Will smith not black enough

With the film industry already grappling with a diversity crisis and people calling for more opportunities for minorities and women, the colorism debate appears to have taken this one step further. Critics of the casting announcement felt that the decision to choose Will Smith over other actors including Don Cheadle or Idris Elba was a mistake and that his skin tone was not dark enough to portray Williams:, will smith not black enough. Skin color matters in how folk were treated and navigated spaces. Is Alexandra Shipp playing Venus?

While Smith and Williams are both black men, critics say the role should go to an actor with darker skin, citing Idris Elba and Mahershala Ali as examples of more appropriate choices. Colorism matters.. But not everyone agrees. This is really pathetic and sad. He is an awesome actor and will play hell out of it.

Will smith not black enough

The year-old actor has spent the last three decades crafting himself into the perfect image of the ever-pleasant, non-threatening Black man. From curse-free rap lyrics to his tender, nuanced portrayals of complicated characters, Smith has been a darling of mainstream Hollywood for a very long time. And prior to the last few years , he was one of a few celebrities who had made it to the peak of their careers virtually scandal-free. In him, white Hollywood found a Black man who was equal parts insanely talented and widely marketable, according to their standards of propriety and respectability. As a Black person, I can confirm that when I see a Black face on my TV screen in relation to a crime, my first thought is not what it means for me or how it makes me look. Give me a break. Statements like his reek of a desperation to protect that fragile dynamic, rather than confront the systems that make pandering to whiteness necessary in the first place. Where is the grace for Will Smith? Where is the forgiveness? Where was the nuanced consideration for the fact that his wife was just humiliated in front of the world over an illness that she has no control over?

She opened up about that moment in an interview insaying: "You can't tell me that I can't play a woman of colour because I don't match the Crayola marker from when they drew the comic, that makes no sense. Ajan argued that if Smith can do the role justice, then he's the right person for the job. Image will smith not black enough, Getty Images.

The stunning physical altercation between actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. The incident on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. FILE - Sen. Cory Booker, D-N. Supreme Court.

Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have been trying to do better since then. As they see it, the casting is colorism in action. Those who are lighter head to the top rung, while the darker ones languish at the bottom. Colorism is a significant problem in Hollywood, especially with black performers. Directors, producers and casting agents often seem to favor biracial and light-skinned blacks, presumably because they are closer to the idealized white beauty standard and therefore more acceptable to white audiences. Not only does it have two black actors in central roles, but both are dark-skinned. One character is gay and the other is straight.

Will smith not black enough

The influence of family can never be understated, especially when it comes to art. Not only has he experienced this through the lessons taught to him by his family, but the award-winning entertainer has used them to help raise children that have also become more conscious artists in their own right. Back in November , Smith was on tour with his autobiography Will , which saw him making select stops to promote his life story. That was until his grandmother Gigi caught a hold of his lyrics, which led to the following story which CinemaBlend was present to hear first hand:.

El chico bakery

Tayo Bero. Still, times have changed. By Eisa Nefertari Ulen. And prior to the last few years , he was one of a few celebrities who had made it to the peak of their careers virtually scandal-free. More on this story. Ayanna Pressley, as you advocate for marginalized people everywhere in this country. This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. While Smith has yet to confirm the news, it didn't stop fans from tweeting their excitement about the idea of the star portraying such an accomplished man. Robinson wrote to Dr.

Will Smith said that his socioeconomic status played a part in the criticism he faced when he entered the hip-hop world as a teen. He added: "I grew up on a nice street in a two-parent household.

Similarly, The Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg also noted in an interview with Variety , that actresses like her and Zendaya "fill this interesting space of being accessible to Hollywood and accessible to white people in a way that darker skinned girls are not. Related Stories. The psychological toll we carry daily is real. View original content on YouTube. What is Colourism? Genie ain't blue :' Aladdin pic. I see you, sis, a single mother and professional who, just two months before receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, started losing hair everywhere on your body. He is an awesome actor and will play hell out of it. He has to own his inappropriate response, his foolishness. Stenberg has also faced scrutiny in the past for being cast as the lead in The Hate U Give , where her character in the book was originally dark-skinned. Colorism is a significant problem in Hollywood, especially with black performers. In recent years, Hollywood has made progress in representing minorities on screen, yet we still find ourselves circling around the issue of colourism. Most viewed. For being a coward.