Editing Breakfast at Tiffany's (film) (section)

==Controversy==
{{main|I. Y. Yunioshi|Portrayal of East Asians in American film and theater}}
Since the 1990s, Rooney's portrayal of I. Y. Yunioshi, which featured makeup and a prosthetic mouthpiece, has been subject to controversy and labelled as a caricatured approximation of a Japanese man. In the [[Bruce Lee]] biopic ''[[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story]]'' (1993), ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'' is used as an illustration of Hollywood's [[racist]] depiction of East Asians: it is implied that Lee and his future wife, [[Linda Lee Cadwell]], walked out of a screening of the film upon viewing Rooney's performance.<ref>Morris, M. (2007). Learning from Bruce Lee: Pedagogy and Political Correctness in Martial Arts Cinema.". The Worlding Project: Doing Cultural Studies in the Era of Globalization, 49–56.</ref>

Promotional materials released by Paramount for the film between October and December 1960 did not reveal Rooney to play Yunioshi, with press releases stating that an upcoming Japanese comedian named "Ohayo Arigatou" ("hello" and "thank you" in [[Japanese language|Japanese]]) would play the character. Other press releases featured false quotes, written in phonetically broken English, attributed to the fake comedian. Rooney eventually revealed his involvement in ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'' in a statement while wearing the makeup and prosthetic mouthpiece seen in the film.<ref name="youtube.com"/>
{{multiple image|total_width=270|image1=Mickey Rooney still.jpg|thumb|left|upright|image2=Starring Mickey Rooney.jpg|footer=[[Mickey Rooney]] wore makeup and a prosthetic mouthpiece to portray a Japanese character.}}
Shepherd later claimed that he wanted to cast a Japanese actor to portray Yunioshi, but that Edwards overruled him. He also stated he did not believe "[Rooney] didn't play the part well".<ref>{{Cite AV media |people=Shepherd, Richard |title= Breakfast at Tiffany's – Anniversary Edition/Centennial Edition [[audio commentary]] |medium= DVD |publisher= Paramount |time= 3:43}}</ref> Shepherd later apologized for Rooney's casting and performance, saying, "If we could just change Mickey, I'd be thrilled with the [film]."<ref name="makingof">Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Making of a Classic</ref> Although Axelrod expanded the role of Yunioshi in the screenplay compared to the novella, Edwards sought to use the character for [[comic relief]] and hired Rooney, his old roommate. Axelrod clashed with Edwards regarding the placement of Yunioshi in the film and convinced Hepburn to reshoot scenes for free in the hope that scenes featuring Yunioshi could be edited out, but was overruled by Edwards.<ref name="youtube.com"/> Edwards later stated he "would give anything to recast [Rooney]" and he "wished [he] had never done it" but stressed it was not something he could "undo".<ref name="makingof" />

In a 2008 interview, Rooney said he was "heartbroken" regarding the criticism, saying, "Edwards wanted me to [portray] the character because he was a comedy director. We had fun doing it. Never [since] we made it [has] there been [any] complaints. Every place I've gone in the world people say [I] was so funny."<ref name="scripps08">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205110909/http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/35779 |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |url=http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/35779 |title= Mickey Rooney upset about claims his 'Tiffany's' role is racist |last=Magagnini| first=Stephen |date=September 28, 2008|work= [[Sacramento Bee]] | publisher=[[Scripps Howard News Service]] |access-date=2010-10-03}}</ref> Rooney later said that he would not have taken the role if he thought it was offensive.<ref name="scripps08" />

The film continues to draw criticism for the character, with film historian [[Robert Osborne]] calling it "such a racial slur. I blame Edwards. The caricature was totally embarrassing".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefilmsinmylife.com/2015/11/robert-osborne-recasts-breakfast-at.html?m=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727062131/https://www.thefilmsinmylife.com/2015/11/robert-osborne-recasts-breakfast-at.html?m=1|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 27, 2020|title= Robert Osborne recasts Breakfast at Tiffany's|website= thefilmsinmylife|access-date= April 13, 2020}}</ref> It has also been the subject of censorship and petitions against its contemporary screening or labelling as a "classic". In 2011, a group of viewers opposed a screening held by [[SyFy]] and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation to commemorate the film,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/13/brooklyn-breakfast-at-tiffanys_n_897557.html|title='Breakfast At Tiffany's' Brooklyn Screening Sparks Protests From Asian-American Group|date=July 13, 2011|via=Huff Post}}</ref> and in 2022, the broadcaster [[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] (a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[Paramount Global]]) aired the film in the UK with the scenes featuring Rooney removed.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGleenon |first1=Brian |title=Breakfast at Tiffany's censorship row erupts after Channel 5 cut ENTIRE character |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1568888/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-censorship-Channel-5-Mr-yunioshi-mickey-rooney |access-date=8 August 2023 |publisher=Express Newspapers |date=20 February 2022}}</ref>