Beef Season 2’s “majorly white” cast sparks backlash

Fans of Netflix’s hit drama series Beef have lashed out against the platform as Season 2’s suspected cast is “majorly white.”

Beef, Netflix’s sleeper hit of 2023, followed the complicated relationship between Danny and Amy, two Asian American people living on opposite ends of the wealthy spectrum.

The show has become one of the platform’s biggest hits, sweeping up a ton of accolades during the 2024 award season.

And now the limited series may be getting a second season, but some fans are taking big issue with the seemingly white-washed perspective cast.

Beef fans reject white washed Season 2 cast

It was recently announced that Beef creator executive producer Lee Sung Jin has been eyeing four different actors for the upcoming second season.

According to Deadline, Jin is planning on having Season 2 be focused on two feuding couples: Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny, and Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.

Though these actors are talented in their own right, a lot of fans were confused about why the crew behind Beef would even be approaching anyone to be cast in Season 2 as the show was supposed to be a limited series.

But, the biggest problem Beef fans had with this announcement is the fact that the potential cast is almost completely whitewashed with one X/Twitter user writing, “The whole concept of Beef is how Asian Americans are striving with difficulty in achieving the American dream through anger [and] madness, then on Season 2 we get to see this theme explored…with a majorly white cast?”

This is what I'm saying. The whole concept of Beef is how Asian Americans are striving with difficulty in achieving the American dream through anger ang madness, then on Season 2 we get to see this theme explored… with a majorly white cast? https://t.co/mnucgETPsp

— oscar winner rebecca ferguson (@devoidofhopes) February 27, 2024

If this cast does strike a deal with Jin and Netflix, Melton will be the only new Asian American cast member as he is half-Korean.

“None of my business but Asian American filmmakers really get one hit and then BOOM white people,” another Twitter user wrote.

It would be a bit disappointing to see a series focused on the plights of Asian American people on both ends of the poverty spectrum deal with their identities in a country that continuously undermines them, so fans can only hope Season 2 doesn’t lose its messaging when it comes to casting.