Canada’s ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Remake Isn’t Getting Many ‘Noice’ Responses Online
Video screenshot via TV Promos
Somewhere in Quebec, Canada, there’s a precinct like the one in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but not quite.
The hit sitcom now has an alternate-reality version in the French-speaking Canadian province after Quebec broadcast company Quebecor Content obtained the rights for an adaptation of the show last year.
Last Thursday, Escouade 99 (Squad 99) launched its first trailer ahead of the series’ premiere in September. The concept is uncanny, in spite of the mild but unavoidable cognitive dissonance, and viewers could distinguish the characters—played by Mickaël Gouin, Bianca Gervais, Mylène Mackay, Widemir Normil and Guy Jodoin—right away.
Nevertheless, internet users were pretty baffled by the trailer, but it wasn’t only because the cast they knew and loved were being reprised by actors from up north.
Audiences were thrown off by the “whitewashed” squad, with white actresses Mylène Mackay and Bianca Gervais filling the shoes of Latina actresses Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz. The French-Canadian version of Fumero’s Amy Santiago is a character named ‘Fanny’, while Beatriz’s Rosa Diaz gets reimagined as ‘Rosalie’.
Addressing the surrealness of the remake, Fumero responded, “This is like peeking through another dimension.” However, she later pointed out the lack of Latina representation in the new series.
“Gotta [say] though, after watching this, I’m suddenly curious about the Latina population in Quebec. Just sayin’,” she added, to which her co-star Beatriz replied with emojis implying confusion.
After taking some time to make sense of the trailer, Fumero elaborated, “I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and it basically comes down to this… while I understand the Latina population is very small in Quebec (and how many of them are funny actors?) the Amy [and] Rosa roles could’ve gone to ANY BIPOC, so it’s disappointing to see that missed opportunity.”
Fumero emphasized that the casting wasn’t the Canadian actresses’ fault, and “it’s up to the decision makers.”
She expressed her wish for more BIPOC representation “in supporting and guest roles” to be introduced should the Canadian series take off. “Also, you guyssssss, Amy is not sexy ON PURPOSE. So that bums me out too,” she added.
Découvrez les premières images de la nouvelle série originale Escouade 99, une adaptation québécoise de la série à succès Brooklyn Nine-Nine réalisée par Patrick Huard.
— Vidéotron Divertissement (@VideotronDiv) August 19, 2020
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Who asked for this
— Amal El-Mohtar (@tithenai) August 20, 2020
WHICH ONE OF YOU ASKED FOR THIS https://t.co/bEEvgsTj1Y
🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴
— Stephanie Beatriz (@iamstephbeatz) August 20, 2020
Furthermore, I love actors so I do not mean to shame these actresses, it’s not their fault... it’s up to the decision makers. Also, you guyssssss Amy is not sexy ON PURPOSE. So that bums me out too.
— Melissa Fumero (@melissafumero) August 21, 2020
And of course Amy and Rosa are white in this of COURSE
— 🎀 ms. miranda 🎀 (@vintage_miranda) August 20, 2020
TIL there’s a Quebec version of Brooklyn 99... that also happens to look like a porn parody version of Brooklyn 99. pic.twitter.com/0tm9C6hNLI
— Rick Mele (@rickmele) August 20, 2020
Brooklyn 99 Fans: I don’t know if I can enjoy the show in light of the reality of police brutality. There would need to be major changes...
— KatieEllen Humphries (@MsKatieEllen) August 21, 2020
2020: We hear you. What if they were French Canadian?https://t.co/j1vMb8zV3B
As a latina quebecker, I have been furious for half a year regarding the whitewashing of Amy and Rosa in the Québec adaptation of Brooklyn 99 https://t.co/TZPUyFsjch
— Talhí 😎📚✒ (@Talhi_tweets) August 22, 2020
Just watched the trailer for the Quebec adaption of Brooklyn 99, and I'm not convinced *at all*.
— Rafiki (@RafikiDev) August 21, 2020
And they dared to white-wash Rosa Diaz 😑
[via Den of Geek, cover image via TV Promos]
