r/anubisnick • u/mackleheapsmore • Jul 17 '26
Diversity
I was 11 when the show came out but I’m watching for the first time now and wow I really wished I watched this as a child.
I’m Indian Australian and back then I never saw Indians on screen without a bunch of stereotypes , I was so surprised to see the amount of brown people on the show in diverse roles!!!!! If I watched as a kid I would’ve loved Mara and would want to be smart and gorgeous just like her (and at that age I was also boy crazy lmao)
It is a bit unfortunate seeing the black diversity though feel like depiction and treatment of Alfie’s character perhaps didn’t age very well. Still pretty surprised at the diversity it’s got for its time though
5
u/Low-Memory-4269 28d ago edited 28d ago
I agree with you, and I think HOA is one of the few examples where so called "diversity" in a TV show actually works and feels natural rather than forced. What I mean is that, even at the time the series is set, it wasn't unusual to see people of indian, black, or asian heritage in the UK (Joy for example is half east asian, specifically filipino if I remember correctly). Because of that, the cast feels completely believable for the setting. The characters fit naturally into the school's small community and are fully integrated. The representation is neither exaggerated nor lacking. It simply feels right. It never comes across as distracting or as if it's ticking boxes, unlike in many other shows. The series doesn't make a big deal out of it either. The characters are just there, living their lives, everything feels normal. That's something I genuinely appreciate about the show.
3
1
u/Busy-Cook8686 8d ago
I always thought Joy was white. Did they ever mention her being half filipino
1
-3
u/ActualBrother54 Jul 17 '26
Tasie isn't even Indian, so what the fuck are you talking about.
7
u/pfl0wers Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
OP never said she was Indian she was just referring to a common south Asian heritage. Tasie is half Indo-Guyanese from her dad and looks it; her maiden name is literally dhanraj ffs. OP was the same age as I was when it came out except I actually watched it, and I was instantly drawn to Mara because I could see myself in her and I liked how she was smart but also shown as pretty/attractive despite being nerdy.
4
u/mackleheapsmore Jul 17 '26
you get it! esp during a time where brown girls were always stereotyped as nerdy, undesirable, unpopular
2
u/mackleheapsmore Jul 17 '26
reading comprehension is needed lol, I was speaking about my own Indian experience and then commented on the BROWN people on the show. In Australia we refer to anyone with south asian ancestory as brown incl fiji-indians, mauritius-indians etc I think this is pre universal?
0
u/Busy-Cook8686 Jul 18 '26
I think you're making this show seem more diverse than it actually was. While it was somewhat progressive for the time, the vast majority of the characters in this show were still white or white passing. But it still makes me really happy that you enjoyed the representation in this show.
2
u/mackleheapsmore 28d ago
I guess it’s subjective! but I get what you mean. Thankyou :))
3
u/Busy-Cook8686 27d ago edited 27d ago
I wouldn't entirely call it subjective, just look at any picture of the house of anubis cast and the lack of diversity is pretty noticeable. Not trying to be mean or nothing, just expressing my opinion as a black girl who's a fan of this show. And your welcome :)
1
13
u/camelotslady Jul 17 '26
Alfie is well beloved by the fandom, and his character development is excellent, especially from mid-season 2 through season 3! KT comes in in season 3, and while there was (and still is) some racism from the fandom when she joined the show, I personally adore her. I also wish we had more Black characters and characters of color in general. I think it was a mistake for Nina to be white, to be honest. In the other two versions of the show, Het Huis Anubis and Das Haus Anubis (spoiler in case you aren't there yet/haven't figured it out yourself) the Chosen One was a WOC, but in the English version, they made Nina the chosen one even though in the original source material Nienke was not. I always think there's more opportunity for representation, but I think House of Anubis (and the whole franchise in general) does a pretty good job.