Hollywood is a notoriously conservative and risk-averse industry. So why do producers and directors repeatedly cast Black actors in movies? Are they just that good? The answer may be more complicated than it appears on the surface.
The African-American community has long been angered by the portrayal of Black people in Hollywood films. From the “noble savage” and the “mammy” to the “magical negro,” African-Americans have been portrayed as stereotypes in nearly every movie role since the beginning of cinema, with few exceptions. Recent films like Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave, and even The Help would be laudable for their progressiveness were it not for the fact that they are historical pieces, set during periods when racism was still an accepted part of American society.
The question is, if Hollywood’s “Golden Age” is over and there are no more great roles for actors to aspire to, why are Black actors continually chosen to play those few great parts that remain? If producers are so afraid of failure that they will only greenlight remakes and comic book adaptations, then why do they keep casting Black actors in these remakes and adaptations? And if Hollywood continues to feel compelled to include a racial minority character in every film they make (although usually
This is a rumor that I hear often: Black actors are hard to work with.
I’ve heard it from producers who refuse to hire them because they “don’t fit into the casting.” I’ve heard it from directors who say they’re difficult in general. I’ve heard it from agents who refuse to represent them because they have a hard time finding work for these actors. I’ve even heard it from studio executives who believe that black actors don’t “fit” into their films, or will make everyone else uncomfortable on set, or simply won’t be able to act well enough for the part.
It’s a tired excuse given by people who have never worked with black actors–and likely never will. It’s also an excuse given by those who are afraid of having their own flaws exposed if they ever do get the chance to work with one. In short, it’s probably the most racist comment in Hollywood today–and the most frequently used one.
Producers and directors often seem to believe that black actors are too difficult to work with, not just on set but off as well. This perception is more common than you might think, but there’s no evidence to support it at all. If anything, black actors tend to get along with others
If you make a movie with black actors, it will be hard to sell to foreign markets.
The theory is that black actors are not popular in foreign markets.
This is wrong.
Black actors are fine in foreign markets. Black casts are fine in foreign markets.
The problem is that the director’s and producers’ vision of what makes a “good” movie does not work in foreign markets.
When you see a successful movie with many black actors, it is because the story was good enough to overcome any racial obstacles. For example, 4 of the 6 highest grossing movies last year were based on comic book characters and featured black actors in major roles: Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, and Venom. And one of the other two was Solo: A Star Wars Story, which featured Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. All these movies had stories that were universal enough to overcome any racial obstacles.
When you see an unsuccessful movie with many black actors, it is because it wasn’t a good enough story to overcome any racial obstacles. For example, A Wrinkle in Time did not have a good enough story to overcome whatever racial obstacles there may have been from having Oprah Winfrey (
The recent action film “The Last Witch Hunter” is a testament to the fact that Vin Diesel can still open a movie. But it’s also a testimony to the enduring stigma of black actors.
According to producers, the appearance of the African-American actor in “The Last Witch Hunter” was a mistake.
“We were very disappointed when we found out about this,” said producer Jeffery Lavin. “We had no idea that he was black.”
Lavin said that when Vin Diesel was first suggested for the role of Kaulder, he liked the idea but wondered if it would be possible to cast someone else, in order to get better box-office returns.
“I don’t think audiences will see a film with Vin Diesel in it and want to see him as Kaulder,” he said. “He’s too much of an unknown quantity.”
I am a filmmaker and I have had African-American actors work on my projects. In fact, I have had them play the lead roles. I also have had white actors work on my projects as well. While some of the best people I have worked with are black (I don’t think it is coincidence that they are some of the nicest too), it seems that some of the worst actors I have worked with are black as well.
I find it disturbing that you would try to claim racism in the film industry when you are guilty of racism yourself.
No disrespect to your great-grandparents. But your article is racist and very ignorant.
First of all, your name is an insult to true American Indians. They were not called “Native Americans” until after many of them were dead. And “Redskin” was the name for a cheap labor force used by the East Coast corporations who owned most of the West Coast land. Those “corporations” killed their competition, namely Native Americans, and then used those same people as cheap labor to work their land and produce their crops (usually cotton). If it wasn’t for these corporations, there might be no need for a term such as “African-American”, because there might be no slavery
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