Black male actors with white female actresses (family, watching, Don Cheadle)
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I watched this movie and also read an interview with Denzel Washington about it. This movie is based on John Grisham's book and in the book, the relationship between Denzel's character and Julia Roberts's character turn romantic (IIRC), while in the movie the relationship is made strictly platonic. Apparently Denzel has something to do with the decision to make the relationship in the movie strictly platonic. He said in his interview that he didn't want to upset his black female fans by making his character having a romantic relationship with a white female.
Back to OP's post: I don't think it's Hollywood that's not ready for the BM/WF romance, but it's the black community itself (particularly the black females). There have been so many black men in real life who go after white women when they become famous and successful that black women view this as some sort of betrayal to their community, as though they're not good enough for the black men.
I lost respect for Will after he threw his lot in with Dianetics. That shizz scares me!!!
But as for his take on leading role sex scenes? Yes, I think there is a bit of uncomfortableness. It follows a bit behind society. For some reason in society, it is OK, albeit still a bit unusual to see a black woman white male couple, but much more unusual to see the opposite.
It that racism? I guess you could call it that, but it is awfully hard to start tying this together in a fasion like that when it all comes down to who boinks who......
The other weird thing is, music seems to do a flip flop. I have seen many more white women in black videos than vice versa. Almost like a white woman in a rap video is a prize or something. They joked a bit about this on "Undercover Brother" with the lead female hottie and all the salavating males in the Undercover Brother secret Headquarters (along with their Token White Boy....).
But as for the original subject, media and society are kind of in a reflexive loop. One represents the other, and the other imitates the one. They need to shift together or they will just stay in what people feel is comfortable (for teh mainstream that is).
This setup has been around too long to be easily shifted. The white/asian thing was broken back in the Shogun (who was that White Samurai guy?) TV show era, and it had its own hangups, but society shifted a bit and they came up and out of that.
But the whole black/white america deal has been too slow to shift in the real world, and it is going to be hard to get the general movie going public to be COMFORTABLE (few will EVER object) with black male/white female.
And comfortable is what sells. With an industry that can actually make money off of movies like "Saw 6", would you expect much more than mainstream?
Why is it that we just can't be brutely honest about things . It is my opinion that actresses and actors that are famous like jolie and julie brad pitt will not risk possibly losing the adoration of their with fans by doing on screen love scenes with blacks . I believe that the black leading men don't stand up and say my love interest should be black. I believe that if you are truly a good actor or actress you can make any matchup seem believable and make the audience forget what color the actors are and get the point the writer is trying to make. But that would involve people standing up and taking a stand. All i know is acting to me is taking on a role and being a convincing character when we know you aren't denzel effectively did that in malcolm x and many white actor who portray racist and are far from it . To say something and do something is a completely different. I challenge yoU all.
Hey I have seen a movie Bad Boys in which actor is a black and actress is a white. It is fully loaded with action, comedy, crime, thriller and drama. It is very interesting and wonderful movie.
I think that there's a very limited market for BM/WF interracial movies in today social climate , Jim Brown was the first (graphic) but not the last , and what about Sidney Poitier in his interracial block buster GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER and Harry Belafonte 1957 (ISLAND IN THE SUN).These days we could go back to "The Old School Days And" do at least one or two "AA Males Interracial Movies" a year based on SOLID POSITVE CHARACTERS.
Jamie Foxx won for his performance in the bio pic Ray. Foxx won the Oscar because Ray Charles death was still fresh in the memory of the Academy. A closer examination of Charles life illustrates he was a disgusting, junkie, womanizing soul singer.
Denzel Washington won best supporting actor for his performance in the movie “Gloryâ€. Of course, Denzel’s character in the movie was also a slave.
Denzel won a best actor Oscar for his performance in Training Day. However, Denzel’s character in Training Day was a crooked cop. Denzel should of won for Malcolm X. The Academy gives Denzel an Oscar for a negative film role instead of a positive film role.
Morgan Freeman won a best supporting actor award for the movie “ Million Dollar Babyâ€. Freeman has been consistently typecast throughout his career as the classic wise, older, black man.
Forest Whitaker won a best actor Oscar for his performance in the movie “Last King of Scotlandâ€. Whitaker’s character Idi Amin was an evil tyrant. Whitaker’s skin tone was “darkened†in the movie to give the actor a more sinister appearance.
my argument is the “roles†black actors tend to win Oscars for also still relates to negative racist and sexist stereotypes about black people. Although black actors are winning Oscars they still are not in the positions of power such as the Mythical Norm. I do have a problem when blacks win Oscars that just promote negativity.
Yes Ray Charles was a drug addict and a womanizer but I also believe Charles death impacted the decision making of the Academy his death was still fresh.
I don’t know why blacks worry about validation from white Hollywood anyway? But my view is black people shouldn’t be so happy or thrilled when Halle Berry wins for her slutty performance in Monster’s Ball.
Berry’s character Leticia Musgrove is the classic black *****/ jezebel stereotype of black female sexuality. Would Hollywood allow a black male act to win best actor for screwing an A List white actress in an explicit sex scene? I doubt it.
Hollywood doesn’t mind degrading black women and presenting them as loose like Berry’s character in Monster’s Ball. But when is a black woman going to win an Oscar for a positive role?
For instance, in Hollywood black women are either depicted as whores like Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball or as a mammy like Hattie McDaniel.
I agree that McDaniel’s win was important because society was much more racist in 1939 and her accomplishment is incredible. I am sadden that not a lot has changed for black women in Hollywood. For example, Queen Latifah is 21st century version of Hattie McDaniel she is a perfect example of the new asexual black mammy.
I respect Angela Bassett so much because Angela has class. Angela Bassett said Halle Berry’s character in Monster’s Ball was a prostitute. Angela Bassett is very careful about the roles she chooses and she turned down the role in Monster’s Ball. Although Halle Berry gets more media attention she is not as good an actress as Angela Bassett. Reply
I think that there's a very limited market for BM/WF interracial movies in today social climate , Jim Brown was the first (graphic) but not the last , and what about Sidney Poitier in his interracial block buster GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER and Harry Belafonte 1957 (ISLAND IN THE SUN).These days we could go back to "The Old School Days And" do at least one or two "AA Males Interracial Movies" a year based on SOLID POSITVE CHARACTERS.
Jamie Foxx won for his performance in the bio pic Ray. Foxx won the Oscar because Ray Charles death was still fresh in the memory of the Academy. A closer examination of Charles life illustrates he was a disgusting, junkie, womanizing soul singer.
Denzel Washington won best supporting actor for his performance in the movie “Glory”. Of course, Denzel’s character in the movie was also a slave.
Denzel won a best actor Oscar for his performance in Training Day. However, Denzel’s character in Training Day was a crooked cop. Denzel should of won for Malcolm X. The Academy gives Denzel an Oscar for a negative film role instead of a positive film role.
Morgan Freeman won a best supporting actor award for the movie “ Million Dollar Baby”. Freeman has been consistently typecast throughout his career as the classic wise, older, black man.
Forest Whitaker won a best actor Oscar for his performance in the movie “Last King of Scotland”. Whitaker’s character Idi Amin was an evil tyrant. Whitaker’s skin tone was “darkened” in the movie to give the actor a more sinister appearance.
my argument is the “roles” black actors tend to win Oscars for also still relates to negative racist and sexist stereotypes about black people. Although black actors are winning Oscars they still are not in the positions of power such as the Mythical Norm. I do have a problem when blacks win Oscars that just promote negativity.
Yes Ray Charles was a drug addict and a womanizer but I also believe Charles death impacted the decision making of the Academy his death was still fresh.
I don’t know why blacks worry about validation from white Hollywood anyway? But my view is black people shouldn’t be so happy or thrilled when Halle Berry wins for her slutty performance in Monster’s Ball.
Berry’s character Leticia Musgrove is the classic black *****/ jezebel stereotype of black female sexuality. Would Hollywood allow a black male act to win best actor for screwing an A List white actress in an explicit sex scene? I doubt it.
Hollywood doesn’t mind degrading black women and presenting them as loose like Berry’s character in Monster’s Ball. But when is a black woman going to win an Oscar for a positive role?
For instance, in Hollywood black women are either depicted as whores like Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball or as a mammy like Hattie McDaniel.
I agree that McDaniel’s win was important because society was much more racist in 1939 and her accomplishment is incredible. I am sadden that not a lot has changed for black women in Hollywood. For example, Queen Latifah is 21st century version of Hattie McDaniel she is a perfect example of the new asexual black mammy.
I respect Angela Bassett so much because Angela has class. Angela Bassett said Halle Berry’s character in Monster’s Ball was a prostitute. Angela Bassett is very careful about the roles she chooses and she turned down the role in Monster’s Ball. Although Halle Berry gets more media attention she is not as good an actress as Angela Bassett. Reply
I think you can look at it any which way. You see black actors/actresses winning for roles that are negative but I see people winning for roles that they did a great job in. Whoopi won for Ghost and Jennifer Hudson won for Dreamgirls both roles aren't a "negative/type casted" part. Or Louis Gossett, Jr. in and Officer and a Gentleman or Cuban Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire. And while it might not be the same for some I feel being nominated is an honor as well, especially since black actors/actresses weren't nominated for and Oscar until 1939. So just looking at the list their are roles ranging from famous musicians, famous role models, athletes, a "gentle giant" (Green Mile), a cab driver (Collateral), and a Dictator just to name a few. So where I see you can pin it all on negative roles such as pimps and "mammies" or crooked cops or gangsters I don't see it that way. I see some great roles and some major accomplishments.
Wasn't there some movie recently about some crazy white woman trying to steal some black guy from his black wife? Can't recall the title.
Anyway, if Will Smith doesn't like it, I think the guy has enough money by now to make his own movie about any subject he wants. So if he doesn't like it, quit complaining and do something about it. I don't usually have too much patience for someone worth a 1000 times what I am worth complaining about racism from their Hollywood mansion on a hill.
Why does it really matter how many black actors have been with white actresses? As long as the two leading characters in the movie share chemistry I don't care what color they are. Why force it just to be PC? This entire argument is just silly.
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