Tilda Swinton Releases Emails with Margaret Cho About Whitewashing of 'Doctor Strange'

When Tilda Swinton was involved in a whitewashing controversy over her character The Ancient One in Doctor Strange, the Oscar-winning actress confided in Margaret Cho over email to try and understand the public’s perception. Now, their email conversation has been published online with her permission.

Tilda released the emails after Margaret said in a podcast that they got into “kind of a fight about why the part should not have gone to her.”

“Basically, it ended with her saying, ‘Well, I’m producing a movie with Steven Yeun starring,” Margaret said on the TigerBelly podcast.

Tilda‘s rep sent the full exchange to Jezebel with the following statement: “Since you asked for a response to a story you published today about the substance and tone of a correspondence between Margaret Cho and Tilda Swinton, Tilda offers you the entire unedited and only conversation she has ever had with Margaret – with her gratitude for the opportunity to clarify and with all good wishes to all.”

Margaret spoke out about the release of the emails. “Asian actors should play Asian roles,” she told EW. “I believe my emails stand on their own and should be taken for the spirit in which they were intended. I am grateful that the debate has now entered the national discussion and remain a huge fan of Tilda‘s.”

Click through the slideshow to read each of the emails…