'Lone Ranger' Premiere Raises New Questions About Old Stereotypes Tristan Ahtone - Fronteras Desk
go to original June 26, 2013

The Lone Ranger Official Trailer (movieclipsTRAILERS)

Celebrities, Native American emissaries, and throngs of fans headed to California last weekend for the world premiere of "The Lone Ranger." Johnny Depp stars as Tonto, the Native American sidekick, and his portrayal — complete with broken English — has stirred controversy in Indian Country.

First appearing in the 1930s, Tonto has generally been viewed as a stereotype of Native Americans. The original film described him as a "faithful Indian companion," the "masked rider of the plains" who led the fight for law and order in the early western United States.

Today, Disney has attempted to re-imagine the role, this time casting actor Johnny Depp as Tonto. His pigeon English in the film has some worried. Critics have called the portrayal "red face," but others say this version of Tonto will be different.

"The point to remaking this story was to do it in a way that couldn't have been done in the 30s and the 50s," said Justin Haythe, who wrote the script for the film. "Tonto in the original character was really relegated to a side character, and in this, he is the character in many ways."

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