'Fate: The Winx Saga': Why was Netflix show accused of 'whitewashing', will Flora be introduced in Season 2?
'Fate: The Winx Saga' Season 1 is set to release on Netflix and we cannot wait to watch the live-action adaptation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon and the popular Italian book. However, the show met with controversy when they released the first trailer of the show as the cast of Terra (Eliot Salt) and Musa (Elisha Applebaum) was believed to have been whitewashed. According to the cartoon, Musa was an Asian Fairy and Flora was of Italian descent and when the trailer of the show dropped it triggered a conversation about how the four lead fairies were all White
However, at that time, it was not clear that Terra and Beatrix (Sadie Soverall) were fairy characters that were created solely for the TV show. In fact, the lead actor who plays Bloom in the show -- Abigail Cowen -- had said in an interview with The Wrap, "It’s important that we are having these conversations.” and added that if the show were to be picked up for a second season, they would be introducing Flora. She explained, "I can say Elisha is brilliant as Musa. I can’t wait for fans to see her performance. And Flora is actually not in our series. I know that there is some confusion about that — in the first season, she’s not. Eliot’s character is actually Terra, who was created specifically for the show. I can’t wait for fans to fall in love with her too. She’s so fun, she’s so sweet. I mean, she’s such a lovely character. And I think the misconception is that Eliot’s character is Flora. But Terra is brand new, she’s reimagined.”
She also spoke about getting the show renewed for another season and said, "If we are lucky enough to get a second season, I think Flora would be brought in and I would definitely welcome that. I’m not a part of the casting process, but I do think, if the series does go to a second season, I think hopefully these concerns are something that can be addressed because I do think diversity both in front of and behind the camera is vital and much-needed throughout the industry and internationally. So I think it’s important that we are having these conversations."
'Fate: The Winx Saga' will see Bloom, a fire fairy who was placed under the care of humans learn of secret powers accidentally and enroll herself in Alfea after being found by the headmaster. In her new school situated in the Otherworld, she learns the truth about her real family, learns to cherish friendships and even becomes one of the most powerful fairies in the process.
'Fate: The Winx Saga' can be streamed on Netflix.