Peter Dinklage Shuts Down 'Hervé' Whitewashing Backlash: "I Would Never Do That And I Haven't Done That"

Peter Dinklage returns to HBO in October, but not in that little show featuring dragons. No, the Emmy Award-winning actor is starring in the biopic about the late-actor Hervé Villechiaze, aka Tattoo from the classic TV series “Fantasy Island.”

In “My Dinner with Hervé,” Dinklage stars as the titular actor as he develops a unique friendship with a reporter played by actor Jamie Dornan. The first teaser for the HBO film was released recently, and it features Dinklage in a role where he is almost unrecognizable, and with an accent you have never heard come out of his mouth. But all those interesting aspects of the footage has been overshadowed by cries of whitewashing.

READ MORE: ‘My Dinner With Hervé’ Teaser: Peter Dinklage Brings The ‘Fantasy Island’ Actor To Life In HBO Film

You see, many believe that Villechiaze was half-Filipino, and since Dinklage is definitely not Asian, he shouldn’t have the right to portray the “Fantasy Island” actor. However, in an interview with EW, Dinklage is here to explain why that controversy is a non-issue and how a website like Wikipedia is not the be-all, end-all of factual information online.

“The internet is the best thing and the worst thing. The funny thing about the backlash is it addresses what we address in the film about not judging a book by its cover. Hervé was judged by how he looked, and cast and perceived to be who he is accordingly. It says [Villechiaze was half-Filipino] on Wikipedia. Family members can’t change information on there. My daughter’s name was ‘Zelig’ on Wikipedia for a long time. Her name is not Zelig. I don’t know who is able to put information up, but there are so many things on there that aren’t true,” Dinklage says.

Dinklage continues to explain why the controversy is built on a lie. “There’s this term ‘whitewashing.’ I completely understand that. But Hervé wasn’t Filipino. Dwarfism manifests physically in many different ways. I have a very different type of dwarfism than Hervé had. I’ve met his brother and other members of his family. He was French, and of German and English descent. So it’s strange these people are saying he’s Filipino. They kind of don’t have any information,” he explains.

He added, “This [movie] isn’t ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’ Personally, I would never do that, and I haven’t done that, because he wasn’t. People are jumping to conclusions based on a man’s appearance alone and that saddens me.”

So, there you have it, all this backlash seems to be for nothing. This wouldn’t be the first time that people online jump to the wrong conclusions about a topic. Hopefully, for Dinklage’s sake, people watch ‘My Dinner’ and get the full story.

“My Dinner with Hervé” hits HBO on October 20.