I’m sorry, I don’t really have a comment on the topic at hand (Angie as Mariane) but I just wanted to point out to Sesamestreet and others that the “three-fifths amendment” was abolished by the 14th amendment in 1868!

Here’s the link to the U.S. Constitution online: http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

…and the specific quote: “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.) (The previous sentence in parentheses was superseded by Amendment XIV, section 2.)”

GOOOOODD LLLAAAWWWWRRRRDDDDD!!! this is still being argued?

Many artists are photoshopped on covers. It isnt the same as lightening your skin for a movie. Are they going to lighten Halle’s skin? I didnt hear that I just thought she was playing a white woman. THERE has not been a history or a big debacle about black woman taking over white roles, so Halle playing a white woman is not a big deal. Its because of the history black actresses have faced is why people raise concern.

IM curious to know how you all feel about that magazine that is coming out honoring African history, yet they used a white model on the cover in Egyptian clothes and bronzed her skin, not sure what the mag is I willl find out.

I totally agree with this also, great point:

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.

marianne pearl didn’t request angelina; she simply stated that she was “delighted” when she heard about brad’s decision to cast her. i think that ms. pearl is a classy, gracious woman who wouldn’t say anything negative about the decision no matter what her true feelings were, but that’s not the point. i agree philosophically that it shouldn’t matter about the race of the actress, it should be about the story. on the other hand, film is a visual medium, and how a person visually fits the part is enormously important - people lose parts all the time because they don’t have the right “look” for the role. in fact, many casting decisions are based largely on looks. in general, though, on the bright side, i think we should all just be relieved that brad didn’t cast his ex-wife…

What a 3-ring circus, lol.

THANDIE NEWTON that’s who should be playing this part. Do you think they would let Angela Bassett play Louis Lane, a black woman playing the love interest of a FAKE white man? Not even THAT is acceptable to them. So wtfEVER, anyone who DOESNT see this as blackface is jaded. I’m mixed with both black and white and I am OUTRAGED!!!!!!!

*sighs deeply*

First of all … I don’t have a problem with Angelina Jolie play Mariane Pearl’s role in the biographical film based on her late husband’s life. If she has no qualms with it, who am I to argue her point. Angelina has the capability to act the role. Having seen her in Girl Interrupted, Troy and the Tomb Raider series; she can adapt into any roles, so I don’t think she’ll find any difficulty in playing the role.

Reading this post and majority of the people that find offense to this “blackfacing” I can guarantee would not even take their money out of their pocket and watch that film. Yes, their are many *high yella* actresses that could have played that role, but think about it. Do you honestly believe that they have the capacity to do so as they; majority of the time only star in films targetted for the “black entertainment sector”. I’ve seen the name Thandie Newton crop up a few times. What film, other than crash, can you honestly say that you’ve enjoyed her work in? Because the her other films are complete utter rubbish. Halle, yes she is good. Better than Angelina but; as we all know, she’s in the process of making a film where she portrays a white woman.

Now, and this is what really sickens me, I would have thought white people would have had been more outraged at the fact that Halle would be doing so. If anything, they are applauding her. They are actually overlooking her ethnicity and only look forward to see her perform. After all, that’s her job.

But back to the topic, I don’t have a problem and yes I will be watching that film.

I agree with #23!!!…As Black actors and actresses, we have to fight for every important role. To this day, there aren’t enough scripts written for our people. Look how many roles Denzel and Sam Jackson have starred in that were not meant for a Black character to portray, initially. Halle Berry is an OSCAR winner..if she wanted to play a 1 legged asian sumo wrestler in her next film, she has that KLOUT. Angelina Jolie got the role from her man. Not because of talent. Black Hollywood has every right to be appauled at this!..I certainly am. We just don’t get enough roles. Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington..not to mention the brilliant young actresses we haven’t even heard of who deserve a big break. It really is a shame. We also need more black writers, and more Black directors like Antoine Fuqua, willing to focus less on making typical “Black movies” and making movies with a larger appeal, and of higher importance to society.

personnaly i don’t see the big deal. it’s interesting that she gets to play a black person. isn’t that movie being made with brads little film company? maybe they didn’t have enough money to hire another actor so he hired his lovah.

another interesting thing. this girl is afro-cuban and dutch. I’m going to just assume her dutch half is white. so just because this girl is part black only a black person can play her? she’s only half therefore i say that either or should be able to play her. and this marianne personne doesn’t seem to have a problem with it so why should we. i really don’t think this is the new “blackface” because in this context i’m pretty sure she’s not making a fool of herself. rather she’s telling the story of a woman whose husband gets killed. calmn down ppl.

Just because shes not making a fool of her doesnt mean this isnt a case of blackface. BLACKFACE means a white person painting on a BLACK FACE! Thus the problem because of the historical racism!

agree with #23!!!…As Black actors and actresses, we have to fight for every important role. To this day, there aren’t enough scripts written for our people. Look how many roles Denzel and Sam Jackson have starred in that were not meant for a Black character to portray, initially. Halle Berry is an OSCAR winner..if she wanted to play a 1 legged asian sumo wrestler in her next film, she has that KLOUT. Angelina Jolie got the role from her man. Not because of talent. Black Hollywood has every right to be appauled at this!..I certainly am. We just don’t get enough roles. Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington..not to mention the brilliant young actresses we haven’t even heard of who deserve a big break. It really is a shame. We also need more black writers, and more Black directors like Antoine Fuqua, willing to focus less on making typical “Black movies” and making movies with a larger appeal, and of higher importance to society.

_____

IM WITH YA BRO!

THe issue is not Angelina playing the part The issue is her going all BLACKFACE on us. I thought we were over that. I thought black actresses got past that obstacle! And these people claiming that AJ is mixed, with a 1/4 Native American. Brad was going to cast Jennifer Anniston so his intentions were to BLACKFAC an actress either way!!! Are you riding Jennifer Annistons nuts hard enough to justify that?
This is sad. Brad has plenty of money to do what he wants and like Hollywood and most governments manipulating the truth is something he can do. Who cares if Angelina looks exotic and she adopted anAfrican child. Many white rich people have done the same. TOm Cruis and Nicole Kidman have a black son. Is it ok for Nicole Kidman to play the role and bronze her skin up???

Since this is not a movie on a racial topic the character that is being played is not relevant. But since this has become the topic of discussion let me just add that Angelina Jolie and Mariane Pearl are both French. And they were both raised in France which gives them a lot in common. I don’t see why it is so important to color coordinate the cast by the exact percentage of black, dutch, french or whatever. Do u realize how petty that sounds? The movie is not about race in anyway so take the spotlight off it.

Americans for all their access to education etc., I have met so many dumb ass Americans - black and white. There have been a lot of good points made (PittBBoi) but not everyone is on that level they are not that wordly. Its unfortunate but true. Travel, go places out of your comfort zone and make friends from other cultures. You will find a new perspective and become more open minded. Racism is a disease that can be cured.

ok…i know i’m late but
Angelina mom was half native american…..the most screwed race by the white man…I’m talking about butt fucked without lubricant…forget 40 acres and a mule…do your thing angelina for your lost tribe….lol
Honestly, if i was an actress, any role to push my limit would be welcome….I’ll be a chinese chef in a mexican retaurant….

Pittboi,

You’re wrong. Pearl is a woman of color with brown skin. There are plenty of mixed-race actresses who could have played the role. You don’t understand how Hollywood works and the struggle that women of color, Asian, Black, Mixed, Native American, Arab, or Latina have to get roles that aren’t stereotypical.

If we lived in a different world where racism wasn’t alive and well, affecting employment, then there would be no problem. But that’s not our world. There are plenty of mixed-race women who could have done the role who look like Pearl.

I’m mixed. Have you ever read about Lena Horne’s life in Hollywood? Things are better today but they aren’t that great. Look at the paucity of images of women of color in strong roles in Hollywood.

You can’t tell me that there aren’t mixed-race actresses out there who look like Pearl and could have done the job. There are plenty of multi-generational mixed African-American or biracial actresses who could have used this role to establish a career.

How many Asian women do you see on TV? How many Arab women do you see? This is about money, career advancement, and having a social conscience to the struggle of actresses of color. Jolie has access to plenty of roles. You really should talk to actresses of color–Asian, Latina, Native American, Mixed, Black, etc. to understand their struggle.

Angelina is of a mixed race she is part Native American. What is the problem? Is it because she looks more White? If she looked more Native American would this even be a discussion? Think about it.

I LOVE ANGELINA

@pittboi

yes Vanessa Williams cud have played the role she is not too dark, she looks mixed (fool), and has blue eyes.

i cannot comprehend why it would make more sense to darken a white woman to look blak/mixed instead of using a blak/mixed woman. this makes no sense. the issue is mainly that there are so many talented blak actresses in hollywood that could have played this role but instead they are being offered roles like soul-plane instead. its unfair.

i wonder how angelina will react if in future a white woman who is unqualified is given a job/role over zahara. wat will angie say? we shall see.

Okay, this post was linked from Celebitchy, but my the arguments here are waaaay more ignorant than the ones there. So, I’ll just put my responses here too.

Oh, my favorite was that white people now allow mixed people to decide their own race. Wow, how thoughtful and completely not true of you to say. It’s a case by case basis. I don’t want to get to deep into that, because that’s not the issue, but wow.

I think that it’s ridiculous for some of you all to say that if you aren’t offended no one else should be. Excuse me, but last time I check blackface wasn’t exclusively used by white actors portraying mixed race (specifically black/white) characters. I think racism can’t be fought as long as people keep insisting that others “don’t sweat the small stuff”. Pardon me, but I hardly classify the rebirth of blackface as the “small stuff”.

I find it very difficult to believe that you don’t think there is bigotry involved in the application of blackface. Even if you are playing a role “realistically” and you’ve just allowed yourself to be painted brown and your hair to be kinked for the role, in all reality you didn’t believe that a black person would be more capable of playing a black person (or mexican, or asian, or indian)than you. I think that is unforgivable arrogance and ignorance.

Hollywood does not have the best reputation when it comes to casting minorities as any thing other than stereotypes and at an ample opportunity to do so, they just can’t seem to manage to pull through and it’s a shame.

No, it’s not okay if Halle paints herself white. It is simply an absurd notion. Also, in “Class Act”, I have seen no evidence that she will be painting herself white. In fact:

“The move to grab Halle Berry for the role is an interesting one, especially since the real Tierney Cahill is a white woman. DreamWorks claims that the ‘right’ actress was better than the ‘white’ actress.” some source, sorry I didn’t site, google it.

So, this in fact is an example of a character where race doesn’t matter being cast based solely on merit. If Angelina was playing this woman as white, it would not be nearly as offensive. There would be accusations of “white-washing” and they would not be unfounded, but this is just idiotic. 1 step forward, 2 steps back.
And every one needs to get their facts straight.

Also, just for the record adopting a black child does not make some one permanently prejudice free. Adopting a black child does not make one “down”. My boyfriend is white and I’ve never patronized him by believing that our relationship means that I am an authority on white males. And he returns that respect.

I had no problem with Angelina, I think that’s she’s beautiful and a great humanitarian, but for someone who is alledgedly so in touch with the feelings of others this is an incredibly insensitive move. And it makes Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie a hundred times less attractive as performers. It also makes me question their morals. It’s pretty sad.

And as an actress, and a black woman for me this is not the small stuff. This is my career and this is my life.

Also, I think that it is your attitude of things being “too damn bad” that are actually the motto of oppression itself. Don’t like that you’re not able to vote chick? Well that’s just too damn bad. Tired of riding in the back of the bus? Well, that’s just too damn bad. Tired of people playing grab ass with you at work? Well, that’s just too damn bad.

People are allowed to complain. If no one ever complained nothing would ever change.

And if no one complains about this, when is it too much? When Drew Barrymore plays an African mother in apartheid South Africa trying to make it? What about it Paul Walker plays a poor boy in the hood trying to save his community? Will you never say anything? Will you just wait until Colored Museum goes to Broadway and Kristin Chenowith is the Aunt Ethel? Well, you just wait. I’ll speak up before it goes that far.

(That is not to say that any of those actors would be so stupid as to assume that they could play a black person better than an actual black person.)

I was entirely more impressed with Jolie as a person than I was as an actress. She’s extremely overrated, and I guess it’s to the point where she can do no wrong. Jolie’s shit apparently smells like roses and some of you would wear it as cologne. I feel that she’s in the EXACT same boat of overrated as Halle Berry. People have equated being oversexualized with talent in both their cases. And sure, they have serious actors deep inside, but I have yet to go, “Wow!”. I’ve gone, “interesting”, but that’s about it.

Who said that Thandie Newton is just a sidekick. Are you mad? And by mad, I mean insane? Sure maybe people would always like her to play second fiddle, but she had some of the best scenes is the (also) way overrated Crash. Thandie Newton would have been excellent for this role, I might have considered seeing it even. Sophie Okonedo? Ring any bells, she is extremely amazing! (Hotel Rwanda, Oscar nominated). Leleti Khulamo? *ahem* I don’t know if she can do an American accent, but she’s better than Angelina. Everything I’ve seen her in has been better.

It’s offensive for people to think that their aren’t any actresses more qualified for this part than Jolie. Okonedo is mixed race and European, hell, she’s dead on. But she’s also not having Brad Pitt’s babies.
They should both be embarrased.

Ooops, I forgot to mention, it wasn’t as big of a deal until they painted her orange, in an attempt to make her look mixed race. If skin color wasn’t that big of a deal, why didn’t they leave here hair alone, and her skin alone and send her out there. Sure, that’s a white-washing of the part, but if COLOR isn’t the issue then why COLOR Jolie so that she fits the role? So obviously, they are focusing on color and not Jolie’s talent, why shouldn’t we?

Has anybody seen the movie “Crash”, people in general are just racial. Charlie’s Angels has an Oriental in the movie. Irving “Ving” Rhames portrays Kojak. Why aren’t people asking the question, wasn’t Kojak WHITE.

yall take shit too personal…i dont c any problem. its just actin. angelina is pushin her boundaries, she wants to c how far she can go with her career, playin somone of a totally diffenet race may be one of the hardest thing she can do, but then again SHE may want to challenge herself. halle plays a white woman no one says anythin. yall need to look OUTSIDE THE DAMN BOX for a change.

if mariane has no problem wit it then neitha should u. if anything SHE should be the one offended and not any of you…

Your missing the point of the movie, which none of us dictate. There is an important story to be told, and its not about race. You are disrespecting and underminding the story of Daniel Pearl and his wife, which has nothing to do with race. How about a thoughtful discussion on what happened, Anybody?? Do you actually know, will you even see the movie?

First of this is a very ignorant comment :
” don’t have a problem with it.

If anybody knows anything about African heritage. All Africans are not “black”. There are three groups of Africans that I know of so far. I’m sure there are more.

They are the Africans(sp)(pronounced AF RI CANS), Afrikhans(sp)(pronounced AF RI KHAANS) and the Coloreds (mixed with the Europeans, Dutch and Spanish decent and they live in Northern Africa).

I guessing that Mrs. Pearl is colored. And who to play a better part than Angelina. Hell I don’t know what creed or pedigree she is from.
”
What you are describing are racial stratifications under Apartheid-Era South Africa, not the racial make-up of the Continent as a whole. The Term coloured is still used to describe people of mixed black and white descent in Southern Africa, north African’s are Bedouin or Arab, not mixed with European. Also Afrikaans is a language spoken by dutch settlers in South Africa and Namibia, a mixture of Dutch, German and English having no relation to native African culture.
Just because Mrs. Pearl is light skinned doesn’t mean this isnt blackface. She is making herself look very much in denial and somewhat selfhating by letting a white woman portray her, it troubles me that the picture of herself she chooses to give the world is that of white woman when she is clearly a woman of colour. And add to the fact that she was raised in france, and extremely colour concious and at times outright racist nation, i don’t believe that she is unaware of her skintone.
I think it is a sad double standard that White actors and actresses have free reign over “race-blind” castings of roles from Mariane Pearl to Jesus Christ while American actors of colour are boxed into the same stereotypical roles to the point where a select few can actually branch out and show their talen. The saddest evidence of this is the fact that the only name we can trot out in any debate is “Halle Berry, Halle Berry, Halle Berry”
And while American actresses are forced to play the same old roles, European actresses of colour are almost completely invisible, making the wider world believe that nations like France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are devoid of people of colour when those same people did so much to enrich these nations during colonialisms and bolstered the labour force in the waves of immigration that followed the colonial era, simultaneously making them an intergral part of European society and culture.

To end the post on a less scholarly note:
Angelina Jolie is a White Woman - No disputing that

I don’t give a fuck if she adopted an African Child, right now African children are like Birkin Bags

and Finally

Mariane Pearl is a tragic mulatto, a few shades darker and she would be a plain old coon

peace

wat in da!! they at least could of had halle!dang dat real missed up!1 anyways i not goin 2 watch it!!

I think they (Angelina & Brad) are extremely racist. They adopted an African child, and that was a good thing, but since then they have been extremely OFFENSIVE.

1. Angelina Jolie playing a BLACK woman, Marianne Pearl.

2. Brad Pitt saying that they can’t DEAL with Zahara’s hair.

3. In Africa they left a rag on Zahara’s head. They also can not deal with her hair and claim that “Carol’s Daughter” helps them deal with Zahara’s hair. Unless you actually SEE the pix of what they are doing to Zahara’s hair, and it’s a MESS.

4. Angelina AND Brad have constantly said that Zahara is a “difficult” child to deal with, and that she’s “jealous”, oh and the latest put down is that she’s “the funniest”.

Uh huh.

7. Adopting a black child doesn’t GIVE YOU A PASS!

8. Telling a black presenter “congratulations” on the Golden Globes. They thought she was Jennifer Hudson. It was another black woman! THEY CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLACK FOLKS!

sorry i like angelina jolie and i don’t care if she is white but to me she looks too orange and her lips weird in the picture..hopefully she’ll look better in the movie.

I would suggest Tamara Tunie (Law & Order SVU) who debuted on As the Worlds Turns…She also starred in “Devil’s Advocate” with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves…Tamara’s skin color and curly hair are very similar to Marianne Pearl’s. However, the movie business is all about box office hits, therefore Angelina Jolie is a wise choice from a financial standpoint. Those of you who haven’t heard of Tamara, just google her name and you will see similarities to Marianne Pearl.

Man im tired of black people TELLING us mixed bloods to basically reject HALF of what we are because they are so insecure. Im tired of hearing that old, “most black people are mixed” crap. Just because your great great great grandad was a white man doesnt make you “mixed” like someone who has a white parent is. If they gave the role to a BLACK skinned, nappy haired actress nobody would bat an eye. Bollocks…

The woman is a great actress but there are many talented Black actresses that don’t get shots at movies like this and I think would do a great job. But that’s hollywood for yah.

I’M PROUD TO BE A BLACK WOMAN AND ANYONE GONNA GET ALL UP IN MA FACE N TELL ME I CAN’T SAY I’M A PROUD BLACK WOMAN IS A SHAME OF THEM SELF.I GET UP ANY DAY AN SAY NO WHITE WOMAN SHOULD PLAY THE ROLE OF A WOMAN OF COLOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS INSULT TO BLACK PEOPLE EVERY WHERE AND WE SHOULD MAKE A BIG STINK ABOUT IT. THEY R ONCE AGAIN SWEEPING US UNDER THE CARPET. WE SHOULD STAND UP AND MAKE THEM HEAR OUR VOICES IF U SHUT UP ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS IMAGINE WHAT ELSE THEY WILL DO. BE PROUD THAT U R BLACK OR COLOR MAKE EM HEAR UR VOICE.PEACE

The day when a BLACK AMERICAN woman can play Marilyn Monroe or Marie Curry or Anne Frank then we’ve got nothing to complain about. I don’t care for Angelia. Actually I think that Daniel Pearle should have kept his butt in France WITH HIS WIFE and he wouldn’t have gotten killed.

I don’t think how Marianne LOOKED had anything to do with casting this movie!!! Brad Pitt bought the rights so he could cast his grandma as Marianne if he wanted to. I say stay home. Wait for it to come out on HBO.

Why does race & ethnic backgrounds have to be in question in regards to this movie. Angelina is trying to emphasis the cruelity against humanity. As a Registered Nurse, race or accent is not taking into consideration of a patient in cardiac arrest. We treat the human being that is in distress. My God…..at some point people must move above race issues. So what if Angelina is potraying someone other than a caucasian women. She did a great job of getting the message across.

why does it matter? this woman is no more black than she is white she is multiracial and therefore could be played by many different acctresses.

I think it would have been only fair and right for somebody else of African American or mixed descent to play the role. People if you are half or part something does not make you African American as a whole. Not everybody look alike. You can look like your Chinese, but doesn’t make you that. Idiots, get a clue. Mariane Pearl is of Afro Cuban and Dutch descent. Dutch and Cuban are ethnicities not races, and French is a nationality Idiots. That means that she is multi-enthnicities not multi-racial, so basically she is African American, Hispanic, and maybe a little Caucasian;etc. I think it would have been a little more appropriate for somebody of color or Hispanic to play the role. There are tons of great actresses in Hollywood that isn’t Black. I can’t think of the names, but there are many ppl that resemble Mariane Pearl. I don’t think that Mariane isn’t in touch with her African roots; although I never hear about it. You can look like something and not be that. If you are have black or part black, that doesn’t make you Black. You are just half Black or part Black;etc. Somebody made a comment about J.Lo she is Puerto Rican full. Both of her parents are Puerto Rican just look it up. She played a Mexican American star Selena, but both of them are Latinas. If Halle Berry is playing a Caucasian woman in a world, she is half Caucasian, so that is something different from this. Angelina’s mother is Native American. Her mother is French Canadian(ethnicity&nationality) & Native American(race). It was wrong for Jessica Alba to portray an African American character, and she is Mexican American(Her mother is French&Dutch & father is Mexican). I know acting is a part of portraying different people but still. People make some sense. I am African American and is of Puerto Rican & Indian(yes, the correct term) descent. I don’t consider myself and know that I am not full African American. I know that I am multi, but basically, you can call yourself whatever. Mariah Carey is mult-racial. Her mother is Irish American(ethnicity&nationality) & her father is African American & Venezuelan. She is African American and Hispanic. She knows and will tell you that she is multi-racial, but she can call herself whatever. I don’t think she considers herself African American. It is her right and only true. Like whatever that Mariane Pear considers herself. It is what it is! It is only true! Mariane Pearl did pick Angelina, and I think that she is wrong for that regardless of much of a great actress Angelina is and how famous she is. She should have thought about people in the future that looks back to this. I hate that fact. Mariane Pearl is wrong, and there is no other way to put it. People would have still got through to the story if somebody less famous than Angelina would have played. I don’t think it is that serious to call it modern day Black face, but it is still a major and big issue. Caucasians just need to shut up b/c African Americans been through so much & limited and they aren’t. I am not being racist b/c I am not like that but still. I am being honest and telling it like it is. I am waiting for comments directed at me; too.

Marianne Pearl is a mixed race woman. This role isnt entitled to black women first despite all trials and tribulations they might face to get roles. Stop whining. Also Brad Pitt her husband, was in charge of that movie in someway right? So you knew she would probably get first priority for the role. Why are you guys claiming something that doesnt belong to you? you dont see the french or the latino community in an uproar because an actress from their party didnt portay Mariiane.