Doctor Strange Actor Benedict Wong Praises Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One

With Doctor Strange available today on Digital HD, fans can finally watch the film over and over at home, and analyze every magical moment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest addition. They can also take a geep look at the individual performances in the film, and that includes the most controversial casting of the MCU thus far, Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One.

Make no mistake, her casting was a controversy; many Asian and those of Asian descent fans felt legitimately slighted to have a character, traditionally an aged Tibetan man, played by a white woman (but still teaching in Tibet). It’s a controversy that Marvel Studios has acknowledged, from the director of Doctor Strange, Scott Derrickson, to producers and executives. It’s also one that seems to have come from a good place on Derrickson’s part – his stated intention was not to whitewash the character, it was to subvert the stereotypes the Ancient One is beholden to.

Regardless, the casting has come off as a misstep, though many enjoyed the actual performance, including Swinton’s castmates.

“When you really boil down the true essence of the Ancient One,” actor Benedict Wong told Comicbook.com, “this ethereal, timeless quality, there is no actor or actress quite like Tilda Swinton to play that. I think it’s a master stroke. She’s just amazing.”

Wong brought up the role and performance on his own, having also mentioned he thought Benedict Cumberbatch “did a fantastic job” and was the only person he could think of to lead the film.

Next, Wong joins the cast of Avengers: Infinity War, reprising his role as Master Wong as most of the characters from the MCU thus far are brought together to battle Thanos. You can watch him in Doctor Strange on Digital HD now, and on Blu-ray and DVD in two weeks.

MORE Doctor Strange News:

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Benedict Wong Fanboys Out About Delivering Infinity Stone Line & Joining Avengers: Infinity War

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Avengers: Infinity War is described by Marvel Studios as the culmination of everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Iron Man in 2008. The movie is filming now under directors Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The expansive confirmed cast includes Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bethany, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Josh Brolin as the villain Thanos. Avengers: Infinity War and its as-yet-untitled sequel are filming back-to-back for a May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019 release, respectively.