Tom Hanks MLK Netflix poster meme and ai image.

Tom Hanks as MLK Netflix Original

Part of a series on Netflix Blackwashing Parodies. [View Related Entries]

Updated Jun 30, 2023 at 12:47PM EDT by Zach.

Added Jun 30, 2023 at 10:31AM EDT by Owen.

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About

Tom Hanks as MLK Netflix Original is an AI-generated poster for an imaginary Netflix film or TV show starring actor Tom Hanks as Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). The AI art image started a minor hoax that sparked unserious outrage about race swapping and added to the Netflix blackwashing parodies trend. The image spread across Twitter and Instagram, among other social media platforms, in late June 2023. The image was originally made with Midjourney and uploaded to a subreddit dedicated to the AI system earlier in the month.

Origin

On June 14th, 2023, Redditor eatabigolD posted to /r/midjourney[1] an AI-generated image, presumably made with Midjourney, showing Tom Hanks as Martin Luther King Jr. in an imaginary, upcoming Netflix film or TV show (shown below). The post gained roughly 3,700 upvotes in 16 days.


NETFLIX NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK TOM HANKS

Spread

Going into June 2023, the image spread on Reddit, such as in a post to /r/TheRightCantMeme[2] on June 16th, 2023, which earned over 410 upvotes in 14 days. On June 28th, 2023, Twitter[3] user @GDWRKARTS tweeted the image, writing, "This real?" and gaining over 710 likes in two days (shown below, left). On the following day, June 29th, Twitter[4] user @Southside_Gunn uploaded a similar tweet that received more engagement, earning roughly 42,000 likes in one day (shown below, right).


You follow.... @GDWRKARTS This real? .fèt bò lakay NETFLIX NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK TOM HANKS 2:47 PM Jun 28, 2023 223.1K Views : Elgin Barrett Eugene Smith III @Southside_Gunn Man..... NETFLIX NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK TOM HANKS 10:38 AM . Jun 29, 2023 6.3M Views :

The image was then reposted to Instagram[5] and Facebook[6] in the following days, going viral on each platform. Also, @Southside_Gunn's tweet[4] inspired viral quote retweets and replies that furthered the overall, memetic response as it garnered increased attention.

Various Examples


Elgin Barrett Eugene Smith III @Southside_Gunn. Jun 29 Man..... NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK 2,414 LIA TOM HANKS 12K 42.2K ₁6.4M ↑ CJ Anderson SzN @AyooTexanNation Yall playin but he would body this role lol 11:48 AM Jun 29, 2023 295K Views Elgin Barrett Eugene Smith III @Southside_Gunn. Jun 29 Man..... NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK 2,412 TOM HANKS 12K LIA 42.2K ₁6.4M ↑ Enrique Suave @Real_riccosuave Thought that said "MILK" at first 11:19 AM Jun 29, 2023 310.6K Views Khalil Underwood @RealKhalilU Lmao this A.I ...here i made another four better ones for you... 12:29 PM . Jun 29, 2023 224.5K Views : Ichigo Niggasake @SomaKazima It should be a REAL black man, Chet Hanks Elgin Barrett Eugene Smith III @Southside_Gunn. Jun 29 Man..... NETTIA NETFLIX ORIGINAL MLK TOM HANKS 2:04 PM Jun 29, 2023 140.2K Views :

Search Interest

Unavailable.

External References

[1] Reddit – /r/midjourney

[2] Reddit – /r/TheRightCantMeme

[3] Twitter – @GDWRKARTS

[4] Twitter – @Southside_Gunn

[5] Instagram – @blackwithnochaser

[6] Facebook – Hip Hop Viral

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