Brad Pitt is the producer. This role was orignially supposed to go to Jennifer Aniston and now it’s going to Angelina Jolie. This about him thinking that he should just cast whoever’s he’s with in his films. If he was dating Lucy Lui, I guess Marriane Pearl would be Asain?

I have no problem w/ this in theory, but the fact that they found the need to make her skin darker is just ridiculous. IF “race is so unimportant” then just make her character white. The idea that you can just put someone in makeup and voila their bi-racial…black…whatever, is so insensitive.

angelina gets ripped, but mariane WANTED her to play the part… why folks gets getting hyped?!

BTW…Please don’t fool yourselves into believe that race is not an issue in france. Trust me, It is..I know this from PERSONAL experience.

I agree with you too tots I am a black actress in my late forties and I have dealt with so much adversity in this industry. Parts of single black moms, drug addicts, street walkers, and the black sidekick are just the norm for us. Now in the past 5 or 6 years we have moved forward this seems to be setting us back!
It seems a lot of the younger generation is ok with this because they have not had to deal with what their elders have and have taken advantage of the situation. This also seems like Brad is casting his main squeeze which many producers do.

I think AJ is beautiful, her acting is ok, and of recent her celebrity star is shining because of all her humanitarian efforts. I do not belive this should cloud Blacks into thinking she is one of us and is great for the role. Mrs. Pearl is clearly of African decent. There are people all over this world of African decent. Most DARK people in the world have the same struggles. Latin races even have light/dark issues.

Black women struggles have been so jaded. It sucks this black woman will be seen as a white woman. And its funny how people keep saying she is 1/4 Nativa American. So What. When she was tombraiding, and doing all those other movies you werent saying that. She was and is a white woman. I am a Black woman. A Black actress who has been struggling to get great roles that lift the image of Black women as ho’s, lazy, single moms, big and thick, and nannies.

We had to fight to get where we are so why accept this just because she ADOPTED an African, hell shes loaded and she adopted a Cambodian. Should she play a cambodian woman in her next film because she IDENTIFIES with the race?

Ms. Pearl sees dollar signs with Angela as most Jewish or White Hollywood Producers.

Also it seems to be a double standard.

When WHITES PLAY BLACKS they put on dark makeup and kink their hair.

We dont paint our face white and put fake prosthetic pointy nose to be white.

Its like us Black People are seen as characters in everyday life.

Leave it up to kids nowadays and I will be playing mammies and nannies in the near future while Angela takes Tracy Ellis Ross’ part on girlfriends because Tracee Ellis is mixed and so is Angie (1/4 Native Amer.) plus she has an African child so she is soo perfect for the role!

Wow since a white woman brings in more money , why not casts all white women in black roles?

Halle Berry brings in more money than a lot of Black actresses.

Angelina Jolie Does NOT even look White.

Wow since a white woman brings in more money , why not casts all white women in black roles?

Halle Berry brings in more money than a lot of White actresses.

Angelina Jolie Does NOT even look White.

Does not look white?

And that should not be criteria.

Looks white to me.

http://www.lifeorsomethin...apers/01_800×600.jpg

http://www.aboutfilm.com/...es/g/girlinterrupted2.jpg

Seems to me like the one BLACK actress everyone keeps comparing Jolie to is HAlle Berry.

Is she the token Black actress.

So Halle has broken barriers. Hattie MacDaniel broke down barriers in Gone with the wind. That doesnt validate her being the nanny. The only roles availeble to black women at that time. THere are not a hosts of black actresses in the real Hollywood!

I can only frown that people are mad that someone is bringing up the past. We must learn from the past. If a Black producer were to come up with a story about JFK or Marilyn Monroe and had a black actor/actress in mind, it probably would be more difficult to get outside investors and backing. The industry is run by an elite. And there IS a lot of old money someone mentioned earlier.

Halle is all we have. Thats it! Can we get some more?
Look back at the Oscar winners.

We have not come that far to not question these type of things. We have not come That Far people

Thandie, Hallie, Lark Voorhies, lisa ray, sanaa lathan, kerri Washington, Lynn Whitfield, Zoe Saldana, GINA TORRES, NAOMIE HARRIS, Vanessa Bell Calloway, JADA PINKETT SMITH, Nia LONG

all should have ben considered
im not own with it but brad is producin so shouldn surprise

Okay I read some of the responses, but I’m not even going to ween thru the bad to get to the good, so I’ll say this….
If she requested Angelina, then this case is closed.

What it all boils down to is talent…. not nare one of ya’ll could tell me that Lisa Raye, or …. let me think of another D-Listed actress… could pull off a role like this. I thought ‘ACTING’ meant that you are supposed to step outside of yourself, become someone else. Black women and their struggles to become ‘elite’ actresses…who do you hear complaining? Do you hear Vivica who will jump in anything thing that is being recorded complaining? Do you hear Jada Pinkett-Smith…she’s running round with her rock band… Do you hear Nia Long complaining…nope she’s running round thru malls with Reggie Bush….But let’s talk about those that don’t settle, let’s talk about those that are making things happen instead of waiting…Latifah is MAKING MOVIES, which is why she is the queen. You don’t see her yapping about problems getting respectable roles, she creates them for herself. Who else, Taraji (however you spell her name)making moves, Sanaa Lathan…about to take it to an entirely different level (I guess we’ll here people complaining about her being on Nip/Tuck soon)
I say this is closing, quit complaining and DO SOMETHING! Hell You Tube and MySpace are set up for everybody to be famous, so quit all the G.D complaining….
Before anyone tries to call me out, I am a african american female from the SOUTH…now that’s definitely a case closed!

Case isnt closed yet.

Are you saying not one black actress could pull off the part. These women donr choose to be D List (so you call them) Sweety, Most of those actresses can and could play the role and have played deeper roles.

Considering how ignorasnt people are of Hollywood and the casting process their needs to be a reality show.

So she chose Angelina. Who were her other options? Jeennifer Aniston. Please she chose the big money .

Regardless black actresses have it bad and you busting out their social life doesnt mean a thing.At least their not in the tabloids doped out.

Halle’s playing a white woman and now Angelina a mixed one..I can’t bring myself to care since both of these movies sound like they are going to be boring.

First they don’t like the Black Child’s Hair.

Then the B*tch goes on national tv and says that the Black Child is “difficult”.

Let’s remember our history with this racist honky white couple.

Now some black folks give them a “pass” because hey we should be grateful the White Massah Adopted a Black Child! Woo hoo! Oh yeah! Bring down da house for dat one!

They are the Most Racist & Annoying Couple on earth. Just becuase they adopted a black baby don’t mean that they ain’t racist.

Open your eyes.

So, all black folks can be portrayed by Paris Hilton now, right? Because all it takes is spray on tan, and som curly haired wigs.

Voila! Black person! Because that what she looks like to me.

MARIANNE PEARL LOOKS MIXED/BLACK thats why this is shoking. If she looked white (like mariah etc) i could understand angelina playing the role but beacuse MP looks mixed its difficult to understand why they would use a white woman to play her anyway.

Furthermore there are soooo many Black actresses that NEVER get work despite being incredibly talented (VANESSA WILLIAMS, ANGELLA BASSET)are examples. Such women should be playing a role like this and qualify for the role!

391:

…Exactly how do Venessa Williams and Angela Basset qualify for this role? They don’t. You could even use make-up to make Angela look like Mariane Pearl.

People are just pulling out random black names out of a hat now.

@ 163 — What you said is inaccurate. African culture is all up and through Latino culture, just like it still exists in African American culture. Why don’t you read up on the subject before you make such an ignorant response.

Better yet, visit a Latin American/South American country, and you will see how wrong you are.

@186 — you damn right!!!

#385—plz dont tell me they considered LisaRaye??? SHE CANNOT ACT WORTH A DAMN! How in THEE heck can Tisha Campbell come onto YOUR sitcom as just a re-curring character and out-act you, the leading lady! Elise Neal was better too, but ppl where more interested in the Robert/Necee dynamic so Tia had to go. I’m just saying, if I were mentioning, black, talented actresses, I would not consider LisaRaye b/c she weakens the fleet (just like Gab. Union IMHO—but they do keep type-casting her in the same slut/bitchy roles)

***I know this is a strong, sensitive topic in this thread, so ppl plz feel free to ignore my comment and keep posting along other relevant lines****

LOL this is funny that people are still talking about this. Who the hell cares, she is a mix-raced person, whoever plays her is whoever plays her. If the people who pay for the movie wanted Halle or Nia, Vaneessa, angla….then guess what they would have, but they thought Angelina would be good for the role. If you don’t want to see the movie just becuase they didnt cast a Black actress, then dont see it!! It is not that serious.
People keep throwing out that they had to “spray-paint” her black and krimp her hair, and that black actresses dont throw on makeup to look lighter and sh*t…common Angelina could have just sat in the sun and tanned and looked as dark as the Character she is playing. Hallie Berry looks straigh white in the new movie she is playing….stop playing the violin, and talking about slavery, and blah blah blah…its 2006 and yes race is still an issue why? cause of topics like these and dumb people with dumb comments..on both ends! Let it go….she is a good actress. It is a movie…she is french dutch afro…whatever she is mixed and so is most the world. She doesn’t look like a black woman..she looks like a mixed raced woman, so anyone who can look like her whether makeup applied or not and is a good actress can do the job. Are we going to throw a pitty party for Halle when she turns herself into a white woman?? well guess what she is a white woman, and she is a black woman so she could play any damn role she wants for the simple reason that she is good. If Denzel played a part of a white man, which he has, then why are you not crying about that?
What you are forgetting is this movie is suppose to honor an innocent man, who was murdered in a horrible and graphic way that the world was able to see. This should honor him, his willingness to put himself in danger to get a story that we all would have read or seen on TV. Unfortunatly he died, and we arent going to honor that and see the movie cause they didn’t cast a black woman…that says a lot about your integrity!

#389—cosign!!!…I always wondered why ppl think that just b/c others adopt blk children that it gives them a “pass”…that’s royal Bullshit!….esp. when they say things like “Oh, she’s so exotic…I love exotic races”…so now you use a good-intented insitution such as adoption to fancy your own sick, twisted desires to accumulate exoctic ppl??? (may be that is a little harsh)….but they are PEOPLE!!!!!!!! not things! How many American Babies has she adopted??? I dont think she has adopted any! And I highly freaking doubt that it’s because she wants to be oh so helpful to blk Africans…

Case in point: Josephine Baker: TONS of adopted children from virtually every continent, incl North America (and some US citizen children)….so y should I feel the need the given AJ AND BP a Pass since she “does things for the African community”…she does sh1t for herself….and those comments were very extra and unneccessary about Zahara’s hair—if he wanted to plug Carol’s daughters, just plug it…dont use her as a segway.

Boogie—I think you referenced a line from one of my posts….and your are a Damned fool if you believe that race is not an issue—if it werent an issue then it would not be on ANY forms that have to be filled out—be it optional or mandatory, boo boo! And I kno that racial info is used for statistics and demographics, but WHAT THA HECK WOULD YOU NEED STATS FOR BY RACE IF RACE WERE NOT AN ISSUE….GO ON WIT YO BAD ASS SELF AND BELIEVE WHAT YOU WILL….AND YOU’RE A HELLA FOOL IF YOU THINK ANYONE CAN TAN TO THAT COLOR—THAT IS A COLOR ENRICHED BY SKIN PIGMENTATION OR THRU SPRAY….IF SHE TANNED, SHE’D BE RED OR BRONZED, NOT YELLOW!

Have a nice day, tho’

…and yes, I was bothered by Halle portraying a wht women, when there are clearly other white actresses that can play this woman and portray her story.

Bottom line:

I work on a conspiracy theory for some issues (not all race related AT ALL):

(1) First, Hollywood bigbois give Halle this role and let it hit the press that they want “talent rather than looks”—in a freakin’ docudrama??? GTFOH—THIS IS A REAL PERSON

(2) They figure, if we let them see a woman who has black in her/ is of African American descent doing this, then they will have no recourse for repremanding us for what the future Hollywood holds; WHT’s as BLKs….with a little vice versa

(3) IDIOTS fall for this and some otherwise str8-headed ppl—so long as we make it clear that the actual person “blesses” this person playing this role ($$$$ rules this world—easy pay-off)

(4) Voila—Blks will be called biased and their own ppl will feud a war against those that fail to see it Hollywood’s way!

~END OF STORY

Crazy? I know, but hey, It’s the inclination that I;m most apt to take at this time.

@MissInform-ER
I never said I didn’t think race is an issue, actually I said it is an issue….I was not disagreeing with you on that sista!

Missinformer:

What does Zahara’s hair have to do with this? Stop reaching. If it weren’t for Zahara’s hair Brad Pitt would have no reason to plug Carol’s Daughter. White people can never even comment on something black without people calling racist. He has a black daughter, he’s a white man. What’s the problem? I swear black people can be so paranoid. Your conspiracy theory is nuts. Yes, they paid off Mariane Pearl, the mostly white woman, to have a white woman play her? Very smart.

This is not about to turn into an epidemic of white people playing black roles. STOP ACTING LIKE MARIANE PEARL IS BLACK! She’s not. She’s half black at the MOST. Heck, she doesn’t even look THAT black. She’s a bi-racial woman–which gives HER the right to associate with WHICHEVER side she wants. Saying a black woman should have played her is just as skewed as saying a white woman should have played her. And Thandie Newton does not have the star power, point blank.

You’re not about to see George Clooney play Martin Luther King Jr. in a movie.

You’re not about to see Bette Midler playing Oprah Winfrey.

You’re not about to see Denzel playing Elvis.

Those are extreme cases and you all know it. The fact of the matter is you have a white woman playing the role of a woman who is mostly white herself, WITH the said woman’s permission. You can’t tell me Angelina Jolie doesn’t look like this woman without much help.
http://img.dailymail.co.u...10/jolie_450×373.jpg

And I can’t stand it when black people try to discredit Brad and Angelina by saying “all they did was adopt a black baby ’cause she’s exotic”. If this were Madonna, I’d believe that, but Angelina Jolie is a major humanitarian, spending most of her time in that region and donating MILLIONS of dollars of her OWN money to charities. Black people themselves aren’t even that giving. But, oh yeah, she’s only doing it because she thinks black people are exotic. yeah right.

** sorry, that link is broken

http://img.dailymail.co.u...10/jolie_450×373.jpg

@PITTBBOI
I agree with you brotha, Everyone makes cracks about Angie and Brad adopting a Black child because its the new band wagon to jump on!! well ANgelina was doing this long before anyone else jumped on. She does a lot and I mean a lot for those countries she is a humanitarian a good will emassador. who cares what kids she adopts or where they are from at least she is taking these kids out of the horrible situation they are in, and giving them a better life. She donates millions and millions of dollars to these countries, she donated a lot to Katrina, she actually goes over there and helps, she doesnt just sit at a press conference in LA saying how it needs to change. She is there in the grit and grim making things happen.
I am not her # 1 fan or anything, but she is talented, and has a big heart, she just steals peoples husbands…lol…just playin!!
How many other actors and actresses do you see doing the things she is doing?? She is doing more than any white or black actor or actress besides Oprah!! Stop the Hating!! damn

Halle is better suited for the role. I don’t understand the whole Angelina craze! WTF, she slept with another woman’s husband, and now she has this “larger than life” persona. I just don’t get it.

Pittboi

What do you mean how would Angela bassett and Vanessa Williams be candidates. THEY ARE GREAT ACTRESSES!

Angelina Jolie has hardly done anything THAT moving. Remember she is better known for being a humanitarian than AN ACTRESS.

WHEN SHE WAS MARRIED TO BILLYBOB AND WORE VIALS OF BLOOD AROUND HER NECK AND FRENCH KISSED HER BROTHER SHE WAS WHITE AS SNOW WHITE THEN….NOW SHE CLEANED UP HER IMAGE ADOPTED SOME MINORITY KIDS AND SHE IS “OUR SAVIOR” PULEEZE..

BRAD AND AJ HAVE GONE A LIL TOO FAR..THEY ARE NOT THE BLACK COMMUNITY

I am surprised at the anger around Jolie’s selection as the actress in the new movie about the Pearl family; apparently it is a huge issue to many people that that she is playing a bi-racial woman. I’m at a loss to get my head around this. Do you also object to Halle Berry being selected for the role of Terry Cahill, a white woman in real life?

The message of the movie and the sacrifice of the Pearl family falls to the wayside when people make it about something completely unrelated to the story of his kidnapping and killing - like race.

PEOPLE LOVE TO COMPLAIN. NO MATTER WHO WOULD’VE BEEN CHOSEN TO PORTRAY THIS WOMAN IN THIS MOVIE, SOMEONE WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. SHE’S TOO LIGHT, SHE’S TOO DARK, HER HAIR IS TOO SHORT, HER HAIR IS TOO LONG, HER EYES ARE TOO FAR APART, HER NOSE IS POINTY…………….SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST NEVER SATISFIED. I PERSONALLY AGREE WITH A LOT OF YOU, HOLLYWOOD IS ABOUT MAKING $$$! ANGELINA=$$$$$$$$$$$!
SURELY THERE IS SOME OTHER ISSUE THAT WE COULD BE DEBATING BESIDES MARIANNE/ANGELINA SAGA! HEY HOW ABOUT Rep. Mark Foley……………He’s in some deep ish!

LMFAO @ #405..

Last time I checked Ang and Brad don’t walk around with “we are the black community” t-shirts….lol
But I do see them doing a hell of a lot more than the “black community” in Africa, if you want to be honest about it!

405:

“What do you mean how would Angela bassett and Vanessa Williams be candidates. THEY ARE GREAT ACTRESSES!”

Did I say they WEREN’T great actresses? NO. Are they as dark as my mama’s brownies fresh out the oven? YES. Grow up and move on. Saying that a black person should have played this role isn’t any better than a white person playing this role, as the woman is a MIX of both. Next y’all are gonna say Denzel should have played the part. Angelina can pull off looking like Mariane Pearl. Vanessa and Angela can’t. Period. Name a bi-racial **A-LIST** star that could pull off looking like her besides Halle Berry(and no, Thandie Newton is not a big star).

“Angelina Jolie has hardly done anything THAT moving. Remember she is better known for being a humanitarian than AN ACTRESS.”

Ummmm…I think her dozens of films, Academy Award, 3 Golden Globes, and 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards say differently. Clearly you don’t know movies. NEXT

“WHEN SHE WAS MARRIED TO BILLYBOB AND WORE VIALS OF BLOOD AROUND HER NECK AND FRENCH KISSED HER BROTHER SHE WAS WHITE AS SNOW WHITE THEN….NOW SHE CLEANED UP HER IMAGE ADOPTED SOME MINORITY KIDS AND SHE IS “OUR SAVIOR” PULEEZE..

BRAD AND AJ HAVE GONE A LIL TOO FAR..THEY ARE NOT THE BLACK COMMUNITY ”

I had a snide remark about how utterly stupid this comment is, but I decided to remove it so I wouldn’t get banned.

1) Angelina’s past has nothing to do with this. Again, cast the first stone if you’re so perfect. Oh wait, I don’t think you are. Like it or not, people can change. And just because she wears a vile of blood on her neck does not mean she’s out for yours.

2) Nobody ever called her “Our Savior” but you.

3) How many people out there do YOU know that donate one-third of their total income to charity? Especially if that amount is millions of dollars? Do YOU spend your time in those affected regions, organizing grassroots reform and convicing other people to donate billions of dollars to charity? Somehow I doubt it. I think it’s safe to say that she’s gone a little farther than “ADOPTED SOME MINORITY KIDS.”

Watch the news, read a book, do some research.

As pro-Black as I am, I really don’t give a flying fuck about AJ playing this woman.It’s unfortunate what happened to her family, but I’m not going to see it, so who plays in it doesn’t make a bit of difference to me. If we feel so strongly about AJ playing a Black woman, then let’s not see it…don’t even buy the bootleg.

Maybe Mrs. Pearl doesn’t see herself as a Black woman, and that could explaing why she doesn’t have an issue with a white woman playing her in the movie, but guess what…that’s HER loss. She’s the one missing out on a very important part of herself

And about Afro-Cubans, or Afro-Latinos for that matter…I don’t think some of you have a real grasp on the concept. It’s not as if these people are half African and half Latino (although some are), it just means that the are future generations of African slave, who are immersed in Cuban culture. Afro-Latino culture is no different than African-American culture. I hope I explained it clearly.

PITTBOI - as dark as …excuse me you have serious issues…Angelinas pales ass isnt exactly a perfect match~

Bill Gates donates his money in the same well as well as other entertainers and athlestes who get less publicity.

Sweety you are lost. You are a young man in a world where you have become accustomed to the bullshit and media you see. Have you heard of PROPOGANDA…

Probably not, seems like you believe everything you see.

And you still havent named a specific movie or role where AJ was that awesome. Wow she got awards. How many black shows are even considered for Golden Globes? Come on the industry has an agenda and black actresses are not it.

Pittboi is probably the same BOY running around with a she devil with blue eyes and blond hair.

DO YOU EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THEATRE AND FILM? How about your culture? Sure you want Affirmative Action to go away also huh, how about our voting rights….lets flush that down the drain 2.

“WHEN SHE WAS MARRIED TO BILLYBOB AND WORE VIALS OF BLOOD AROUND HER NECK AND FRENCH KISSED HER BROTHER SHE WAS WHITE AS SNOW WHITE THEN….NOW SHE CLEANED UP HER IMAGE ADOPTED SOME MINORITY KIDS AND SHE IS “OUR SAVIOR” PULEEZE..

BRAD AND AJ HAVE GONE A LIL TOO FAR..THEY ARE NOT THE BLACK COMMUNITY ”

I dont think this comment is utterly as STUPID AS YOU CALLING SOMEONE AS BLACK AS YOUR MOMS BROWNIES …MY COMMENT IS THE TRUTH!!!

pittboi has some issues

Alrite so pitboy are you saying that its ok if an actress is too light or white but if she is as brown as your moms brownies it isnt.

someone wasnt brought up to have reespect for his people was he

Oh wow, let’s see…We have:

Bill Gates

Athletes

PROPOGANDA (Hmmm, don’t know what that is. I wonder if it’s anything like “propaganda”)

ME running around with a SHE-devil with blue eyes and blonde hair.

Affirmative Action

Voting Rights

Hmmm, so that’s SIX things that have jack-shit to do with the topic. I commend you, whoever you are. You really had to do some reaching to pull all THAT out of your ass. I love it how when some people don’t have much to say about the topic at hand they reach for everything else they know something about. I’m surprised you didn’t toss in the Million Man March. Not even Rodney King?

Oh yes, Angelina is pale. I get it. But have you seen Mariane Pearl? Woman isn’t exactly brown-baked herself. All Angelina has to do is sit out in the sun for an hour to be Mariane Pearl’s color (or darker). In this scene at the top they’re using make-up for added realism. That’s a much closer match than Angela Basset and Vanessa Williams. So stop kidding yourself, you just look ridiculous. Look, I have nothing against dark skin people. Brown is beautiful, and if you look at my picture, you’ll see that I’m pretty dark, myself. But face it: those two actresses you named, like myself, are as dark as the soil my zucchini is growing in. They don’t even come close to looking like Mariane Pearl. And sorry, but Angelina could act circles around them, too.

There’s no use telling you what movies I like Jolie in if the awards she’s won aren’t good enough. It’s all a matter of opinion, but lets just say that her talent has the respect of the film industry. And don’t go saying that it’s because she’s white because there are black actors who have received far more accolades than her.

And don’t get at me on black culture if you can’t even touch me in a simple topic about a damn movie.

NEXT

413: Brightfuture

Don’t kid yourself, what I said is as clear as day. The last thing I am is a self-hating black. But I’ll break it down further for you.

I could care less what color you are, the point is realism for the sake of the movie. Mariane Pearl is a bi-racial woman who has more white features than dark features, and that may have something to do with the fact that she may have more non-black blood in her than black. She’s Afro-Cuban and Dutch. Afro-Cuban doesn’t always mean a black person from cuba. Matter of fact, most of the time it doesn’t mean that, as a majority of Afro-Cuban people describe themselves as “mulatto”. Keeping this in mind, Mariane Pearl could very well be mostly white. And even if she’s not, let’s say her mother WAS completely black. She’d still be half-white with very white features. There are pictures of her out there looking as pale as a ghost.

So what kind of sense would it make to have an OBVIOUSLY black actress play her role?

The sad thing here is that, the majority of racism being shown here is coming from black people themselves. This has nothing to do with being fair, or blackfacing. This has everything to do with the black community being sore that a black woman was chosen. I mean, come on! Angela Basset and Vanessa Williams?? You’ve got to be joking me.

**excuse me, “…black woman WASN’T chosen.”

I dont have a problem with her playing an Afro-Cubano woman, just like I dont have a problem with Halle playing a white woman. I dont know if anyone said anything about that cuz I’m at work and I dont have time to read 453 posts, but I didnt read too many outraged comments about Halle. If your going to draw a line in the sand saying that we all have to act for people of our own race it needs to go both ways. Just my opinion.

Pittboi you are a CRACKHEAD if you think AJ is a better actress than Angela Bassett. What the hell are you thinking??? NONE of the roles that AJ has played can compare AB in What’s Love Got to do with It or in Malcolm X. You are making yourself appear to be whitewashed with ever comment you make.

*every (I peeped the way tou responded when someone else on the blog spelled propaganda wrong)

pitboi is really ignorant

MAKEUP for added realism HAHA sounds like modern day black face to me!

Black campaign groups are extremely upset by this and have said,

“I had assumed the days when white actors took on roles of black people had long passed.”
“You can’t tell me Halle Berry, Judy Reyes or other women of African descent wouldn’t have been a better choice.”

He doesnt even get the point we are trying to make so we might as well just stop now. Ok so Angela can be made up to appear as a mixed woman. This was done in the past on a regular and black women couldnt get roles. No matter how well someone puts that out there for him he doesnt care. He is riding Angelina and Brad.

Speaking of Brad isnt he playing the journalist? This is basically major publicity for the two.

418: What the hell? Is “whitewashed” the official black word of the year or something?

Just because I prefer Angelina Jolie’s ACTING over Angela Basset does not mean I’m whitewashed. Geez! It’s fucking ACTING, not civil rights! There are plenty of black actresses I like better than Angelina Jolie, but Angela Basset ain’t one of them.

But yet I’m “whitewashed.” I swear, there is so much ignorance in that word it gives me a headache.

It’s the word black people use when they just have nothing to say but still don’t want to shut up.

It’s the word black people use when things just don’t go their way for reasons other than race.

It’s the word black people use when another black person sticks up for someone who isn’t black.

It’s the word black people use to add blind, underserved credibility to their arguments.

It’s the word black people use as a rallying cry for other black people too lazy to think for themselves.

Black people, think carefully and critically when you use that word!

*And no, I wouldn’t poke fun at you for spelling ‘every’ incorrectly. I only poked fun at “THISAINTRITR” because he/she put the word “propaganda” in all caps, acted like it was Seseme Street’s word of the day and I should be impressed with their vocabulary, and spelled it wrong.*

geez luiz pitboi is really ignorant

MAKEUP for added realism HAHA sounds like modern day black face to me!

Black campaign groups are extremely upset by this and have said,

“I had assumed the days when white actors took on roles of black people had long passed.”
“You can’t tell me Halle Berry, Judy Reyes or other women of African descent wouldn’t have been a better choice.”

He doesnt even get the point we are trying to make so we might as well just stop now. Ok so Angela can be made up to appear as a mixed woman. This was done in the past on a regular and black women couldnt get roles. No matter how well someone puts that out there for him he doesnt care. He is riding Angelina and Brad.

Speaking of Brad isnt he playing the journalist? This is basically major publicity for the two.

Its the word that Black PEOPLe use when other black people ignore the HISTORY of the world and make ignorant arguments about a society they REALLY know little about!

i DONT UNDERSTAND PITBOII

MY LAST POST WAS CUT OFF BUT I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ROLE YOU FEEL ANGELINA WAS OUTSTANDING IN

No, BRIGHTFUTURE, I’m not ignorant because I don’t agree with you. You however, have proven to not know very much about the topic. Brad Pitt isn’t playing the role of Daniel Pearl (the journalist). Dan Futterman is.

I know what you’re saying. You, however, refuse to hear what I’m saying. Again, I could see if they were trying to cast a white woman as a woman who was ALL or MOSTLY black. I would think there was a problem with that. Trying to cast Barbara Steisand as Coretta Scott King in a movie would be BLACK FACE. Casting Justin Timberlake to play Usher in a movie would be BLACK FACE. Casting a white woman for the role of a woman WHO IS MOSTLY WHITE HERSELF IS NOT BLACK FACE.

And if you followed ANY of my posts you would have seen me say near the top that I agree Halle Berry would have been a better choice, because Halle IS mixed and COULD pull off the role better than Angelina. But Halle is already busy playing a white woman in another film. And just because they didn’t use her doesn’t mean they’re being racist. This is the last time I’ll say that.

And Judy Reyes? A D-Lister? PLEASE. You guys are really reaching far.

423: Oh, that was witty. Yeah, you’re completely right–I know nothing about my society because I don’t agree with you on this. Is ignorance your first language?

425: Why does it matter what movies I like Angelina Jolie in? All you’re going to do is say, “I thought she sucked in that!” and nothing will be resolved. Everyone has their tastes. I don’t think Angelina is the best actress in the world or anything, and I definitely think there are more talented people out there, some of whom are black. I, however, think Angelina Jolie can do this role. And she has the resume for it.

Pittbboi, let me explain something to you:

- You’re right, I don’t have anything further to say about the movie and the casting because, as I stated in a previous post, I am not interested in seeing this movie.

- I really am not concerned about the race factor in regard to this film. In the aforementioned statement, I said that I won’t be seeing this movie. If she chose AJ or Bernie Mac to portray her in this film, that is absolutely irrelevant to me. It’s her choice.

- I’m not concerned about you sticking up for AJ. Although I believe that Angela Bassett is a better actress that she is, I actually like AJ and have seen a number of her movies. Hell, my AIM away message used to say Team Jolie. Why would you have to defend AJ to me if 1) I’m not concerned about her playing this role and 2) I like her anyway?

- Undeserved credibility??? This is not Cornel West writing about the experiences of African American professors at predominately white universities, it’s a blog, a place for opinions. Trust me, I do not need your validation, nor do I need you to co-sign for my “undeserved credibility.” My education and knowledge of self is strong enough to speak for itself. Opinions don’t required credibility, the simply require that people have them.

- I pride myself on being an independent thinker, and I certainly am not concerned whether or not others agree with my statements. If you agree with me, that’s great, and if you don’t, that’s great as well. I am not a punk, so I can, and do stand on my own. I don’t need people that are “too lazy to think for themselves” to rally behind me to make me feel validated

There are a lot of people who use certain words to make themselves seem more intelligent, more conscious of the struggle than they actually are. I am not one of those people. I said you are whitewashed based on your remarks about brownies and soil, and I stand by that.

Ok now let me get this straight Mariana pearl, a person of dual heritage, is being played by a white woman and this isn’t ok but if she was being played by a black woman it would be ok? That has to be the most idiotic thing i have heard this year. Why are you making such a big deal of this? Mariana is more white than she is black anyway and Angelina has alot of talent, thats why she is in great films and being payed good wages and you guys slamming her aren’t, not because she’s white. I just don’t think that racism is as big of an issue these days as some people on this site think it is,open your eyes white people are not enslaving black people anymore it happened years ago…you cannot use that in an argument as to why a white person can’t play some who is at the most half black. This is exactly the same as Halle Berry playing a white person and i didn’t hear an uproar like this when that was announced. They both got the parts because they are talented end of story.

428:

I appreciate the “actual” response you gave me. My lashing out against the word whitewashed was not completely directed at you. More so, it was directed at the majority of people who use it as a last resort. So don’t take all of my bullet points as directed specifically at you. If you took it that way, I apologize.

I do, however, take issue with you calling me whitewashed because of my comments on skin tone. Obiously they were in jest, because–as I said–if you look at my picture I myself am very dark and proud of it. You’ll never catch me downing someone
because of the color of their skin, no matter what that color is. I actually think it’s kind of poetic. MY skin tone is as dark as my mother’s brownies, and as dark as the soil from which my plants grow. Same for Angela and Vanessa. Black berries aren’t the only things that can be used as a metaphor for dark skin. I meant nothing offensive by that. So I don’t appreciate being called “whitewashed” for it. Heck, a lot of the people in this topic that used that word can be found in other topics making fun of someone for being “too dark”. Yet, I’m the one who’s whitewashed?

mostly white? the lady looks like lots of Black people I have seen in the US and Abroad.
I dont think so pitboi

HER FEATURES ARE NOT MORE WHITE

And I’ve seen WHITE people who looked blacker. So try again, SUMDUMMY.

Oh, and according to her book, A Mighty Heart, Mariane Pearl’s father is white (that’s the Dutch). And her Mother is Afro-Cuban, but INCLUDING white AND Chinese. Let’s break this down:

Mariane Pearl is:
–50& White
–25% Black
–25% MORE White and Chinese

At the MOST, Mariane Pearl is only a QUARTER black, which makes this argument that much more ridiculous.

WHY DIDN’T LUCY LIU GET THE PART? She COULD theoretically be just as much Chinese as she is black.

This topic is exhausting. I havent red lots of post here but I would like to see a woman who resembles Marianne play her. Angelina acting is cool , but she was only cast becasue of brad. It sucks that lots of minority actresses have struggled and this just kind of deepens the wound. People are saying the woman looks more white and she doesnt. Someone said she looks like Black women she sees and I have to agree she looks like most black women I see, whether they are Latin or European or American she looks like a black woman. i doubt I will see this movie, but I do see how it can offend someone who is aware of Hollywoods shady past

Pittbboi,

Please don’t think that I am singling you out for being whitewashed…I would say that to anyone else on CL. But based on your explanation, I will rescend my statement that you are whitewashed. What I will say though, is that beneath what you make think of as people overextending the race card, there is some truth to what a lot of people on here are saying. The truth is African Americans have been disenfranchised the entire time we’ve been in America, and those wounds still ache for many of us, and I think that is where many of these comments come from. I personally think that Thandie Newton could have done a great job, and they resemble each other

http://www.imdb.com/galle...wton,%20Thandie&seq=3

And they both married white men But hey, like I said, AJ is a good actress, and I’m sure she’ll do the part justice.

I hope you didn’t take it literally when I called you a crackhead…my sister and I use that expression to each other all the time, it was a force of habit.

GEMINIPRIZE

Thanks, glad we’ve reached a personal understanding.

Trust me, I know my history. I know about Hollywood’s shady past. But, to me, there’s a difference between acknowledging history, and using history as a tool to keep black people stagnant. That second thing is what I feel black people are doing to ourselves. Things will never progress if every time the tiniest thing happens people cry racism. Yes, racism still exists, but as a people we have to move on and stop *looking* for iit. Will black people decades, centuries from now be using that as an excuse? I hope not. Now’s the time for change.

The sad fact is that for the last few decades it’s been black people that’s been applying the ‘one drop rule’ to ourselves. Every time we find out someone has a bit of black in them, we expect them to completely shun every other aspect of their personality. WE make it all or nothing. And it’s not right. We did it to Tiger Woods, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and Halle Berry. Heck, I’m surprised nobody’s jumping on Halle for playing a white woman in her next film, because usually, whenever she acknowledges her white lineage in the slightest, the black community jumps down her throat. It’s not right; it’s robbing these people of a part of who they are.

Mariane Pearl is not only mostly white, she’s from a country that handles race a lot differently than the US. So it’s not fair to hold her up to American standards, because France runs the show in an entirely different way. Suggesting that a black person like Angela Basset or Vanessa Williams play her in the movie is especially cruel, because there would be no way to tell she was mixed in the film. It’s robbing her a major part of who she is because a small part of her is black. At least they’re darkening Angie so that the *film* acknowledges she’s mixed. Even I said a mixed actress would have been preferred. But Halle’s busy (and I honestly think Halle’s a better actress than Angelina Jolie), and what other bi-racial actress with is there with THAT kind of star-power? I liked her in Crash, but other than that, Thandie Newton is not a major star.

“at least they’re darkening Angie so that the *film* acknowledges she’s mixed. Even I said a mixed actress would have been preferred.”

This really disturbs me that you feel its ok to darken someone up! Its not ok to lighten Vanessa Williams or Angela Bassett?

Why does there even half to be a manipulation of color?

Also I encounter racism all the time. Even at work people have said some stereotypical crazy stuff. It still exists and I dont think people are fishing for it or trying to find it. I think it is more of a putting it put there so the history does not repeat itself in that manner.

“SOME” black people still have adapted the one drop rule. Some. Some blacks still have the slave mentality and have let Willie Lynch have his way.
But A LOT of blacks dont. And I am one of them. So dont let the ignorant cloud your judgement. And its sad but its not a fact. Not only did blacks try to categorize those people otherd did too. There is ignorant in every race, please dont let their ignorance shine on the rest of us.

Why would anyone be mad Halle is playing a white woman? Why are you surprised no one is mad? If you REALLY DO know Hollywoods shady past then you would know why people arent upset. They threw our Token Black actress a white role. They figure the dumbasses would settle for that. Can you name at leat 10 other times this has happened? Doubt it, you cant even name 10 black actresses on Halles caliber? Bet you can name 20 white.

We have come a long way but you seem to be too comfortable and content.

Suggesting a black person who is dark play the role is CRUEL? Yet you believe “darkening” a white woman to play the role is OK? Gots it twisted bro.

BLACKLOOKS.com
A question of colour
on July 16, 2006
Category: Film, Racism

Back in May, Diary of a Mad Kenyan Woman wrote an excellent piece on the rebirthing of Namibia by Brangelina

Having had a taste of colonisation, Brangelina are now extending their appropriation of Blackness one step further as Jolie will play the role of Mariane Pearl in a movie produced by Mr Pitt. Mariane Pearl who is of Afro Cuban/Dutch heritage, is the widow of journalist Daniel Pearl who was murdered in Pakistan in 2002.

We are all used to seeing Black popular culture appropriated by white people whether it be music, dress style or body language but it is 2006 and I had assumed that the days when white actors took on roles of black people had long passed away. But ahh we are talking about the Brangelinas here. I use the word “appropriation” but what is really taking place here is an act of arrogance and whitewashing by people who think because they are so super rich they can BE anything they want as well has have anything they want whether it be a country, a person or the adoption of children from any racial background they choose. There is a pattern here by Ms Jolie of using the privilege and power of her whiteness to fill her life with “the other”. It is like some endless pursuit of pleasure - the “pleasure dome of the exotic other”. Whilst there is privilege and power in being white sometimes it can all get a bit boring so lets take an adventure into Blackness - we can always throw it away when we’re done with our little bit of fun and maybe try some Chinese or Indian - the world is ours for the taking and the people with it as well.

Neither of the two reports I read on the proposed film comment about Jolie playing a woman of colour. Historically Hollywood is one of the most racist and revisionist institutions in America so it is not surprising that this is taking place without anyone questioning a white woman playing the role of a woman of colour. The film rights to the book on which the film is based, are owned by Brad Pitt so I assume he bought them from Ms Pearl. Originally the part of Ms Pearl was to be played by Jennifer Aniston, another one of Hollywood’s self-absorbed and insensitive madams which brings me to Mariane Pearl herself. She is quoted as saying

I am delighted that Angelina Jolie will be playing my role in the adaptation of my book,” Pearl said in a statement. “I deeply admire her work and what she is committed to.

Maybe this says as much about Ms Pearl as it does about Brangelina, Aniston and Hollywood.

People have the right to choose their own identities which are often complex and difficult. But identities are also about how we are perceived by others. I know from my own personal experience that in the centre of Western racism, whatever choice one makes, it has a meaning that goes beyond the personal. Race is still very much at the heart of America despite the desire by many, black and white, to believe otherwise. Images of black people in magazines, in advertising and on TV are more often than not light skinned with straight hair - light is bright and dark is well, dark. This is not representative of the Black American community but it is what people want to see. If anyone has any doubt about the politics of skin colour they only need to look at the $billion skin lightening industry. Skin lightening pills that allow “that allow people to “lighten their skin from within” and come away with a “Hollywood” complexion.”

Now Hollywood is moving one step further by whitening up a light skinned black woman. This is dangerous ground. People in America may no longer wish to talk about race but this is an example of what happens when the racist discourse is marginalised - people start to tell big fat lies.

Sokari.. ain’t it Ironic that our movie industry is soo busy being filled with slapstick fantasy that our reality is being re-written right underneath our nostrils..

I wonder if Angelina will wear blackface, and if this will then mean that white artists (actors and actresses) will now start coming forward with great scripts they found which u’unfortunately’ were AFrican/ whatever but now can be played by a white women.

Personally, I have no problem with angelina adopting a black child (and the reasons are too long for me to go into here, at least she seems a tad more ‘aware’ than others.
I don’t even have a problem with them going to Namibia to ‘birth’ their child. They could have gone to sedar sinai.. or any other one of those top hollywood places.
I like the fact that they went to an African country, I don’t even care if they flew their own docs in or not, ther fact is for a brief minute, the economy benefitted from their spending power and those of the journos that followed.

Africans are flying out of Africa to have our babies, I thinkshe did a good 2 fingers up at the establishment by flying back in. and I for one ain’t knocking her for that.

With regards to her looks.. I’m completely unconcerned. I don’t find her drop dead gorgeous like many do, but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I ain’t gonna hate on her for the way she looks.

Angelina Jolie is alright, I refuse to call her brangelina, cos as far as I’m concerned the press and wider media has been trying to find a way to villify her for turning her back on Hollywood largesse for too long.

By “our movie industry” are you referring to Nollywood or just the general movie industry - i have to agree with you on that. To be honest I hardly watch mainstream films at all and it is a hard search to find something original and worthwhile.

Re: Jolie - well she might set a trend when it becomes “acceptable” to play roles across race - but if you are playing a real person then I think it is insidious to go down this road.

Agreed that Africans are flying out to have babies - its another way of flaunting your wealth and marking your status like going to Rome to buy bag and shoe for the weekend! J made sure she took all her medical expertise with her to birth in Namibia - frankly I didnt see the point- if it was to avoid the media well it didnt work anyway.

Sorry had to take a back break!
re adoption: This is a very difficult area but there can be consequences to children adopted out of their racial background. Growing up culturally and racially isolated can be very damaging and have lasting consequences. Children become “trophies” and part of a lifestyle that fits in nicely with a constructed role of liberalism and supposedly non-racist. That is why there is an ongoing hard thought debate (at least in Britain) as to whether cross racial adoption should take place and if so under what circumstances. I question a white peson who believes she can take on the role of a woman of colour because that is a lie. Which leads me to questioning her stance as a non-racist person so I have to question her adoption of children of color.

Ugh…you didn’t understand a single thing I typed.

I said they lightened Angie up so the *film* would stay true to Mariane’s race. And frankly, it takes a lot more to go from dark to light than from light to, well…just a little darker. Whitening a black actress for this role would be ridiculous. You want someone looking like Shawn and Marlon from White Girls?

Again, Mariane Pearl is only a quarter black at most. So why is this even an issue?

I know the history of Hollywood’s past. But saying that it’s ok for Halle to play a white woman because white people did it to us in the past is immature and stupid. Atleast say they did it because she can act and can play the role. Don’t say Hollywood did it to poke fun at itself. That’s just ridiculous. I’m done with you.

And I stand by my words that casting a black actress would be cruel. Why? Because Angela Basset doesn’t look mixed. Casting someone like her would completely ignore that fact that Mariane Pearl is a mostly white woman.

I’m interested in our thoughts because last year the movie Memoirs of a Geisha was made. This movie about a very traditional part of Japanese culture, was adapted from a book that was written by a white American male, and the movie used Chinese actors, and was filmed entirely in the USA.

I’m half Japanese, half caucasian so I was bemused more than anything. I still haven’t seen the movie even though I really enjoyed reading the book, and my Japanese mother who was brought up in wealthy Japanese society about the time the story was set was impressed with the books relative authenticity.

I take everything I see and read with a grain of salt. No-one in Hollywood really concerns themselves with being a purist about the facts.

It happens to us all, whatever colour you are. You just have to see them for being the ignoramouses they are.

AJ looks like a white woman and I am asian. And I dont believe Marianne is just 1/4 black at most. Sfro Cuban roots. African slaves who were sent to Cuba are still black they didnt turn into being Latin.

So because it doesnt look “RIDICULOUS” to darken Angela that makes it ok so do it. It looks ridiculous in white chicks because it is ridiculous.

Well, first, Jandal. Yes, Mariane is a quarter black at the most. Her Father is white, and her mother is Afro-Cuban, yes, but Afro-Cubans themselves are mostly mulatto, and Mariane’s mother was composed of African, White, and Chinese. I don’t know what the exact proportions are, but atthe MOST that means she’s a quarter black.

In White Girls it was ridiculous because they were taking black and turning it white. It’s kind of like trying to write with a red pen on black paper. Whereas all they had to do was make Angelina beige, which isn’t a major departure from her natural color. A lot easier to do, and more believable.

I am saying it is ridiculous they are painting on a face as it is ridiculous Jolie is painting a face. And like I said It happens to us all, whatever colour you are. You just have to see them for being the ignoramouses they are.

As for Memoirs of a Geisha, I would say that, yes, THAT’S a more accurate example of blackfacing. The book itself was great in my opinion. Yes, it was written by Author Golden, an American white man, but he had gotten his gotten his Masters in Japanese History, visited Japan, and interviewed many ex-geisha for his book. So your mom was right in that it was pretty accurate in the experience (as far as I know, I’m not Japanese. lol).

However, I hated the movie. Not only was it a bastardization of the book itself, but as you pointed out, not much about it was authentic. You wrong on some points, though: A lot of the male roles were Japanese, the movie was made by a Japanese film company, several major scenes were filmed in Kyoto, and the actresses they used (Ziyi Zhang and Gong Li) are even more popular to the Japanese than actual Japanese actresses. Even still, there were many small details that the movie got wrong for no reason. Despite all this, I would say this movie is a bigger case of black face than Angelina Jolie playing a mixed woman.

AJ knows Marianne since she has been spending a lot of time with her. She can use this to bring true authenticity to the character. Y’all have to remember that this film is about the DEATH of Daniel Pearl, race is not a central factor to the story.

Just like in Selena a lot of folks were mad cuz Jennifer Lopez was not Mexican, but Selena’s family picked her themselves and she spent time with them to get a good feel of who Selena was.

Didn’t want to bring it up but it’s RIDICULOUS for BEYONCE to lighten her skin (and don’t tell it has not been done) to appeal to a mainstream audience, but does it affect her as a singer.

Or a certain person to lose weight for a role

Or a certain person to lighten her skin for a role, which was mention numerous times.

Halle can lighten her skin to play a white women and it’s acceptable because she’s ‘half white,’ but AJ cannot darken hers!!!

When is being ‘whitewash’ mean that you have your own opinion that conflict with certain other opinion?

When can you throw around the terms ‘ignorant’ and ‘whitewash’ to a person with different views? You call yourself informed but you sound as ignorant because you refuse to acknowledges others points of view.

When does being black mean I have to agree with you, because when you look up there are many who don’t, but if someone has the notion to valid his/her reasoning you want to slam him/her down?

I say this because you the “educated” and “informed” call theirselves putting up intelligent debates then want to turn around and just be plain vicious. You cannot force your views on someone no better than I can on you, but to reduce to name calling invalidates your arguement as an intelligent person.

AND I did not call ANYONE out, b/c you know who you are.

Sorry I don’t know how the comfortation played out because it just infuriates me to see people talk like that.

It brings me back to high school where I was not accepted as a African American (small town) because how light I was or how I talked when I knew more of my history then any of them, but I was the white girl ignornant to ‘their’ struggles. I’m like “What did you struggle with?”

But moving to a city, there was so many diversity that hung with each other it was more about your personality, than race.

That’s how I feel towards this subject. Mrs. Pearl is not aware of what African Americans when through and I don’t hold her accountable to know. The casting director or BRAD is not aware. They adopted an African child and I think they had good intentions, but don’t understand what she has to go through growing up. All they know is that they love her. This is not Losing Isaiah and I’m sure they never seen that movie.

However, all Mrs. Pearl knows or don’t know is the struggles that when on in HER nation, which is France and is milder than what the slave in America when through.

So the preference of an African American actress never crossed her mind.

I think Angie resembles her.