Gladiator writer accused of ‘whitewashing’ as he lines up Leonardo DiCaprio to play Persian poet Rumi

A Hollywood screenwriter has been accused of ‘whitewashing’ after revealing that he is lining up Leonardo DiCaprio to play Persian poet Rumi.

David Franzoni, who wrote the script for Gladiator, faced a backlash on Wednesday after it was revealed that he planned to cast the white A-lister as Jalaluddin al-Rumi in a forthcoming film.

In a new interview with The Guardian, he said that he was keen to “challenge the stereotypical portrayal of Muslim characters in western cinema”.

But while Franzoni wants to bring the story of the Sufi scholar to the big screen, it seems that he wants white actors in the lead roles.

He said: “It’s a very exciting project – and obviously challenging. There are a lot of reasons we’re making a product like this right now.

“I think it’s a world that needs to be spoken to; Rumi is hugely popular in the United States. I think it gives him a face and a story.”

After admitting that wanted DiCaprio to play Rumi and Robert Downey Jr to take on the role of Shams of Tabriz, he said: “This is the level of casting that we’re talking about."

After news of the potential casting broke, people were quick to vent their frustration with the decision on social media.

One person wrote: “Guys. Seriously. #RumiWasntWhite How hard can it POSSIBLY be to find an Middle Eastern actor? Hollywood. Please. STOP. #whitewashing.”

Another posted: “Rumi was born in Balkh, Afghanistan. He was Afghan. Hollywood, get it right if you are gonna make a film. #RumiWasntWhite.”

“NO HOLLYWOOD IS NOT GONNA RUIN THIS ONE HE WAS AN ETHNIC PERSIAN AND MUSLIM #RumiWasntWhite,” wrote someone else.

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