The film industry, which is designed to make dreams manifest on the big screen, has a very limited in scope in matters of race. An even sadder side of the game is exposed when film goers, fans, etc. react when a Black actor or actress takes the role of a traditionally white character.
Alexandra Shipp — the star of Lifetime’s recent Aaliyah biopic — is rumored to be portraying the lead role in a live-action version of MTV’s 90’s cartoon Daria. So far, there hasn’t been any serious backlash. But history suggests that could change if the film is confirmed by the powers that be.
That said, Hip-Hop Wired constructs a list of Black actors and actresses whose embodiment of “white roles” were viciously slandered by “traditionalist.”
Hit the jump to see.
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Photo: YouTube
Amandla Stenberg
Stenberg’s role as “Rue” in 2012 film adaptation of The Hunger Games inspired longtime fans of the book series to show their true colors. Pun intended. Also, “Rue” is said to be a person of color in the book.
Photo: FayesVision/WENN.com
Michael B. Jordan
Comic book characters seem seem to be breeding ground for racial angst. That trend continued when Jordan was confirmed to play “The Human Torch” in the upcoming Fantastic 4 flick.
Quvenzhané Wallis
Wallace experienced the dirtier side of Hollywood despite being just 10-years-old at the time the Annie reboot was announced.
Idris Elba
Yet again, comic book fans weren’t thrilled to see a role get a darker look.
Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino
Bino gunned for the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Marc Webb’s reboot of the famed Marvel comic series, but faced ample backlash due to his, um, melanin. Andrew Garfield would ultimately receive the role.
Anika Noni Rose
Not even cartoons are safe from scrutiny. Citing Disney’s history of stereotyping characters, The Princess and the Frog polarized audiences; some criticized the animated for having a Black lead.
John Boyega
Let Twitter tell it, a stormtrooper can’t be a Black man. I guess they haven’t seen how well Boyega portrayed the lead role in Attack the Block.
Samuel L. Jackson
The backlash surrounding Jackson’s portrayal of “Nick Fury” in multiple Marvel films inspired news outlets like the UK’s The Independent to pen articles on “racelifting” in films.
Morgan Freeman
Freeman’s spin on “Red,” an inmate at Shawshank State Penitentiary from the critically acclaimed film The Shawshank Redemption, was stellar. But some people couldn’t get over the fact the character was an Irish man in Stephen King’s novella.
Photo: Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com
Keke Palmer
In 2014, Palmer became the first-ever Black Cinderalla on Broadway. You know how the story went from there.
