這部電影以中國為背景，旨在展示中國文化，卻選擇白人擔任扭轉乾坤的主角。
The furor came amid other accusations of a lack of diversity and opportunities for Asian actors in Hollywood.
好萊塢也被指不夠多元化、不給亞洲演員機會。
Damon and Zhang said that because of the demands of the story, Damon's role was always intended to be European.
達蒙和張藝謀稱，這個角色設定一直就是歐洲人，這是出於情節需要。
Damon said the controversy would subside "once people see that it's a monster movie and it's a historical fantasy and I didn't take a role away from a Chinese actor ... it wasn't altered because of me in any way."
達蒙說，「一旦人們發現這是一部關於魔獸的虛構歷史故事，而我沒有搶走中國演員的角色，這個角色也沒有因我發生任何改變後」，這場爭論就會平息。
The film is the first Sino-Hollywood co-production and first English-language film for Zhang, the director of the romantic Kung Fu drama House of Flying Daggers and the opulent opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
《長城》是中國和好萊塢聯合製作的首部電影，也是張藝謀的第一部英文電影。張藝謀曾執導功夫愛情片《十面埋伏》和場面宏大的2008年北京奧運會開幕式及閉幕式。
It also stars Pedro Pascal of "Game of Thrones" as Damon's sword-wielding partner in crime, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau. Jing Tian plays the woman lead warrior. Also appearing are Eddie Peng of the boxing drama Unbeatable and Lu Han, a former boy band sensation.
參演《權力的遊戲》的佩德羅•帕斯卡在《長城》中飾演達蒙的戰友，其他主演還包括威廉•達福和劉德華。景甜在電影中扮演一位女將領。拳擊電影《激戰》中的彭于晏和前流行男團成員鹿晗也在電影中亮相。
Most Chinese co-productions with the West have been box-office flops, but producers hope The Great Wall can show that big-budget Sino-Hollywood co-productions can work.
大多數中西聯合製作的電影票房都不盡人意，但是《長城》的製片人希望這部影片可以證明，中國和好萊塢合作的大製作電影能夠取得成功。
Hollywood is eager to work with Chinese actors and producers to appeal to the Chinese cinema-going market, expected to outgrow the current No 1 market, North America, within the next two or three years. The Chinese government has long sought to project cultural influence abroad and hopes that The Great Wall will be an international blockbuster.
中國觀影市場有望在兩三年內超過北美成為第一大觀影市場。好萊塢急於與中國演員和製片人合作來吸引中國市場。中國政府長期以來都在尋求在海外塑造文化影響力，並希望《長城》成為全球賣座的電影。
The film debuts in Chinese cinemas on December 16 followed by other countries, including the United States in February.
《長城》將於12月16日在國內影院首映，之後將在其他國家上映，其中美國的上映時間為明年2月。
Vocabulary
mercenary: 僱傭兵
英文來源：南華早報
翻譯：董靜
編審：yaning