natalie portman reshoots annihilation in yellowface after whitewashing accusations on twitter.

After backlash erupted on social media against the sci-fi thriller Annihilation for whitewashing its protagonist, star and Keira Knightley impersonator, Natalie Portman has announced her decision to reshoot the entire film in yellowface. Now this is what representation in Hollywood is all about.

"The decision wasn't easy," said Portman. "And certainly not cost effective. But I felt I had a responsibility to honor the source material and bring life to the Asian heritage that Jeff VanderMeer entrusted to the character."

Portman, along with the film's director, Alex Garland, have made assurances that the whitewashing was completely unintentional, stating they had failed to read Authority, the literary continuation of the first novel, Annihilation, in which the main character is revealed to be of Asian ancestry. But to that, Twitter said too bad, so sad, that's what you get for not reading the text. And just like a high school English teacher that can't stop asking why the Great Gatsby is so obsessed with his decade old ex-girlfriend, Twitter would not rest until the director at the very least read the Spark Notes version and copied from a friend the night before. And copied he did, a whole ethnicity in fact, on Natalie Portman's lily white mug, in horrific Mickey Rooney Breakfast at Tiffany's fashion.

Protesters on Twitter thanked the actress for being such a strong ally with the Asian community, praising the producers and Alex Garland for owning up to their mistake of denying an Asian actress the role and making good by making a white actress Asian instead. "People will see Natalie in the role and finally see themselves on screen," said Benedict Wong, who stars in the film alongside Portman. "It's so important to have representation in film and as an Asian actor, I understand what a positive impact this will have on underrepresented voices everywhere." As a longtime supporting cast character actor of a great many films with white protagonists, he went on to praise Alex Garland for his use of yellowface to combat inequality within Hollywood --

"I still remember when I saw Cloud Atlas for the first time. Seeing Jim Sturgess and Hugo Weaving in yellowface was everything to a younger Benny Wong, and believe it or not, that's when I truly realized I could make it in Hollywood and get amazing acting roles like all those white men. I applaud Alex's and Natalie's efforts. They're the voice of Asian representation, and we could all learn a lot from them."

We've already got a few inside shots from set as Natalie Portman released an Instagram story from hair and makeup, showcasing her transformation from Caucasian to Asian, her followers praising her patience and bravery for enduring the arduous process of prosthetics and makeup. Portman in turn has thanked the fans for their support, stating, "I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I'm always happy to sacrifice ethnicity for authenticity, and that's my responsibility as an actress, as a student of craft. So this is for anyone in the Asian community who's ever felt invisible or unheard. Thank you for letting me speak for you. Thank you for letting me be you. And most of all, thank you China."

Alex Garland has mirrored these sentiments on his own social media, posting some cheeky behind the scenes pics of him reading Authority Cliffs Notes while wearing a Kimono. And even amidst the cancel culture, critics online have praised both Garland and Portman for righting their wrongs and playing a part in opening more doors for white actors to play Asian roles. Surely this is a step in the white direction for Hollywood, as champions of diversity deem this monumental win for equality as a sign of the times.