Interracial Movie Casting Take-One by Shale February 22, 2010 There was an amusing moment when I first saw the 2003 movie Gothika where Halle Berry gets intimate with Charles Dutton, her onscreen husband. My immediate reaction was "Wow, an interracial couple in a movie!" They are a bit rare you know. Then I realized something - Halle Berry is "black." Halle Berry & Charles Dutton in Gothika Well, she ain't really black - sorta light tan. In fact lighter tan than me - and I am officially white. (Without sunlight exposure that would be obvious) But we still subscribe to the "one-drop rule" a carryover from Apartheid America that says no matter how light your skin or even if your hair grows straight you are still considered black if you have any African descent. Nevertheless, Halle Berry is the product of interracial parents, so technically (Like Barack Obama) she is as much white as she is black. Whereas Charles Dutton does not appear to be so - he is black. Anyhow, let's look at some real interracial liaisons onscreen, namely the 2001 Monster's Ball with our semi-black Halle Berry and white good-ol-boy Billy Bob Thornton. The subject matter of this movie was so disturbing that racial mixing was just one factor that would not derail it at the box office. Halle Berry & Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball On a lighter note (for movie subject at least), Whitney Houston, who starred with Kevin Costner in one of the most memorable on-screen interracial couples in The Bodyguard in 1992 may have a bit more coffee in her cafe-au-lait complexion than does Halle Berry, but she is not what I would call black either. Whitney Houston & Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard They were a beautiful couple on screen and that was a financially successful movie both in the US and internationally. It has been noted that the movie did not mention or explain the interracial portrayal and it was probably due to Houston's mainstream appeal that gave it a pass. However, it has also been noted that some of the ads intentionally hid Houston's face. But in an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is—I'm black. You can't hide that fact." Well, OK, if Whitney says she's black, I gotta go along with it but I know the difference between black coffee and cafe con Leche. I guess it's more about the money than art when you make a movie. You have to please the movie going public; the masses who may be swayed by cultural prejudice. In the 2005 movie Hitch with Will Smith, there was serious thought as to casting his love interest. It was felt that a black woman would have put off worldwide audiences who would lose interest in a "black movie" and casting a white woman would have put off viewers in the United States who still don't readily accept interracial lovers. Cuban descended Eva Mendes was the compromise as a black and Latina combination is not controversial. Will Smith & Eva Mendes in Hitch And, it's not just the majority of white racists who are against black men and white women getting together on-screen. Ever notice that Denzel Washington doesn't do white women? He did do one, hisfirst interracial love scene in He Got Game with Milla Jovovich. That got so much flak from black women who felt betrayed that he hasn't done one since. He did not kiss Julia Roberts in The Pelican Brief in 2002, and his love scene with Radha Mitchell was cut from his 2004 film, Man on Fire (many believe at his insistence). Hey, gotta go with your fan base. And so continues the big issue of race in Mainstream America. We can be friends, we can socialize and even have a beer at each others place, but no black and white kisses please. Or even tan and white kisses (unless tan is Hispanic).
I feel that we are in a unique time, and people follow the media more than the media is forced to follow people's wishes. The media doesn't listen about anything else - why this? The only way to stop racism is to educate people - the only way to make people more comfortable with interracial relationships is to get them around them. People know the media more than their families and neighbors though - so they see more of what the media portrays than the actual world. It's time for a part of the mainstream media to step up on this issue, just like the Munsters did with shared beds (I know another show did it first, but that didn't catch America's attention, just like the Bodyguard didn't do on this stance), or South Park did with shock comedy/vulgarity on basic cable. Who's gonna do that though?
SPOILER WARNING DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN VALENTINE'S DAY! S P A C E In the romantic comedy, Valentine's Day (Feb 12, 2010) there are several switches of love interests as per the formula of these movies. Two characters who seemed unlikely but was no secret that they were kindred spirits was TV Sportscaster Kelvin Moore (Jamie Fox) and a football player's publicist, Kara Monahan (Jessica Biel). They are thrown together thru their work situation and soon find a common interest. While everyone is gushing about the love in the air during Valentine's Day, Kara has an annual anti-Valentine's party where the loveless or jilted bemoan the loss of romance. Kelvin agrees that Valentine's Day is a waste and shows up that evening at the party. Well, you guessed it! While they don't show the bedroom scene, you know this is a couple about to get nasty with each other after an on-screen kiss. Kara and Kelvin Make Music Together
Yeah, I think that Hollywood need to quit pussyfootin around with the idea, and just get on with it, just show it all the way, Black and White, whatever, like she's right when she said, that the only way to get to the mainstream public, and done with as much racism as possible, as soon as possible, for we know that this shouldn't be a very big deal at all, but things do also get a little political as well, which I hate, you know?
I agree with "Duck" regarding the media comments. The media is used so widely to gain acceptance of things. Take the 2010 Census as an example. This year, the government used the media heavily to promote the 2010 Census and I believe that it is a huge success. The media rules all.
But here's another interesting thing I've noticed. Since you brought up Halley Barry. I've worked in numerous situations where I was one of the few white's and the discussions I've heared about mixed race people centered around the white in their ethnic make up until success came into play. Halley Barry is a beautiful and talented actress. Since her father was black the black community accepts her. But if she wasn't successfull the black would reject her saying "She's White." I've heared the same conversation about actors, musicians, athletes, and various other celebrities. It seems that Biracial people are usually not accepted by either community until they're successful. Peace Out, Rev J
Yeah, remember a few years back all the flack Tiger Woods took for not claiming to be black referring to his Asian and white ancestry. Now I wonder if the black community might be emphasizing tha Tiger Woods is mostly Asian and white. Every black person I know is going on about our "first black president." They really get upset when I point out the fact that Obama is half & half, as much white as he is black and culturally is probably more white since he was raised by white folks. I'll bet if Obama went to an inner city school with a large black population he would have been derided by the brothers for being "white." It seems that "race" is determined as much by affect and posturing than by the actual amount of melanin in the skin.
