Yeah just such a shortage of native actors they got to paint up a white guy. Kind of funny that in the two previous depictions they were actual natives and the modern take is not. I do look forward to Mr. Depp's depiction of Charlie Chan.

Oh well at least Hollywood still has not made the Leonard Peltier story starring Steven Seagal. Chris Eyre tells a great story about their attempts to do that.

Don't know if it is true, or how much (how much does it take to "qualify" you to play an ethnic role?)

To me, it is more important that the role is played with respect. I don't expect actors who play plumbers to actually be plumbers, nor a Scotsman to be Scottish. However, if they don't do it well, or if they play into the easy stereotypes (just show some plumber's butt crack and you're good! Pinch a few pennies and exaggerate a bad brogue, etc.) it can destroy a production.

Obviously haven't seen the movie, but Depp generally jumps totally into his roles. I loved the Lone Ranger when I was a kid, and Tonto on the television series left a lot of room for improvement from a stereotype perspective. Hope they pulled it off without sacrificing the story.

And there are clearly no visibly native actors who could have been considered for the role. This is why we can't have nice things.

Seems like Depp and Bonham Carter are in a lot of the same movies ...

if they don't use the William Pitt, err, I mean William Tell, Overture I gonna register a strongly worded complaint.

I was hoping for a gritty version of it all.
Like the relationship Mani and the Chevalier in the "Brotherhood of the Wolf" instead, but, I can't really complain.

Hope things go well. Johnny Depp is usually amusing.