The role Aziz Ansari was insulted to be offered
Aziz Ansari, best known for his role in Parks & Recreation and as the creator of the critically acclaimed Netflix series Master Of None, has always made it known that he has got a bone to pick with the limited opportunities for minority actors in Hollywood. After appearing in several comedies in the early 2010s, Ansari understood that there was a significant deficit of interesting and three-dimensional characters available and took to the press to speak openly about the industry’s tendency to cast roles using racial quotas.
“When they cast these shows, they’re like, ‘We already have our minority guy or our minority girl.’ There would never be two Indian people in one show. With Asian people, there can be one, but there can’t be two,” the comedian shared. “Black people, there can be two, but there can’t be three because then it becomes a black show. Gay people, there can be two, women there can be two, but Asian people, Indian people, there can be one, but there can’t be two.”
In a candid conversation with Vulture, Ansari also revealed that these skewed dynamics were a significant reason he took up the reins to create Master Of None. He said, “Look, if you’re a minority actor, no one would have written Master Of None for you. No one would have been like, ‘Hey, how about we get Aziz to do this ten-episode show and have him play this thoughtful character.’ At best,” Ansari added, referring to his Parks and Recreation character, “They would just write something that’s a character based on the qualities people have seen already, like Tom.”
Given the lack of diversity in characterisation and representation, Ansari expressed his disappointment with the industry’s approach. This box-ticking attitude has resulted in one particular role Ansari felt he simply couldn’t take up. He made a conscious decision to decline a part in Michael Bay’s hit 2007 blockbuster Transformers, citing that it fell into the insulting stereotypes he’s trying to break.
Ansari disclosed, “It was a role for, like a call-centre guy who has an accent. And I was like, ‘No, I’m not doing it.’ And then [Ansari’s friend and costar] Ravi [Patel] was like, ‘I’ll do it.’ And Ravi did it and made some decent money.” The description of the role he turned down sounds precisely like the typecasting he aimed to challenge, underlining the industry’s struggle with diverse and complex characters. However, Ansari remained aware that jobbing actors simply have to take roles.
Despite the stereotype-laden role he rejected, Ansari quickly noted that he bears no ill will towards actors who accept such parts, acknowledging that everyone’s got to work and that not everyone necessarily sees it as a problem. “I don’t have anything against someone who does the accent. I understand. You got to work, and some people don’t think it’s a problem,” he said.
Ansari, whose last role was the voice of Darryl in The Bob’s Burgers Movie last year, recently had production on his upcoming feature film halted. His directorial debut, Being Mortal, was indefinitely stalled due to complaints about misbehaviour from its star Bill Murray, which prompted director Wes Anderson to come to the actor’s defence.
