I was surprised by the number of posts commenting on the anger from black activists about Jolie being cast as Daniel Pearl’s wife in ‘A Mighty Heart‘, currently in production.
Interestingly, this frustration comes at the same time that Halle Berry was cast as white teacher Tierney Cahill in another upcoming movie.
I did a search and haven’t come across any complaints at all about the casting of Berry in this role. How is it a positive thing that bi-racial Berry can play a white woman in a film, but a negative that Jolie is portraying a woman of colour? (Pearl is dutch/afro-cuban it has been reported)
Adding to the story, Mariane herself was quoted saying “I’m delighted Angelina Jolie will be playing my role. I deeply admire her work.“
It’s frustrating that in 2006 we still can’t get past the ‘race issue’, even in what is supposed to be ‘just entertainment’. Why can’t it be that any actor can play any role that the director thinks they are suited to? Producers for Halle’s new movie were quoted saying they “felt it was more important to find the right actress to play the role rather than the right white actress.” Sounds good to me.
I am sure Ms. Berry will do a fantastic job as Cahill, and I will not be deterred in the least from going to see the movie due to her ethnicity. Just as I wouldn’t have, and still don’t, care if Angelina plays Pearl.
Tags: Angelina Jolie, Racism, Current Events, Mariane Pearl, Controversy, Halle Berry
As an actor who is part of several minority groups, I resent that this casting choice is even an issue. It seems that making it such only causes further separation and can be damaging to race relations.
It’s a beautiful day when someone can get a role because of talent and not typecasting or looks alone, when race doesn’t have to be a factor. I’m so tired of people from different countries or nationalities getting pissed because someone of another ethnicity takes on their role. Like J. Lo playing Selena (a puerto rican playing a mexican), or the controversy over Memoirs of a Geisha (casting Zhang Ziyi, a chinese girl, as a Japanese geisha). Or the straights who play gay and vice versa.
Seriously. It’s called ACTING. The whole point is that you AREN’T supposed to be yourself. You are playing a role, it’s your job as an actor to transform and more importantly to tell a story that can reach people. This seems to be getting lost in translation.
I’m not saying racism isn’t a problem in this country or in the world, heaven knows it is and it’s always bothered the life out of me. But a lot of this hatred and racist thinking is perpetuated and furthered by people who want to make it an issue in certain arenas where it’s possible it isn’t factoring in. Angelina Jolie is obviously not racist. She has a multi-ethnic family. Her message has seemed to be one of racial unity. This isn’t 1920. She isn’t trying to make a mockery out of anyone and seems committed to this undertaking, and the real life Mrs. Pearl has no problem with it so I don’t see why anyone else should. Either way, this is a serious story and it deserves to be told, regardless of who is casted and I’m glad the movie is being made.
This issue reminds me of the similar episodes during the Advent celebrations in Germany shortly before X’mas where you have white kids with painted black faces representing the blackman amongst the three wise men who followed the star to Bethlehem. Infact uttered my disenchantment at this practice to my inlaws who are strickt Bavarian Catholics.More or less being part of the same family, my inlaws really understood my rescentments but could reason out that the situation was due to lack of black kids espercially in the catholich churches.
But here we have a situation where there is an abundance of suitable and capable black actresses waiting in the qeue and the go in for a white person to paint her black.
This is rediculous and an affront to the whole black race.
And that Jolie, just like the kids i mentioned, she thinks its fun being black in this world of rascism.Offcourse its fun just being in therole for a day or two knowing that you going to wash it up.Doe’ s she really think she would have been where she is today if she had been black? And that widow Pearl, she finds it overwhelming. Offcourse its overwhelming when you only have that $ sign in your eyes like uncle Daggobert.
I wish that Jolie that she is revisted by the Midas curse and she can’t wash the black teint off after the casting, then she will see how many roles she will be getting in hollywood.
This is my first time on this web. just stummled on it through the papers reading this Jolie issue. I have always been looking for a black site like this.
I hope i can contribute my quota to enhancing the respect of the black race.
I’d guess the upset is because there are so few roles for black women. We’re not color blind yet, but things are improving. Just look at ‘Eureka’ on SciFi and the sparks on that show.
Mariane Pearl is Cuban/Dutch, as a Dutch I am upset because a Dutch actrice should play her.
I think if Mariane dont have a problem with Angelina playing the role ( who has dedicated alot of her money and personal time to Africa.) I think the other race blamer should not worry about it
angelina jolie is white and Mariane Pearl is black….so why in the lord’s name should she play a black woman…
can you people honestly tell me the world has ran out of black actresses, it has to change white woman to black woman…
can oprah winfrey or Whoopi Goldberg play Queen Elizabeth of England in the Queen’s life story? the answer is of–course no!!
so why should angelina jolie take the role…halle berry and vivica foxx are very much alive..take them…
Who said that Marianne Pearl was “Black”. If anything the probably identifies as being Mixed. I just don’t see the reason in “Black” groups getting angry. If Angelina Jolie was playing a young Aretha Franklin. . .of course anger makes sense.
But Marianne Pearl?
Please.
angelina is NOT WHITE anyway she is mixed her mother is malaysan she is also half FRENCH LET me repeat FRENCH which makes her more suitable for the role than halle berry and vivacia fox put togther please people put your energies into omething more substainail than this nonsense and get your facts right before you start accusing people of things
I guess some people would be happy only if someone like whoopi goldberg or darker played the role. People can’t get it through their thick skulls that the “one drop rule” is a UNITED STATES invention, and Ms. Pearl was born and raised in FRANCE, as was Ms. Jolie. In some countries people are actually acknowledged as being mixed – and this “you’re either white or you’re not” bullshit is non-existent. The make-up artist and hairdresser made Ms. Jolie LOOK the part – of a woman who just happens to be PARTLY of african ancestry – big deal. Like another poster said – where’s the outrage at Ms. Berry playing a WHITE role ???
I am not sure why there is so much opposition to Jolie playing this part. Mrs. Pearl is fine with this choice and more so, Mrs. Pearl is bi-racial so who can say what is better: a white or black actress playing the part.
There is no reason for the public to get upset. This is ridiculous. I am sure Jolie will do this piece justice and handle herself with grace.
Blacks have often said whites are so racist. Well I think the shoe is on the other foot now. There are many great actors white and black and I enjoy going to their movies. I am not looking at their color but at their great acting ability. So get rid of the race card here. I am not a big fan of Angelina Jolie but she was given the part and I think she is a good actress and she will do a great job on this role.
It’s interesting to me that so many people take this situation personally – not necessarily the folks posting here, but in many of the blogs I’ve looked at there is outrage as if something has been ‘done to’ or ‘taken from’ individual posters themselves.
The absolute disgust and frustration from some people just doesn’t make sense to me – no one is saying that a black actress isn’t ‘good enough’ or somehow is lesser than a white actress. The decision to pick Jolie was based on her acting ability and connection to the story, not to mention Brad Pitt’s company Plan B is co-producing the film.
That, I would think, would be the bigger story here – the fact that another actress was to play the part and then after a personal issue (albeit a big one, the breakup of a marriage) suddenly Jolie gets a part that Pitt’s ex had badly wanted to play. That’s dirty pool, if you ask me, and a bigger ethical issue than anything else we’ve been talking about.
This is just a correction to what Angela and Tom said. Angelina Jolie is not French. Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand is from Canada and is Iroquois Indian (Iroquois Indians in Canada often took French names, as did most French-Canadians). This Native American background is one of the reasons she took the role of Georgia in “True Women” in which she is part Native American and part white.
I honestly dont think it matters what acctress is playing marianne. Its not the color of her skin but the quality of work she is doing. Weather Angelina or some other acctress plays marianne the important thing is that she keeps true to whom marianne is a wife, a mother, a daughter. We should cherish the tribute of this movie given to a life of a man for the quest of truth and justice.
Its a good thing that a beautiful, successful white actress covets a role as a multi-racial woman!
First of all is Mariane Pearl Black? Does she view herself as a Black woman?
I ask these questions because I have neer heard her claim to be black. Someone mentioned that she is of cuban/dutch heritage.
Is she does not view herself as black then have no problems w/ Angelina playing Mariane. However, when she sold the movie rights to her book she probably could have neogiated that a black actress play her if she was truely interested.
As a African American I claim don’t people who don’t claim me.
So the ‘one-drop’ rule was invented in America? So name me one ‘mixed’ black actress who has achieved star status In France?…….time’s up
How is it that no one who ‘looks like’ Marianne gets casted in France? Could it be that the casting directors made a grave error and mistook her for ‘black?’
Dismissing painful reactions to this situation as ‘ridiculous’ is to accept that black actresses being ‘invisible’ in Holywood, for whatever reason, is ‘normal.’ For decades in Hollywood, women of color were contracted to play mammies ‘exclusively’ I heard no voices of objection saying that was ridiculous.By the way, if Halle Berry is playing a ‘white’ teacher, is she putting chalk on her face in order to be more realistic in the role? If Marianne had visited South Africa during apartheid would they have had existential discussions about whether she was ‘black’ or not? Let’s not add insult to injury by pretending that discrimination is a thing of the past.And to use ‘france’ as a reference is a mark of ignorance.
Please do not forget that Halle Berry is a mixed-race actress, 50% white and 50% black. Should she only be condemed to roles that are for black actresses? And would anyone have brought this up if Angelina Jolie wasn’t playing Mariane Pearl? I gather many of you have long forgotten the days (as most of us were not yet born) where all roles-even black roles went to white actors that used dark makeup. The issue here is that times have changed and because black actors are being given more opportunities, why not have the role go to Halle Berry or Thandi Newton? Also because Plan B Productions is making this movie (run by our favorite Brad Pitt) Angelina got this role because of her relationship with Brad. I am a little disppointed in the duo though because they are world travelers and ambassadors. They, of all people should realize the importance of race relations. Oh- I don’t think Angelina can really act either…she is always lacking something.
im 15 and birtish black and when iam older i want to be an actress . but this is stupid going on about race, race should’nt be the issue. what is so wrong if angie plays a black person. you don’t see any white companiers complaining about berry being cast as white person. i might not of live long but the i get to start a career in hollywood i hope that any one can play any one no matter what race you are or religon. im catholic and i want peace, if everyone begins the future with peace between races and not war this place will be a better palce. i agree with nadia the most. Angie and Halle you Rock!!!!!
I believe the world its nutts in all of everyones smarts do u really truley believe someone that is not of a specific race can play that race if its a specific story for instance if I was doing the life story of anita baker I couldn’t use sharon stone unless there was no black actresses maybe that’s the issue, 2 if I was doing a story about hillary clinton I couldn’t use halle berry, if I was doing a story about sharon stone I couldn’t use halle berry unless we don’t want to be detail oriented, the one drop rule is not just an american ideal as well it is also based on specifics unfortunately and fortunate my sisters boyfriends is irish and blacks and he is darker then the basketball player jordan and he has no feature that would distinguish him as a white man at all he could never play a white man genetics is genetics, people don’t confuse roles with bios or ex… The teacher for this take is suppose be a middle aged caucasian woman however vivica came down tried out and now she has the role cause her cold read was excellent… That’s 1 thing a life story is something else, 1 post said something about an chinese woman playing a japanese well could jennifer lopez play a geisha? And there was an out cry in relations to that u of another race can never understand the seriousness as well as the ignorance that comes with reflections of life…. I say to all be happy merry or whatever floats your boat but in all reality will smith couldn’t play bob dole no more then lil kim playing christina agruellia…sorry for the spelling and christinas mixed
I am a afro american female and I say if she wants to be played by a white person let her it is not such a surprise to me. You have to ask yourself do she look at her self as a black person, alot of mixed people look at themselves as everything but BLACK.
I understand that mixed people are mixed, but all these people talking of no racisim in europe are talking trash. I see more cloured actors in america combined than i see in european film. so please spare us americans the lecture. I take issue with angie playing a colured women because just like whites like to turn on the tv and see themselves, i would like to do the same thing. anyways the more black children say (the white barbie is prettier, or i wish i was white, or i hate my kinky hair, or i wish i had good hair or light skin(actual survey)) then the more i hate what angie is doing because the more blacks see oursleves (not just people with straight hair and white skin on tv and such) then maybe our kids would be happy to be called black. when potraying real life in film, accuracy is a must (Geisha movie whatever) b/c it gives those people being potrayed the message we are all arguing for, that your “race” did that and be proud of it, . unless they read that book in history class they would never know if you misrepresent the race.
I bet you guys didn’t know that the army guy in the 9-11 movie that help rescue the 2 cops was actually a black man. He heard of the character in the movie and made it known that it was him ( a black man not white). Now if i watched that movie i would have been proud that a black man contributed to this. (not that i wouldn’t be proud if he was white.) Him being black might not be important to other races, but like it or not it’s a pride thing, “if he can do it, i can do it” kind of thing. it gives that certain race credit that it wasn’t allowed to have in the past so we crave for it now.
I am “Afro” Cuban and I do not think someone like VIVICA FOX is suitable for the role. This is nonsense. I am not concerned as to WHY U.S. African-American women are so concerned about this. The woman is LATINA, furthermore… she is raised in FRANCE. What does this mean? That EVERY single role of a woman wiuth any black blood in her should play every role on tv or in the movies. Get over it. Really. This is how U.S. “BLACKS” feel……. the whole world is not on your page. And, WHY is the AFRO part of Mariane Pearl so emphasized? They could just have as easily given the role to a DUTCH WOMAN!
Thise movie would not have been made had it not been for Jolie and Pitt. If you got issues with all these things…. GO MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIES ABOUT WHATEVER! Furthermore, take your behinds to AFRICA and GIVE AWAY your money to the POOR!!
Other than Oprah, when African-Americans go to Africa, they act like bourgeouis types…. ie. 50 Cent and how his bodyguards beat up a Nigerian rapper on the plane. They do things for THEMSELVES and their own glory.
When rappers go to Brazil…. like Ja-Rule… they want to TAKE the money from the poor for THEMSELVES. (at a major Brazil Hip Hop concert)
GET A LIFE! There are more things than this to get excited about.
typo
That EVERY single role of a woman with any black blood in her should BE PLAYED BY AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN (U.S.) on tv or in the movies?
I think that if anything both of these roles should have been casted and a person that fit the bill for the role and fit the same ethnic profile should play the roles. I am not insulted by the fact that they are both playing roles that they do not fit the bill for. What I am insulted by is that fact that out of the millions of people out there that could play these roles, they choose to recycle the same actresses over and over in movies and just powder them up or darken them up to suite their needs.This is no different than when black people were not allowed to have movie roles so white people would paint their skin black, paint their lips white and make them extra big, and act foolish and stupid in movies portraying a black person.
IMO they should have casted for perhaps 2 undiscovered aspiring actresses and made these movie roles their big debuts.I am sure there are plenty of aspiring mixed or black actresses that could have played Mariane Pearl. And a white woman could have been found to play Tierney Cahill. Halle Berry ha always struck me as one who is not proud of her black heritage anyway, so this does not surprise me. But geez, neither one of them can act anyway!
As an African woman married to a white man with 2 mixed children, I am making sure that my children are raised to be proud of the 2 cultures that makes them who they are. I feel that these kinds of portrayals in movies only add to frustrations we already have along the racial divide and should not be a part of the type of media that our youth is exposed to.
Wanted to add that I feel that a person who is not a minority cannot really grasp why this would affect some people. Minorities are still fighting for equality in this world, we cannot pretend as if discrimination is a thing of the past.
With so many actresses out there just looking for a role, why do we have to resort to taking a person and painting them to make them another color to play a role? I am sure Indians feel the same way every time they see someone who is not Indian dusted red on the screen portraying their people. Or Asians everytime they see someone with fake slanted eyes speaking broken English portraying an Asian person.
In a perfect world the color line that divides us would not be an issue and I pray that we continue to grown and get to know each other and live in harmony. Whites could play blacks, blacks could play Asians, etc. But IMO there seems to be a shortage of actors if the same people we see over and over in movies year after year are now being painted or dusted over to look like something they are not. We are just not ready for that yet. It was only not so long ago that minorities were given the right to act in movies, and already we are being replaced by non-minorities in roles? I feel that to play a role in a movie you have to be able to relate to the person you are playing and have a reflexion of their life. How can a white person relate to life as a black/mixed person? How can a black/mixed person really relate to being all white?
What ever happened to the days of casting for a new actress to play a role, a person that not only looked the part but could act the part as well. But instead 2 sub par (IMO neither of them are very good actresses) people are casted to play roles that do not suit them. It would be like Angela Bassett playing Hillary Clinton, or Jennifer Anistan playing Oprah.
I think it is important for children, especially minorities to be able to look at the big screen and see a strong woman of similar ethnicity playing an important role. It gives the child strength and enforces the ability to be proud of who they are and to think to themselves, if that person can do it, so can I. But when you cast a person who is not the ethnicity of the role to play the part and then alter their appearance to fit the role, it could only serve to shatter that self awareness and inspiration.
Casting for a person who doesn’t really exist – someone who can be whatever you want them to be because YOU’RE creating them – is COMPLETELY different from casting someone to play a person who DOES exist. Someone who has a life – someone who was born and/or died. Someone with friends and family – someone who was actually out there in the world at some point.
When casting for the role of a real person, the first thing that should be looked at is how realistic a match the actor is because here, it’s not about just picking anyone who can act, it’s about telling someone’s life story. Actors playing real people should be cast the same way as body doubles or stuntmen because they are in essence serving as a substitute for the real thing. Believability and authenticity are very important when casting for a biographical film and that INCLUDES appearance, so you can’t ignore things like their look, their height, their weight, their hair, etc.
After all, I’m CERTAIN you would all have a hard time taking a biographical drama about the life of Elvis Presley seriously if he were being played by Cedric the Entertainer. Why? Because it’s just not “true” to life and that makes it comical even if he’s being as dramatic as possible.
Appearance wise, there are any number of women in any number of ethnic backgrounds who could be a spitting image of Mariane Pearl – millions of them all across the world – and a great deal of them are actresses. Surely, any one of them has a right to audition for the part. Who should get it? The one who meets the following criteria. 1) They look like her 2) They can act like her 3) They have a great deal of overall talent.
As for number 1, Angelina Jolie doesn’t look like her even with her skin darkened and her hair kinked up. As for number 2, I can’t attest for how well she mimicks Mariane’s manneurisms because I haven’t seen her attempt at doing so, but considering number 3 and the fact that Angelina Jolie is a mediocre actress, number 2 is a moot point.
As someone who works in the entertainment industry and has seen the wealth of talent out there that was available for this role, someone would have a very hard time convincing me that there was no one else who looked more like her than Angelina Jolie, who acted more like her than Angelina Jolie, and who had more talent than Angelina Jolie. I can name an ocean’s worth of people off the top of my head who would have been better suited for this role and I’m positive most other people complaining about this can as well so the real question that is fueling this debate is WHY it fell to her anyway?
There is only one answer. It’s NOT because she’s the best person for the role, it’s because she’s Angelina Jolie – an actress that everyone goes to see because they find her attractive, not because she does her job well. An actress who has had more compliments on her lips than she has on her talent. An actress that studios have a contract with, an actress that publicists need to keep in the spotlight, an actress that agents need to place in what’s labeled as award-winning roles (and in our line of work, biographical films are always placed in that category).
She got this role because it’s hollywood and hollywood cares more about sustaining itself as a business than it does about truth. That’s where the first bit of anger comes from. The second bit of anger comes from the fact that as someone mentioned, it is still – in 2006, a time that most whites will flap their mouths about being so racially equal – a rarity to see black actresses. If asked to name five black actresses, I’m sure most of you could barely manage three and I’m double sure those three will be Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, and Jada Pinkett. If asked to name five white actresses, however, I’m sure you could just keep going on for days and days and days.
It’s not because they don’t exist. It’s because the roles for them don’t exist and the few that do, most respectable actresses won’t take because they are black stereotypes. Not every black actress wants to play in movies like Soul Food and most of them would love the chance to star in OTHER movies as MORE than just the token black.
But we are not yet in the days where that’s possible. It’s because we are still – like it or not – in a caucasian-dominated society where white is always the default choice unless a situation specifically calls for a minority.
I am telling you from experience and from inside knowledge of the industry that when a role calls for no race in particular, it BY DEFAULT is casted white. This is why you can watch a movie and see 400 white people and only one asian, one black, and maybe a hispanic or two. Minorities are used in film when minorities SPECIFICALLY are needed.
So now you have a role – a solid, dramatic role – the kind that could possibly lend a boost to someone’s career and their credit as a capable actress – and the role is playing a woman of black and white heritage. This type of role is an instance when the casting does not default to white because it does call for someone of a particular ethnic background and unlike most films that call for this, it’s actually a role that could earn an actress the respect of moviegoers, critics, and studios.
Everyone is jumping for joy because now, all of those black and otherwise ethnic women who previously could not get a job unless it was playing the “finger-snapping, neck-rolling roommate/friend of the white lead” or the “tragic angry black woman with nothing but drama in her life because she’s surrounded by other blacks” have a role that actually calls for someone like them. It is one of the few times where being non-white should actually work in their favor and what happens? The role STILL goes to a white person.
It may be difficult for those who are not in that position to fully grasp the impact of that decision both socially and in terms of the face of the industry, but that is just a testament to how blind people have become to the ways that race impacts the decisions being made around us and it makes a statement about how non-blacks in particular have so much left to learn about race issues.
As for Halle Berry playing Tierney Cahill, the uproar over that will be coming. The truth is, her publicity for that particular role has been overshadowed by Angelina’s because Angelina is currently in higher industry demand than Halle Berry. On top of that, at the time that it was certain Angelina would be playing Mariane’s role, it still hadn’t been confirmed that Halle was going to be playing Tierney’s. Long story short, most people aren’t complaining because most people don’t know about it yet. Once the official publicity campaigns for the film begin and Halle makes her rounds, people will know and people will bark.
However, it must also be said that Halle Berry has long since been a topic of racial ridiculousness in hollywood, so there’s also a large number of moviegoers who caught wind of her playing a white woman and just shrugged saying, “It figures…”. This is a fresh issue with Angelina Jolie. It’s an old one with Halle that many don’t feel the need to rehash since everything that needed to be said has been.
I find it funny that people are claiming how racist it is to say that Angelina shouldn’t play the role because she’s white or how absurd people are being when they complain about this. I find it funny because most of you people have sat down to watch a movie or show and said at least ONCE in your life, “Why would they cast him/her in this role?” And you’ve had your reasons. “She’s way too ugly for this role, he’s way too short for this role, she’s too much of a goodie goodie for this role, his accent is too thick for this role, her hair totally doesn’t match this character, xyz”
So you don’t think it’s too much to ask not to have a bald fat guy with no teeth being put in a role of someone who’s supposed to be the casanova of NYC? Then you shouldn’t think it’s too much to ask to have at mixed woman play a mixed woman or at the very least a white or black woman who actually LOOKS the part.
Look at your own life – the people you know and love. Think of your father being portrayed in a movie. Now imagine that instead of casting a man who looks, sounds, and acts like your father who has tons of talent, they cast a woman to play your father and say, “Yeah, we’ll just shave her head and use some makeup artistry to make her look like your dad”. How silly would that seem to you? Wouldn’t you say, “Or… you could just get someone who looks like my dad… a MALE for starters”?
Right. So don’t act like it’s so farfetched for someone to say, “Instead of taking a white woman, darkening her skin, and giving her kinky hair, you could just get a naturally light-skinned black or mixed woman with hair already like that to play the role. That’s one less thing to worry about”.
Even putting the social politics aside, it’s common sense.
So Hollywood is a hotbed of equality.
If the skin colour of Mrs Pearl were irrelevant then Jolie wouldn’t have needed to darken up, wear a wig etc…
Surely the essential part of acting is the actual portrayal of the person being depicting. Mrs Pearl possesses characteristics which would deem her black in some parts of the US and South America. In any case she wouldn’t be considered white. How does Jolie portray Mrs Pearl who, after all, is a sum total of her experiences like everyone else?
The phrase mixed-race is typically used where one partner is of African origin. Whites don’t tend quibble over different parts of European origin.
I can’t wait to hear how her African child tries to wash her skin colour off, like mummy.
I am absolutely astonished that Angelina Jolie is playing the role of Mariane Pearl. Actually, the only reason she is doing so is because her husband is Brad Pitt and he is the producer $$$. I am a white woman and am disgusted that a woman of mixed ancestry wasn’t chosen for this role. Angelina Jolie looks absolutely ridiculous. Why couldn’t a talented woman of similar ancestry have been chosen for this role to better give meaning to the character????. There are tons of mixed race actresses, any of whom would have been a better choice. Her role is minor as well, as Daniel Pearl’s character should be the star of the movie, not her anyway.
it seems that most of the obvious has been reiterated and rehashed to a point of inconsequence. so, instead of perpetuating this trend i shall raise only one more issue:
has it been considered that one (perhaps small) reason for the choice could be that such a delicate and beautiful story needs to be told? since no one in any of the previous posts has actually suggested a specific replacement, it is to be assumed that it would fall to an unknown actress. would someone without the fame of ms. jolie be able to give the proper exposure to this film, to tell the phenomenal story of daniel and mariane pearl? no.
Well said.
Angelina Jolie looks absolutely ridiculous in “blackface” and comparing this role to Halle Berry playing the role of a white woman is ridiculous as well. Halle Berry’s mother is white. Angelina Jolie may be of mixed heritage, but black isn’t part of it. Am I being racist? Not at all. Black actresses have a hell of a time getting decent roles and this role was handed to a white woman. If you don’t see a problem with that, you’re not looking at the situation properly. Looking at Ms Jolie’s past history, it seems as if she wants to be black. She adopts a black child, gives birth to her biological child in Africa, and being born in Africa, her child is African. Now she plays the role of a black (biracial) woman. I call it as I see it.
Mariane Pearl isn’t black. Her mother was Cuban primarily, but also part African and part Chinese. Her father was Dutch. She is multi-racial, and I think it’s fine that the part went to Jolie — they are friends, and it was important for Pearl to trust the actress who was portraying her. Jolie doesn’t look exactly like Pearl, but I think she looks close enough, and that’s not really what’s important anyway.
Im black. And Im grown and have some since. Dont you all? sheesh..Its a movie. Why are you getting angry over a movie? I can see if she was worshipping satan or something…and you prolly woulndt mind her doing that….but because she isnt a certain race she cant play a certain role? i mean come on. honestly. SHE JUST ADOPTED A BLACK CHILD…and im sure she loves her baby.Let that woman live her life and leave her alone she has done more for some of our people than some of us have. Sheesh. you tlak about how white folks are racist but arent you doing the same thing the other racist folks do? I hope she does a good job in her role. God bless her. and hally berry.
Where do you come up this stuff? What Black activists. Please tell me who and don’t be vague. I think people like you just want to keep up trouble. Trust me the sincere Black Activist are more concerned about far more important things than this.
I’m not sure about the ‘keeping up trouble” as I wrote this post in October of 2006 during the time when many TV shows, papers and online sites were discussing the issue.
At the time there were many activists interviewed who discussed this issue, though I can’t recall names more than half a year later. The original article also links to blacklooks.org, I would guess that they would consider themselves activists of a sort, as would many of the people who posted here over the last 6+ months.
Just because they aren’t ‘name brand’ activists that might be well known in the public eye doesn’t mean they wouldn’t fall under that category. I think anyone can be an activist if they have a cause and speak out about it, as so many people have on this issue.
Thanks for your post!
I’m pretty convinced that Jolie got this gig because she wanted it and she has the Hollywood weight to get it. It’s the movies, folks, it’s not about talent (which Jolie has a little bit of, she is not a great actress). As Americans, we’re all hybrids and that isn’t necessarily the issue. The Daniel Pearl story is an important story and needs to be told and if someone can tell it, if that someone is Hollywood, than fine. Angelina is a well meaning individual if slightly misguided by her own self-importance. The important thing to remember here is that this is not a race issue but a social issue. If Hollywood is what it takes to get out a good story than fine. Watch the movie and then do your own research and then come to your own conclusions. Don’t let the movie do that for you.
There’s no such a thing a black or white anymore. What there is plenty of is prejudice the ofspring of ignorance from both groups. Why does Obama say he’s black when he’s really biracial? Why does he deny his white genes? Is he afraid of losing the black votes? And would he? Most likely because prejudice there is. Marianne Pearl is also biracial or interracial , she is neither black nor white. When will this one-sided vision come to an end? Only then will we have mutual acceptance and look for the human element instead of the racial one.
Great post – well said!
Marianne Pearl is black, white among other ethnicities. It varies depending on where you get your info.
Barack Obama is like many biracial people who think their black ancestry somehow trumps their other ancestry. This “one drop rule” mentality is pathetic and bigoted.
Marianne is mixed, there is an abundance of mixed actresses who are talented (Angelina is not) who could have portrayed her. Shame on her for agreeing to it. This is what you get with a Brad Pitt production, big surprise there!
Who the hell cares if she adopted a black child? It’s immaterial to the matter at hand. It seems a simple enough concept to grasp. Marianne is mixed, there are many mixed actresses the world over who could have portrayed her but Angelina wins the coveted role. She looks like an idiot and her being cast perpetuates the problem in the entertainment industry.
And enough with the social construction that is race, why do people cling to a falsity. We are 99.9% the same, there is no gene for race. If you see no problem, you’re ignorant, stupid or both. Go to Hollywood, go to NYC and ask actresses who are women of color what they to endure and how they are treated. You might learn something.
I’m a black guy, I thought it was weird until I seen the woman being portrayed. The other day I seen the Honey Mooners with all black actors, which felt weird to me, or Will Smith portraying a white guy in Wild Wild West, how about Denzel in Man on Fire who in the book was a white guy. I’m sure some angry black will say those are not real people but let some white folks play the Huckstables and see them flip the h3ll out. Stop being hypocrites. No Blacks stand up to protest when blacks portray white and white don’t publicly complain because they would be labeled racist. Jolie with her full lips has a semi-ethnic look who gives a care about whats in her blood. BLACK people RELAX yeah if Dr. King was portrayed by a white guy yeah that would be a little crazy but Joley looks like this lady and this lady was open to her playing her, who cares if she has a wig and little tint not to mention movies are not only about informing people but also entertaining and making money Jolie will bring some bucks. Go find something important to cry about, there are a lot greater wrongs done that deserves your attention. Blacks have to do their part in helping ending racism.
it’s ridiculous that angelina jolie is playing mariane pearl who is obviously not white. didn’t jolie adopt her african child _after she got the role? it’s all about cultural insensitivity.
Then why is all the fuss over Mariane Pearl’s Afro-Cuban heritage, and not her Chinese heritage? I’m saying this: If you must say “cultural insensitivity”, at least include her other racial make-up too.
who the hell said she was chinese or asian she mulatto. Anways as a black women meaning not mix.Americans need to stop saying the stupid one drop rule is soo over i have friends that are 1/4 or that have way less in them black and they do not look black at all soo should they call themselves black people open your eyes after mixing for soo long you think americans would be more educated in this.My point is that theres so many mix wowmen in hollywood that could have played that part halle, vanessa,beals,alicia keys,thandie newton,leila arcieri,lisa bonet,rashidia jones,victoria rowell,mya rudolph and more that could have played that part.Anyways angie is a good actress soo who ever that will bring her story to life then agian theres alot more imporant storie staht could have been made into movies.
sorry for my bad spellings did not take time to really read it lol.
just saw angelina and mariane in interview on charlie rose. am a black women married to a white man with a alot of race intermarraige in my extended family. i thought when i initially heard press descriptions of mariane as black that it was messed up that angelina was playing her. i agreed that more actresses of non white background need to get roles. but ultimately in this case the person whose story is being told should get to make the final call of not only who plays them but on how they define themselves. i heard an interview on npr with pearl, and she clearly identifies herself as mixed race(not Black) so it definantly would NOT make sense to have her played by an actress who does not at least looked mixed or could be made to look that way…but given her particular racial mix and the fact that all mixed people DO NOT LOOK ALIKE…it would be hard to find the best actress who is chinese/white/african ….small pool..
It has nothing to do with race. It is about the believability of the character since this is a film and Angelina is an actress. From a minority’s perspective and the perspective of a person of African descent, it looks a bit ridiculous and is less believable to see an actress kinking up her hair to play the role of a multi-racial ( Part black) woman. Did I add, that it is also insulting. It is as if to say that, that is all there is to being a multi-racial or black woman, when the experience is much deeper and something only a multi-racial or black woman can bring to a character. Yes this is Mariane’s story and not the story of all black or multi-racial women, but when you cast someone in a role, you do your best to make sure they can meet the complexities and the depth of the character physically and mentally. Agelina Jolie just doesn’t remind me of the Mariane Pearl that I saw on the news, on television, and with the quiet, yet strong spirit. The fact that she does not look like her physically, except for the stylist induced kinky hair, just adds to the unbelievability. Many of the posters have also made a valid point, that there are many AVAILABLE and TALENTED mult-racial as well as light-skinned black actresses to play this role, and by choosing a white woman it does appear a bit silly and as an afterthought to cast Angelina Jolie, when the person playing Mariane is the most important part of the film. If someone such as Angela Bassett were cast as Mariane Pearl, I would say the same thing, because they do not look a like, do not appear to have the same character traits, and Mariane Pearl is not ONLY black of course. But casting Angelina Jolie, is not so much a slap in the face to black Hollywood, but to mult-racial hollywood ( Halle Berry, Thandie Newton, Carmen Ejogo, ). Even casting a Jewish woman who had curly dark hair would have been fine, not only because Mariane is part Jewish, but because they may look more similar, and have the same depth on some level. Casting someone as exposed and typecast as Angelina Jolie simply takes away from the freshness of the film and creates expectations from an audience, when the story is original and deep enough to stand on it’s own.
some people are CLEARLY BRAINWASHED! It is clear that Angelina is not solely Caucasian ( is a Italian with an afro white, mulatto or a lightskin black. She may be aware of this, she may not. This reminds me of one of my moms favorite movies “an Imitation of life”. Race is more of a myth in America, Bloodline is more of a factor than ones race (just look a Brazil). Much “crossbreeding” and “miscegenation” has taken place in the western hemisphere.. I have met very dark skin blacks with straight hair that have had white family members, and light skin blacks with curly hair (like myself) who have no recollection of a single “white” person in their family history.. what would Palestinian or Israeli or a southern Indian be considered in America if they had no national identity? don’t be so ignorant to the sexual desires of men and women through American history…. thats how people are made ya know…
I’m an African and the disucssion has been good. I think they could have found someone of mixed origin to play Marianne. My problem with Angelina is that she can’t act…have you seen her in the previews? She’s NOT believable at all. She should stick to flicks where the focus is on her looks and lips and leave the real acting to actors. She is where she is because she’s beautiful, not because she can act…I mean I didn’t see all of her last flick Good Shepherd but just seeing her in the preview was painful. And in the preview of this movie she’s wooden, forced and just not a natural actor. In some ways its good she got this movie so that everyone can finally see what a CRAP actor she is. I mean what the hell type of accent is she trying to imitate…dear GOD…i hope this films finally opens peoples eyes to the reality that this supposed A list Holywood actress can’t act for sh*t.
This is stupid. The movie is not race related. Who cares who plays her part? The movie has a bigger scope…look beyond
I do have to agree that based on the previews and commercials I’ve seen she does seem to have a very odd accent in the movie… if you’d like to see a preview as well as an interview with Jolie and Pearl, you can watch them here.
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/06/19/1/a-conversation-with-angelina-jolie-mariane-pearl
Blacks are irritated of this selection because it’s because of it’s another episode of history be altered or rewritten to sell tickets. In cases of prue entertainment nobody cares – but when ethnicity is replaced to catering a largely white audience it touches a most sensitive nerve.
In the movie “A Beautiful Mind” , John Forbes Nash’s wife was a white southern belle who was an emotional crutch but not his intellectual equal. He real wife wasn’t white at all and far from a southern belle. She was Latino and a highly respected MIT student at the time. The change was made to cater to ticket buyer , who were white.
The role of Othello was very rarely (if ever) played by a black man although the original text leaves no doubt that the king is black. Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra: key roles casted as white but they managed to find plenty of Blacks to play slaves. charleton Heston as Moses… when whites didn’t even exist. Accuracy (of any sort) takes a backseat in Hollywood when cash is the goal.
There are several examples of this practice. When historical accuracy is in question, race matters, except to those that are being catered to..
#53
Yeah, it’s called a FRENCH ACCENT you little tart. I just love how so many people–with absolutely no knowledge of the Daniel Pearl story, or desire to know, for that matter— are more concerned about Affirmative-Action-Hollywood-Style than the very important story that needs to be told.
Marianne Pearl is not black. Marianne Pearl is Cuban and French. You can complain all day long, but whether you like it or not, there are scores of other ethnicities in the world that produce FULL LIPS, BROWN EYES, AND CURLY HAIR. Wise up.
If Marianne Pearl wanted a black woman to portray her, a black woman would have portrayed her. I for one am glad that a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador with a little smarts and fake tanner is playing the role, then say, an obscure little B-actress like V.A. Fox or Alicia Keyes. And Halle Berry is WHITE, so I’m sure you wouldn’t want to give the part to her….
Point is, nobody complains when a black woman straightens her hair to look Caucasian. Nobody complains when Michael Jackson bleaches his skin. But Angelina Jolie puts on fake tanner and a wig and all hell breaks loose.
Some of the posters on this site are living proof that there exists racism everywhere, including in the Nubian community.
I saw this movie last night and Angelina was very good, very sophisticated, and very moving. Unlike many famous actors in a role, you forgot who she was and just saw the character. I really couldn’t imagine anybody else in this role. This was a hard film to watch and I’m glad they cast someone capable of filling the role with respect and dignity.
And really, Marianne Pearl has more of a French identity than a specific racial one. In the film Marianne cooks a Cuban meal for a party. When a guest asks her if she is Cuban, she responds, “My mother is Cuban, but I’m from Paris.” Marianne Pearl is an incredibly strong, intelligent, bi-racial, beautiful French woman.
This casting says there are no qualified black/latino/mixed actresses that we could find so we got a white woman and painted her up and slapped on a bad wig. There are so many stereotypical movies made about people of color. when a real moving story, that should be toldcomes along, they gave it to a white woman. That just another example of how little value America/Hollywood places in women of color. These people, pitt/jolie who are trying to be so globally aware are missing a lot in their own back yard. They don’t get it.
Brad pitt was quoted saying that he understands that there is a lack of good roles for people of color, but that this is not the movie to point out and talk about Hollywood racism. Why not this movie ?
He said it himself. There are not enough positive/good roles for black/mixed/latino actresses, so when an opportunity comes around to give the lead role in a moving story what does this liberal man do??? He gives it to his white partner/sortofwife/ lover. This is hardly a crime, but the fact he thinks people shouldn’t be commenting is a big part of why he doesn’t get it. I’m sure he says to himself I’m so tolerant and non-prejudice and have this Ethiopian baby I can‘t be culturally insensitive. Then why not give the role to some talented actress of color knowing that Hollywood can be racist and pigeon hole actors and has a long history of Blackface?
When the day comes where there will be complete colorblind casting not just one sided (whites playing lations, blacks, asians usually stereotypes ) then I will shut my mouth about this.
It’s not the hugest deal,there’s racial inequity everyday, but we can’t over look the small injustices. it’s millions of those little set backs that deepen the problem, and they are usually representative of the bigger issue, in this case American racism.
But in America (and this whole entire world since only one race [black] is truly hated and the others get along) she is black. For those who don’t think this is the case try to take a person that looks like her to a rural white community and she if she wouldn’t get stares.
America is a great country in which we are provided with forums of this nature to express diverse opinions. Race relations between whites and blacks in America historically have been strained because of the legalized traditions of Slavery, Jim Crow, The Willie Lynch Letter and Segregation, which were harsh, brutal and degrading. Negative stereotypical black images like Mammy, Uncle Tom, Sambo, Picaninny and Coon have been reinforced through print media, stage, screen, photography and children’s fictional stories like Huckleberry Finn. However, Hollywood has set a precedent of portraying historically significant figures of African American decent with Caucasian actors. Some examples include: Cleopatra (Elizabeth Taylor), Othello (Sir Laurence Olivier), Beethoven (Gary Oldman), and Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel). Over the past decade black men have starred as recurring criminals on shows like “cops,” and the evening news creating a culture of fear surrounding black men. The proverbial “oversexed black woman” has been portrayed in the role of “video vixen” on MTV, VH1 and BET’s popular music video programs. These roles reinforce stereotypes that were explored by D. W. Griffith’s 1915 film “Birth of A Nation.” These pervasive representations of African Americans and Black culture have created a climate of distrust, frustration and anger. Jolie’s portrayal of a Dutch/Afro-Cuban woman is reminiscent of the presumed inequality and divide that exist between people of color and individuals of European decent in America in 2007. Whether true or false the casting of Jolie in the role of Mariane Pearl opens old wounds concerning the betrayal of black freedom in America and the promise of the civil rights era.
In sharp contrast, shock jock Don Imus unveiled the reality that there is an unequal color line in America. However, it is White journalist, radio jocks and personalities who are held to an unequal standard by their black counterparts. If media spokesmen Tom Joyner or Tavis Smiley had made a comment concerning a white athlete it would not have gained equal media attention to Don Imus, and they would not have lost their jobs. Julia Roberts portrayed a prostitute who met her Prince Charming in the movie “Pretty Woman.” If Halle Barry had been cast as a prostitute the NAACP would have been in an uproar. Woody Harrelson portrayed Billy Hoyle in “White Men Can’t Jump.” If the film title was “Black Men can’t Ski” once again it would have drawn national attention by Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson. In contrast, Halle Berry has been cast in the true story of teacher Tierney Cahill. There has not been uproar from the White or Black community. There is an unfair divide amongst class race and gender in America in 2007. The pressing concern should be which issues can we embrace that will celebrate our diversity and humanity? Healthcare, education, fair immigration laws and practices, equal opportunities for women and gays and equal representation for all members of our society should be points of paramount significance. These were all dreams of King, Malcolm, Gandhi, Mandela and Mother Teresa. Meanwhile, I believe Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry will do just fine.
Your lying. You know the only race hated in the world [and USA is us (blacks)]. You know that the vast majority of whites love Indians(india).
By 2058 there will be only one race hated in the USA openly.
She’s CUBAN and DUTCH…where does it say that she’s black? Are you saying that Fidel Castro is BLACK? This is freaking bullshit. She looks more like Mariane Pearl than Halle Berry would. I can’t picture Halle Berry or V.Fox in that role. They couldn’t copy that accent, and even if they did, it would be distracting. Maybe Thandie Newton, but, that just didn’t happen. You guys like like to cry racism, whenever shit doesn’t go your way…its as simple as that.
Angelina Jolie is bi/multiracial…this is common knowledge now…her mother Marcheline Bertrand, who recently died, was from the same french creole native tribe from Louisiana that my family comes from…which is a healthy infusion of african blood. It is easy to see it in Angie features and her voice too. Her dad is Jon Voight and he has been known to have a taste for women of color.
Angie is biracial for sure check her pic out
http://conversationsfamouspeople.blogspot.com/
see a pic of Angie on this page…she looks like my daughter when she was little accept my daughter has blue green eyes… (scrool down to “eat Angie eat”
thankfully I’m mixedrace (black/white) so I have nothing against a white OR black actress playing the role of a biracial person
I think us mixies will leave this one for you not-so-wise “pure breeds” to thrash out amoung yourselves.
My father is afro cuban and my mother is bi- racial woman . Both of my parents raised me as African American , but my father still enforced his cuban culture in me . In my opinion There aren’t many parts for women of color , bi- racial, black, latino , or asian. I mean most movies women of color play in are of movies that stays in the box. You will see asian women predominalty in some action film, latino women well you never hardly see them in movies if you do its J -LO PLAYING A WHITE WOMEN,,,,LOL., I take that back you do some , they usually playing a maid no, sorry, but I am half cuban regardless if my father is Afro cuban. Finally , you see black playing in movies where they are fat , with attitudes . Whats funny when women of color play a prestige role , executive , classy role that depict of women of virtue it doesn’t get any play. I mean women of color have had many doors closed on them that will so them the essesnce of their beauty , intllegence and , morality. That s why most women of color especially african american women of color are upset because angelina doors are never shut when it deals with hollywood. But most women of color doors are . Lets keep women of color in colored films and if we decided to include them our films let them play the stero typical black, asian and latino women, thats how it is in hollywood. For those who keep saying she is mix so what there are still alot of bi – racial actors out their that are just as beautiful as Angelina ,.. Black is black i mean blacks come in all shade of color From Michael Michelle, to Whoopi i mean mixed or not , according to hollywood they are still not going to get as much play. TO those say angelina is mixed haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… I say her mother in a picture she is french Candian , and Angelina father claim that his daughter is not mixed with anything , if she is it he great great great ancestor . Whites make me laugh saying they are mixed because they native american blood , which is their great great great ancestor. lol In all trut most have black blood in them lol ….No for real whites do read your history.
This was Jolie’s pet project, so I think she had control over casting herself. Mrs Pearl does not appear to look black, so I dont see why a black person should play her. She looks more of a mixed race than anything. I guess the way it is classified in the U.S. is “Hispanic”. I am a “Hispanic” person, and I think Jolie can pass as Hispanic.
Remember the ‘Charlie Chan’ movies of the late 1930/40’s? Charlie and his #1 son.
#1 son was oriental, but Charlie was a white guy. Hollywood also has had American indians played by white guys ect. This is show biz. Dont take it so seriously. I would like to see Whoopy play the Queen of England…she would do a fine job…
Irene # 55
Marianna is Cuban but does have black ancestry. Have you heard of Soledad O’Brian. She’s Cuban also–Black-Cuban. Have you seen her mother?
If you’d seen any interview with Marianne, it would be clear that her primary concern was the story being told properly with due respect for the way she told it in her novel.
I find it pathetic that you characterize any black woman who relaxes her hair as wanted to look white. Some women have very difficult to manage hair and relaxing it is the only way to be able to style it properly. It’s also “unnatural” to shave one’s legs and use deodarant and makeup but I’ll bet you do some of those things.
Many people complain that Michael “bleaches his skin” and FYI that’s not what he does. He takes pills to do that. I know of someone who looks like an albino version of himself and that is he does.
“Some of the posters on this site are living proof that there exists racism everywhere, including in the Nubian community.”
Count yourself amongst them because clearly you are one.
A lot of you people are really sounding ignorant…”Marianna is not Black, she’s Cuban…” Hate to break it to you, but Cubans are as diverse as anyone. There are Cubans who are very much of mainly European ancestry, and Cubans of mainly African ancestry, so yes, there are Black Cubans. Being Black does not only apply to Blacks in America, but also to those thoughout the Americas who are of African ancestry in South America, Central America, and the Carribbean. So those who say she is not Black, she’s Cuban, would do well to educate themselves about Cubans, or better yet, travel to Cuba where they might be shocked to see so many Black faces. Not everyone looks like Fidel.
As for the movie, I definately am a fan of Angelina Jolie, and am keen to see the movie. I think from the reviews that she does a great job.
By the looks of Angelina’s lips, if they aren’t cosmetically enhanced, it looks like she’s had a tad of the “tarbrush”, herself. She NEEDS to go to Africa. Thus, it doesn’t matter to me.
And Black Child–it’s true that Oprah couldn’t reaaly play Queen Elizabeth (she COULD play Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani, though); but Tisha Campbell could DAMN sure play England’s Queen Charlotte Sophia! And reading where Angelina Jolie’s mother had some Indian blood in her, that’s cool, too–Native Americans have been Aricoid for millenia!
that’s “really”; sorry, typo.
And, “Africoid”. Sorry, again.
Thandie newton isnt american shes british but whatever Mrs pearls mix is they should get somebody who looks like her.
Even with the hair angelina does not look like her at all the hair is a poor imitation look at marianne and try and say she hasnt got black hair! a white woman couldnt portray her accurately no matter how much backcombing they do. Diana ross’s daughter could have played her there are many us mixed race actresses who could have portrayed her accurately. cuban dutch french whatever she has black blood which is obviously predominate marianne could NEVER pass for white so why have a white actress play her?? I think theyre taking the piss
Tracie G –
“Even with the hair angelina does not look like her at all the hair is a poor imitation look at marianne and try and say she hasnt got black hair! a white woman couldnt portray her accurately no matter how much backcombing they do.”
what bothers me is that everyone thinks “portraying” someone else has everything to do with looking like that person and nothing to do with acting like them… Well I hate to break it to you, but Will Smith looks NOTHING like Chris Gardner (the REAL LIFE guy he played in The Pursuit of Happyness) no matter that he wore an afro and a moustache. But did anyone complain? Did anyone say “Will Smith couldn’t portray Gardner, no matter how much backcombing they do”? No, because he acted in a movie and successfully portrayed the spirit of what Gardner went through, in a way that people could connect to and respect. And I can’t think of any off the top of my head, but I know there are a lot of “white” biographies where the white actor playing the part looked nothing like the white character in real life. Oh, I know one, in “Walk the Line” the guy who played Johnny Cash looks nothing like him.
And someone said earlier that roles that are not written either black or white are given to white actors by default…well we’ve established that Thandie Newton is black, but she played a role in Mission Impossible 2 that could have just as easily gone to a white woman. And it was her “breakout” role in hollywood, too. Same with Halle in Swordfish. And in the Pelican Brief, with Julia Roberts and Denzel, in the book by John Grisham that the movie was based on Denzel’s character was white.
I’m so sick of all this racism. We’re just perpetuating it ourselves…maybe if we stopped identifying OURSELVES as a color, other people would too. If you only identify yourself one way, then how are other people supposed to see you? If someone was describing me to their friends, I wouldn’t want them to start out saying “Well she’s black.” I’d want them to say that I’m smart, funny, caring, genuine, a journalist, etc. The color of my skin does not define me. Haven’t we been fighting this for so long? Why are we holding on to it so tightly now, then?
I saw A Mighty Heart recently, and while I was watching it, I wasn’t thinking AT ALL that I was watching a white woman play an afro-dutch cuban, or whatever. I was thinking that I was watching a woman go through the most difficult, horrifying time of her life. Which means that Jolie did her job, and did it well. Get over it.
Stephanie – great post. Thanks for visiting and for sharing your thoughts!
Actually stephanie i think there are many things you don’t understand. Ummm thandie newton’s role in mission impossible a breakout role??????? i really think that was beloved or her short stint on er., but whatever floats your boat. did you notice the 2 movies you mentioned for black women were also completely horrible. because as mentioned before there are no roles for black women.
I think a lot of the issue here is that black women especially in hollywood are starting to become a dying breed. I’m not sure if racism is really the issue as much as it is hurtfulness. Being black or any minority is really a struggle everyday. i love being black, but nonetheless it is still a struggle that i am sad to say no white person can truly understand. i personally thought angelina did a fantastic job in the movie, however i do think a black actress might have brought something different into the mix. Also i do think wearing a coarse hair wig, and darkening up your skin a little bit brings us right back to the days of black face. Which to many film & theater historians is considered primitive, disgusting & racist.
Halle Berry is a mixed race black woman who was raised by a white mother. So personally in my opinion I feel she may have a good grasp for this tierney cahill role. Also you may not be hearing too many problems with this because I doubt they will whiten her skin, or give her blue contacts, (but they most likely will straight iron her hair to perfection {different conversation for another day})
I personally didn’t mind that anjelina played her but i can understand why people are upset. So stephanie just try to be empathetic rather than simply telling people “to get over it” because thats really unhelpful. After all isn’t it daniel & marianne’s wish to have a peaceful dialogue & be open to others ideas??
Jennifer, thanks for taking the time to post and for your closing thoughts in specific.
As we move into 2008 I hope we can all try to be more peaceful in our dialogue (and actions) as well as try to be more open to the ideas of others. The world is pretty chaotic and unsettled right now and it’s up to each of us to work towards correcting the huge problems we face.
All the best to all my readers for the New Year, thank you for visiting the site.
I personally do not care.
There are more important things to worry about then race.
In Hollywood, the majority of roles are given to Caucasians- even when the race of the character hasn’t been indicated… something like 75%.
Here’s a role that could go to an under-represented black actress.
We live in a nation where things have not always been right. In history blacks did not received the proper acknowledgment for their struggle, triumphs, or inventions.
The first open heart surgery, the invention of the equipment used.. so forth, so on.
There’s a long list of things they were not given credit for.
We all know this.
I imagine the anger stems from consistently being misrepresented in the media and under-represented in history.
one more thing….
Think about the number of movies made a year.
How many of those are black? That is not the fault of any Caucasian.
Fact is, these producers and directors search for a specific look and most of the time it’s Caucasian because they are the MAJORITY.
It shouldn’t offend anyone because Will Smith played a non black. Look, there is an abundance of roles for Caucasians, hence MAJORITY. On the other hand, there aren’t as many for blacks, hence MINORITY.
That is where the anger comes from. I am Asian and we are not represented either. I totally understand.
If someone white were to play the role of an Asian historian, I would be upset. We need these roles to showcase our talent.. that will in return lead to bigger and better things for our community one actress/actor at a time.
When you make the point about Will Smith and Thandie, well it is hard to get roles as an African American and it is not because they are NOT talented. Will has his own company and he is able to do what he wants. So does Denzel, and Thandie is English and married to a super duper power…enough said.
Don’t get so upset over race.. there’s enough to go around.
Marianne Pearl is not black…she is not white… she is not hispanic… she is all three. Don’t anyone ever dare to force her, or any other bi- or multi-racial person, to choose!! How she chooses to self-identify is HER choice, and hers alone. If you are white you are white; if you are black, you are black; hispanic hispanic; asian asian; etc.. But if you are mixed, if you are the result of anti-racial, of acceptance, of love and understanding, of proper and right mentality then you are all those races. I, like Marianne Pearl, am bi-racial and no one will EVER tell me differently!
I hate to bring up the one drop rule that people hold so high in America, but it is here and in full effect that if one parent is black or even a grandparent and so on and so forth then you are considered black and if many people were to look at Mrs. Pearl they would certainly identify her as a black person,maybe a black person who is mixed with something, but a black person nonetheless; however I don’t agree that Halle Berry should play a white woman either ….now specifically speaking for Mrs.Pearl’s role and who it should be played by I certainly understand as an African-American woman, why black people would be angry, it’s hard to be a black actor or actress in hollywood there aren’t as many roles available for us and we also get payed much less..statistically speaking(not including Halle Berry) and for many of the earlier years in film for parts that were meant to be played by black people they simply put make-up on white people and portrayed them as black because of the racial climate blacks were forbidden the opprotunity to really act unless they were maids or idiots in their roles…such as the maid on “Gone With The Wind” or like Buck Wheat on “The Little Rascals” therefore painting Angelina Jolie darker was almost a slap in the face and a descent back into the past for us a black people, it’s like they counted us out … they should have found someone who fit the characteristics more closely, not paint a white woman black which is what Mrs. Pearl would be considered here in America.
I think it’s Marianne’s problem; she asked Angelina to to play her, SHE WANTED a white woman to paly her.
I think that the focus should be taken off of Angie and placed on Marianne. Marianne is Afro-Cuban; many black latinas identify with a nationality and not a race. They suffer from the same colrstuck complex/disease that Black Americans subscribe to. Black stay back, brown stick around, white alright.
It’s possible that Marianne doesn’t even see herself as “Black”!
It’s funny, when you go to South America, Brazil inparticular, they preach no race, no racism, but the dark-complexioned Brazillians, or the Brazillians that identify as Black or Afro-Brazillian are treated like crap…just like the Black people in the States.
There is actually a movement in Brazil to eliminate “Mulatto” as a race category from the census.
Only the strong claim their African ancestry…and I’m not talking about the whole “everybody came from Africa” claim, I’m talking about those who know that their life would be harder if they identified. Those who are not hiding behind a nationality or light skin.
As Black people we have been brainwashed, and our concept of beauty is so distorted.
http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata55.htm
oh and one more thing…
Anyone outraged by Angie playing this role should consider that Jennifer Aniston was initially considered in the role, being a partner in Plan B.
Look, Mariane is AFRO-CUBAN/DUTCH-FRENCH they could have gotten Yasmin Deliz or Adriana Lima to play her, they’re both part black.
Thandie Newton or Halle Berry would have been more visially correct.
They’re just using Jolie because america tries to keep white identified people on top.
If LOOKS don’t matter, then why not get Kate Hudson for the role…..