Jessica Henwick Comments On Iron Fist Controversy

Finn Jones has responded to the casting controversy surrounding Iron Fist in a number of different ways, most recently blaming President Donald Trump for the show's bad reviews. In an interview with The Daily Beast, his co-star Jessica Henwick, who plays Colleen Wing, also responded to the whitewashing critiques, saying that Jones was just the best man to play Danny Rand.

"I am Asian and I am an actor," she said. "If anyone understands, it's me. I have faced it in my career. I've been working eight years and I've experienced it firsthand, the disparity when it comes to Asian representation–even more than that, Asian misrepresentation. But I also have seen what Finn's done in this role and I honestly, honestly think that he smashes it out of the park." Henwick also noted that the show has a very diverse cast, adding that there were a number of powerful female roles in the show. "I think this is essentially a feminist f—ing show," she said.

Showrunner Scott Buck also spoke to The Daily Beast about the controversy, saying that he hadn't heard about fan campaigns to make the character Asian-American during casting. "To me, it was just about finding the best actor," he said. "I understood where [the criticism] was coming from, but we just weren't thinking in that way, at least I certainly wasn't. I was just concentrating on the story and who would be a great actor to play this character." For Buck, part of his way of fighting against the criticism was to ensure that Colleen is the strongest character possible. "We do have an Asian lead who is a martial arts expert and is every bit a match for Danny Rand," he said, adding that the character is "really compelling and fascinating."

Jones, meanwhile, once again pointed out that Danny can't fall into the white savior narrative because he can't save anyone but himself. "He tries, but that's one of his flaws," he said. "We don't celebrate that." He also suggested that fans watch the show before commenting on the issue, noting that "the intention has always been good."

Iron Fist hits Netflix on March 17. In the meantime, find out why the show may actually be better than you think.