And you thought the Aladdin trailer had people upset?
It has just been announced that Will Smith has been selected to play the role of real-life individual Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Serena aand Venus Williams.
#KingRichard: #WillSmith to play father of @Venuseswilliams and @SerenaWilliams in film https://t.co/VMHpHhJg2H pic.twitter.com/jrQjarIBtM
— Shadow And Act (@shadowandact) March 4, 2019
Except all is not well. There are a number of people who are voicing their displaeasure at this selection. It turns that, although a black man himself, Smith is not…black enough?!?!
Colorism matters..love will Smith but there are other black actors for this role https://t.co/qrV1QuBiJH
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) March 5, 2019
And amazingly the sports writer is not alone in his pigmentation protest.
Like did we run out of dark skin black men??? Did the rapture snatch em all up??? I’m confused pic.twitter.com/PYYxnfDd0B
— PettyByNature? (@xoxopettygal) March 5, 2019
Find dark skin people to play dark skin people!!!!
— afrogyal (@queenafroNAM) March 5, 2019
I don't have a problem with them doing a film about Dad. he's a big part of how the sisters became who they are today. But…err um…I curr more bout the colorism issue…nah Will come on…smh
I tell ya what though, the actors who play Venus and Serena BETTER be dark skinned!
— #ListenToBlackWomenKamalaHarris2020 (@psddluva4evah) March 4, 2019
Recommended
Literally any actor whose Fenty foundation shade is 430 and up should have this opportunity
— Eboni (@CocoaGoddess) March 5, 2019
I'm sorry but were there not any dark skin male qualified actors available?
— Shaka Khookies (@Ms_Petty_Kakes) March 5, 2019
Would it be race-splaining to point out everyone has been perfectly fine with Alexander Hamilton being played by a black actor on Broadway for years? It would…?
Okay, moving on…
So it seems like Will's production team is involved. Maybe we need to have a discussion on some actors using their production companies to wrongly cast themselves in roles they know they shouldn't be playing.
— Okoye's Wig (@ABitOfKwansLife) March 5, 2019
“Shouldn’t”. He shouldn’t be playing in the role, because…???
I think the best way to expand the prominence of black actors in cinema is to cast people of all different shades accurately. I love Will Smith but there has to be some brilliant darker skinned actors out there. Don’t just always recycle the “mainstream black guy” for every role.
— Olivia. (@OliveBlair_) March 5, 2019
Colorism. Colorism. Colorism.
— alexi (@90sgypsy) March 5, 2019
At least not everyone was caught up in the hue and cry taking place.
Maybe will identifies as dark skinned
— john doe (@123Sylvanroad) March 5, 2019
People in the comments be like: pic.twitter.com/y4ExrlBlnO
— Fabienne (@fabilusi) March 5, 2019
future casting auditions: pic.twitter.com/Vpg4qT6hTj
— Zeinab (@zeytoon17) March 5, 2019
Maybe..just maybe..he got the job not because of the color is his skin, but the content of his character! (And his acting skills)
— Taylor (@fabelataylor) March 5, 2019
This of course takes us on an odd tack now. What if past movies are to be retconned based on the skin tone of those being portrayed?
Chris Gardner is dark skinned… I guess The Pursuit of Happyness came out when we weren’t so sensitive ?
— Brandon Monroe (@_brandon_perry) March 5, 2019
Man, you are reaching way too damn much. But it wasn’t an issue when Denzel Washington played Malcom X despite being considerably darker?
Dude, just chill. Damn.
— Carl (@MajinCarl) March 5, 2019
Now that you mention it, nobody was disappointed with Forest Whitaker not being dark enuff to play Idi Amin. As I recall he won the Oscar for that performance. As Chris Rock would say, " he did so well they went and unplugged the real Idi Amin!"??
— Briankeith95 (@briankeith95) March 5, 2019
So instead of Angela Bassett they should of gotten a taller light skinned woman to play Tina Turner? Or maybe a darker actor instead of Larry Fishborn to play Ike?
— Lorraine (@Ms_Raine) March 5, 2019
There are even more potential pitfalls to this type of purity test–
Soooo is it racist if they make his skin darker in the movie?
Honestly though, he’s African American, he doesn’t have to be a clear cut copy of the dad. Its a movie.— Blair Trimblett (@trimblett13) March 5, 2019
Oh holy crap! Try imagining what the reaction would be if a black performer used makeup to appear darker on screen! A black man in blackface might just be what it takes to melt down the internet!
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