Netflix Removes Four Chris Lilley Shows Over Blackface Concerns

Netflix has removed four shows featuring controversial comedian Chris Lilley over depictions of race.

According to Deadline, the streaming service has pulled the series "We Can Be Heroes," "Summer Heights High," "Angry Boys," and "Jonah From Tonga" in Australia and New Zealand.

All four shows, which were produced by Australian production company Princess Pictures and originally aired on the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), have sparked criticism in the past as Lilley, a white Australian, has used blackface and brownface makeup when portraying certain characters.

In "Summer Heights High" and its spinoff series, "Jonah From Tonga," Lilley, 45, has worn brownface to play Jonah Takalua. "Angry Boys" featured Lilley in blackface for the role of a Black rapper named S.mouse. Similarly, Lilley also portrayed a Chinese physics student named Ricky Wong.

Two of Lilley's other shows -- "Lunatics" and "Ja'mie Private School Girl' -- are still available to stream on Netflix in both countries. "Lunatics," which is the only Lilley series on the streaming service in the US, has also sparked questions about race.

In the show, Lilley stars as a South African woman named Jana. According to Deadline, the producer of the series, Laura Walters, has previously spoken out about the role, saying Lilley is "not portraying a woman of color" when confronted about questions of blackface.

The news comes a few days after Netflix pulled the British comedies "Little Britain" and "Come Fly With Me" from its UK library over the use of blackface in its sketches. On Tuesday, Britbox and BBC took down "Little Britain," but not its spinoff.

TooFab has reached out to Netflix and representatives for Lilley for comment.

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