Actors putting on accents that play into racial and cultural stereotypes has long been the topic of heated debate in Hollywood. Most recently, fans have been calling out the beloved sitcom Schitt's Creek on social media for its deployment of Ray—an entrepreneurial businessman who speaks with a South Asian accent, and is one of the only non-white characters on the show. But Rizwan Manji, the Canadian actor who plays Ray, defended the choice to use an accent in a recent interview, although he also thinks his character could have benefitted from a more fleshed-out storyline.
Speaking with the Toronto Star, the actor, who does not himself speak with an accent, explained he decided Ray would speak in accented English—a choice he made independent of the show's producers. “It is a very slight Indian accent—somebody who was probably raised in Canada, but probably was born in India or Pakistan,” he said. “I don't regret that because I think it actually works for Ray. He wasn't like everybody else in that town. He was from somewhere else.”
However, Manji added, he does regret that Ray didn't have a fuller backstory. "If you want to criticize something, do that," Manji said. “We need to have three-dimensional characters.” In October, he said something similar to the Hindustan Times: “I love Schitt’s Creek, but they could have done better with diversity. They could have fleshed out the characters and given them lives, not just use them for comic relief.”
In the new interview, Manji added that he's turned down plenty of parts he's felt were offensive—roles as cab drivers and convenience store employees who speak with a thick accent. He was offered parts like that especially at the beginning of his career, he said. “It was very strictly, like, the joke was on the accent,” Manji explained, adding that around 60% of his roles have involved using accents—but he only employs them when he feels they're necessary to a character.
In a statement to the paper, the show's star and co-creator Dan Levy said that he felt Manji made “thoughtful choices” when it came to the role of Ray. “All characters on our show were created with love, respect and humanity,” Levy added. “It has been gratifying to have these intentions reflected through the overwhelming audience support for these characters. That said, I welcome any perspectives that encourage conversations about diversity, especially in entertainment.”
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