The changing races of Hollywood’s preferred villains

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen from Dune. Arabs have ‘been almost entirely erased, even from movies inspired directly by the culture of the Middle East and north Africa like the Dune franchise’, writes Jenna Al-Ansari. Photograph: Niko Tavernise

I’m an Arab/British screenwriter, and although I wholeheartedly agree with Ana Schnabl’s article (Hollywood’s villains were once Russian or Chinese. Now they’re us – people from the Balkans, 30 October), it was jarring that we don’t even get a mention. Arabs and Muslims onscreen have been the fabric of the Hollywood villains for decades. Now we’ve been almost entirely erased, even from movies inspired directly by the culture of the Middle East and north Africa like the Dune franchise.
Jenna Al-Ansari
London

• Wordsearch in your print edition on on Wednesday was on matters relating to a convent – 15 words, of which brother, friar, monk and abbot featured. If only I had known this, I’d have listened more carefully to my “call” and joined up. Sounds like a fun order.
Siobhán Ní Chuanaigh
Dublin, Ireland

• I offer Rodney Smith “Neoliberalism” or “Globalisation” as names for his cancer (Letters, 30 October). Also, I wish him the very best as he copes with his illness.
Christine Williams
Saron, Sir Gaerfyrddin

• How appropriate that on Halloween you should record the birthday of Lizzie Yarnold, skeleton racer.
Andrew Lean
London

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