Shia LaBeouf in 'The Tax Collector' & the

Shia LaBeouf's role in the forthcoming crime drama The Tax Collector is already courting controversy. Since the trailer dropped earlier this week, director David Ayer has been criticized for casting a white actor (LeBeouf) in the role of a Latino character and for making a "cop movie" amid ongoing police brutality against Black and brown people in the United States.

However, Ayer has responded that it isn't a cop movie and LaBeouf is playing a white character. "Shia is playing a whiteboy who grew up in the hood. This is a Jewish dude playing a white character. Also the only white dude in the movie," he responded. Replying to another tweet, he clarified, "It ain't a cop movie. And Shia is playing something very specific. Not brown face."

While Ayer may have clarified some of the ambiguities within the trailer, his subsequent comments have shone a spotlight on the issue of "brownfacing" in street culture. "I grew up hood and I'm a whiteboy" he argued. "Chicano culture is inclusive - I've seen whiteys, Asians, Blacks, Filipinos all putting in work for the hood. It's part of street culture."

As D. Watkins explained for Salon back in 2016, the way that "the hood" is invoked in street culture often plays into harmful, incorrect, and racists stereotypes. He also remarked that "guys who are really from the 'hood never say this."

The Tax Collector arrives in theatres on August 7. Scroll down for the best twitter responses.