Hooray For Hollywood On This Color-Blind Casting

“The Words” comes out September 7th.

I don’t know if this movie is any good, but I am certainly glad to see a Mixed couple as the stars of it.

The movie is called “The Words” and stars Bradley Cooper and one of my favorite actresses, Zoe Saldana. The movie is about a writer, played by Cooper, at the peak of his literary success, who discovers the price he must pay for stealing another man’s work. It is supposed to be a thriller.

And best of all, it doesn’t seem to make any issue of their inter-ethnic relationship. Treats it as normal and ordinary.

Yay!

Mixed People Monday – Amandla Stenberg

Her biggest role yet will be playing "Rue" in "The Hunger Games."

The rising young actress, set to co-star in the upcoming Hunger Games movie is part Danish and part African-American.

Diversity In Casting? Not By A Long Shot

This is an amazing video, not only for what the one director says, which is So true, but equally as amazing for the blank stares and inability or unwillingness on the part of the other directors to deal with the issue of why more Blacks and Latinos are not cast in leading roles in movies. It is remarkable to see the non-answers. Now in fairness, maybe there is a longer version of this where they do answer it and I can’t wait to see it. If I find it, I’ll post it for you. But for now, check this interview out on this very important issue:

Color-Blind Casting In Movies and Television

An Academy Award-winning performance.

A truly color-blind society would include casting in movies and television with little to no regard for skin color or ethnicity when such considerations have nothing to do with logical story points. Of course there are instances where a particular color is important to a story, for instance a story about a Mexican immigrant family would not work so well if the cast for the family was a mixture of different ethnicities and did not look Mexican. You wouldn’t want to pull the audience out of the story by causing them to wonder what is going on.

But there are many cases where skin color or ethnicity have nothing to do with anything. And in those instances it is great that sometimes Hollywood does open up the possibilities. One well-known example was the casting of Lou Gossett Jr. in “An Officer And A Gentleman.” Originally his role was envisioned as a White male. But since in the end the ethnicity or color of the Officer had nothing to do with the story, Gossett was able to get the role and audiences everywhere benefited.

 

Here is an article on some other notable movie roles where the ethnicity of the character was changed in casting from what was originally written.

 

A Unique and Almost Unnoticed Box Office Moment

Zoe Saldana kicked some butt.

Very often there is talk about how Hollywood does not very often give Blacks and other minorities a chance to shine in leading roles. And likewise  how mainstream America doesn’t accept Blacks and others minorities in leading roles in the movies they prefer.

But when the contrary is true we need to acknowledge it and applaud it.

This past weekend at the Box Office, the #1 and #2 films were both films starring Black women. Despite any criticisms that may be pointed at either film, what an interesting occurrence and one that many did not take note of. The hit film, “The Help,” continued to lead the box office and stars several African-American actresses in leading roles. And the film “Columbiana” opened up strongly at the number two spot, with Black Hispanic actress Zoe Saldana playing the hero and lead role.

So yes there is still progress to be made. But let’s also note what a unique weekend it was, and that maybe that is a sign of a change happening, even if ever so slowly. Black women leading the Box Office in two different films and in very different types of roles, one as servants/maids, the other as an action hero. And both were well received. Hooray.