Tim Burton has responded to criticisms surrounding the predominantly white casts in his films after his latest movie, Beetlejuice 2, faced backlash for a particular scene involving a reference to the 1970s show Soul Train. The scene, where Jenna Ortega’s character Astrid Deetz finds herself on a train full of Black passengers heading to the afterlife, raised concerns among some viewers. They questioned why Black actors were primarily featured in this segment and not throughout the rest of the film.
Burton has previously been criticized for his casting decisions, including for films like Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. When asked about diversity, Burton explained that casting choices depend on the specific storylines of his films and rejected the idea of forced diversity. He expressed discomfort with what he called the “politically correct” approach to representation, reflecting on how this affected him while growing up.
The controversy around Burton’s approach to race in films is not new. Screenwriter Caroline Thompson had earlier pointed out that she objected to the character Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, which she believed carried derogatory connotations toward African Americans. Though Burton did not change the character, the issue has lingered in discussions about his work.
Despite the criticisms, some fans defended Burton, praising the Soul Train scene for highlighting an important piece of Black culture. The ongoing debate reflects the challenge filmmakers face in balancing artistic vision with modern expectations for diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.
