Critics find ‘Noah’ lacking in ethnic diversity

The new movie Noah has everything you’d expect in a biblical blockbuster: big Hollywood stars, extravagant special effects, an apocalyptic flood. There’s even a few rock monsters for good measure.

But Episcopal priest Wil Gafney sees something missing: a hint of ethnic diversity. “In this version of Noah, black people do not exist,” she said.

While much of the conversation about Noah has focused on theology and the degree to which it strays from the biblical text, few people seem to notice the all-white cast, said Gafney, who is also associate professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.