“Actresses Viola Davis & Octavia Spencer” (2012) is an episode of the Tavis Smiley television talk show that appeared February 10th 2012, two weeks before the Oscars where Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer had their names put up for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for their parts in “The Help” (2011). They talked about the relationship between the black image and the black artist in Hollywood.
Smiley was proud of Davis and Spencer and hoped they would both win Oscars and yet –
And yet he did not like that they would win for playing maids – more than 70 years after Hattie McDaniel won an Oscar for playing, guess what, a maid in “Gone with the Wind” (1939).
He compared it to Denzel Washington. Washington has played black heroes, like Malcolm X and Hurricane Carter, but guess what he won an Oscar for? For playing a dirty, evil, low-down cop in “Training Day” (2001).
Davis said that Smiley and blacks with his mindset are absolutely destroying the black artist. Black artists must be truth tellers, not politicians. When they become too concerned with image and message, they wash the humanity right out of black characters, who become noble but boring – and unrealistic. Humanity is messy. Blacks are messy – like in an August Wilson play.
Smiley said the example of August Wilson makes his very point: in Wilson’s plays you see the full range of black humanity, the good and the bad and everything in between. That balance is missing from Hollywood.
Smiley blamed the distributors, using the example of George Lucas’s “Red Tails” (2012): in the time of a black president no Hollywood distributor would touch a film about black male heroes – and yet they have no trouble with one about black maids. Lucas had to use his own money to get his film in cinemas. Very few people have that kind of money.
Spencer blamed ticket buyers: If you do not pay to see black films like “Pariah” (2011) then you are part of what is wrong. Surely there is enough black talent, brains and money to set things right if people truly cared that much about it.
Davis said it goes way deeper than that: 350 years of racist policies in America have left blacks with a pain and an anger that they are not willing to let go of.
When black scriptwriters approach her to play a part in a film it is almost always the same character: a highly unattractive black mother from the ghetto who speaks Ebonics. It is far more insulting than some of the the parts whites give her.
She said that those who are good at putting forth a positive black image have no staying power. They come and go in the space of two years. They do not stick it out like her and Spencer and Cicely Tyson and Aunjanue Ellis.
Smiley said there is a difference between anger and righteous indignation. He is not angry: he just wants a more level playing field.
See also:
- PBS: Tavis Smiley: Actresses Viola Davis & Octavia Spencer
- The Help
- Red Tails
- Monster’s Ball – the film for which Halle Berry won Best Actress
- black actresses
- house Negro
- The blackness of American television
- internalized racism
- Do Hollywood stereotypes of blacks matter?
- Zora Neale Hurston: What White Publishers Won’t Print
- Langston Hughes: The Negro artist and the Racial Mountain
- Bamboozled
Yes, this. I saw this interview and stood up to cheer their responses to Tavis’ questions. I’d really love to see more complex roles for all women, and especially WOC.
Have you seen Feminist Frequency’s vlog about the Bechtel Test for the Oscars? The also mentions a Bechtel-type test for POC in movies. It’s not a perfect solution, of course, but it’s a good place to start when we decide what movies to go see.
As for deciding where the blame lies, I think it’s a mixed bag. I really would like to see Pariah, but it’s not showing near-by. And I think that’s a result of not enough people paying to see movies like that, but also a result of distributors being too selective.
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I too saw the interview and it was excellent.
Folks, they all had good points.
Being an artist is a multi faceted, messy, dirty, complicated job. To uphold a certain kind of false dignity, robs us of truth.
Look at cartoons like the Simpsons and Family Guy and Southpark.
All the black characters are well off; a judge, doctor and the richest kid in town.
Blacks are not one dimensional people!!! Why can’t we be a working class mom with a talent for painting? Or a kid from a regular neighborhood who likes to ski?
Hollywood is so afraid of appearing racist, even though they clearly are, that their black portrayals are so fake, so out of reach, no one can relate to them, not even blacks!
Gabrielle Union stated that no black, asian or latin people were even considered for the Lord of the Rings. Let me get this straight; you have a fantasy world where goblins and elves exist and ANYTHING is possible right?
But no people of colour exist in that world?
Riiiiiiiight.
Spike Lee also said he would be making his own productions from now on.
Even he is fed up.
Viola and Octavia are trying to ‘break the mold’ but still have a long way to go.
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I agree with the comments so far. Here’s what I think:
Make no mistake, the media, Hollywood to be exact, is partly responsible, it’s also the fault of the audiences who are drawn to nothing more and nothing less.
Now, it’s gotten to the point where having white people in diverse roles is a premise that it will likely sell if not a blockbuster hit. Remember The Last Airbender?
However, even if Hollywood were to change overnight and actually do present movies with a diverse array of people and roles, will America have enough interest to pay money to see them? I don’t think so.
So, this problem is much more than just blaming Tinsel Town (which isn’t as glamorous as seen on TV when I found out first hand) and even blaming the audiences.
In the end, and I always say this, POC have to create their own media, their own shows and movies, and some already have.
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Guys, this just in:
Viola Davis lost to Meryl Streep for Best Actress.
Octavia Spencer won for Supporting.
I’m not saying that Meryl isn’t good but give someone else a chance.
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i saw it too, and thought the whole interview was kind of tragic like a who’s-gonna smile-the-most at an ish-eating-contest.
You could tell Tavis was onto something , but since he didn’t prepare his stuff, he couldn’t articulate it or maybe he wasn’t serious about it to begin with.
The actresses were very professional, identified Tavis’s weaknesses and and zero-ed in.
Everything is marveloouuus, yada yada, we be the truth tellers, blah blah blah.
Everyone was just so bent on trying to ignore the huge white elephant in the middle of the room that once the scene was set, some of the major shift blaming i have ever seen, just kind of happened.
All in all, this interview was more remarkable by what was not being said, and if you squinted your eyes the right way, you could almost see the guns pointed at their necks.
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All in all, this interview was more remarkable by what was not being said, and if you squinted your eyes the right way, you could almost see the guns pointed at their necks.
Right! Its to the point that racial dialogue in this country is so loaded black people can’t even speak the truth amongst ourselves. It’s such a strange age we live in.
I hate that shit. It’s like: what progress has really been made? Very damn little.
I love Viola Davis though. Octavia Spencer seemed like she was trying very hard to be a “good darkie” though.
That explains why she won an academy award and Viola didn’t. She knows the rules of the game. All these Hollywood people do.
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What is the system in US for distribution of films? Is that the choke hold? I think black artists should, could and can do independent productions, but the problem is the distribution. If they are blocked there, how to move on? Black owned movie chains? Is there capital for that? Just ask P Diddy and some others.
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Didn’t Color Purple lose to Meryl Streep in OUT OF AFRICA? Hmmmmm…
*silent side eye*
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@ Peanut
I agree with that. Davis said she took the part based on the book, but the Hollywood writers cut back her character so much that what remained could be seen as a Mammy character.
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From what I understand there were MORE black films made in the 1940s than now. Back then there was a separate network of black theatres due to Jim Crow. They were part of the chitlin circuit where Dorothy Dandridge, Etta James and many others got their start. It lasted till at least the 1960s.
Up until at least the 1970s there was a fully functioning black music industry with top talent, record companies, concert promoters, concert halls, radio stations and record shops.
So there is certainly enough money out there to support an independent black entertainment industry – because it has been done before on much less money, before there was even a large black middle-class.
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@JGreyden,
I saw this interview too and I cosign with your analysis. It was almost laughable the way they danced around the word “Racism”. viola Davis seemed like she wanted to burst at various points. It must be so frustrating for her to balance her desire for true and honest relection of black people and forging a ‘succesful’ career in mainstreamterms.
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Right, at no point did Viola Davis or Octavia Spencer openly and directly condemn white Hollywood and its racism. In fact they were pretty much DEFENDING white Hollywood.
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Not only did Davis not condemn white Hollywood and its racism, she accused black critics of destroying black artists. She may not have any integrity, but she certainly has a large does of cajones.
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To condemn white Hollywood is to never work again.
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No question Hollywood has an execrable record with respect to black actors and characters. However, you probably can’t use Oscars as a bellwether. The Oscars are probably better known for failing to award the actual best performance or picture, for choosing award recipients for political or business insider reasons, etc. When people talk about Oscars, ever notice that the normal theme is how often and how deeply the Academy gets it wrong? Hell, a few years ago the excellent documentary “Spellbound” lost out for “Best Documentary” to Michael Moore’s liberal garbage “Bowling for Columbine”, even though BFC was not an actual documentary.
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Everyone had good points. But talent is talent. They are not necessarily interested in rocking the boat. They are interested in finding their next role.
It is a combination of the supply side (Hollywood and the demand side (the audience).
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Wonderful post and great comments. truthbetold your statement summed it all up for me! I take this interview with a grain of salt because there is no way that Viola and Octavia can truly speak their minds. They’d be done. This damages PoC even more. Here you have the Black artists largely blaming Black producers/writers for the sad state of Blacks in entertainment. Yet, they praise White Hollywood and let them off the hook. Things will never change if those are the views openly expressed by the ones being sh*t upon.
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I saw the Tavis Smiley interview recently, and was taken aback by Viola’s response. Not only did she seem ticked off when Tavis brought up his concerns, it seemed as though her ire was directed at black audiences. I was expecting her to say she could understand at least SOME of where Tavis was coming from. A black talking head who was reacting to the interview asked why it has to be all or nothing with Viola and Octavia. A person can have issues with the film while still seeing the two as talented actresses. I agree.
It’s interesting that Hattie McDaniel won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a domestic, and that Octavia Butler, over seventy years later, won in the same category for playing the same type of role.
I had planned to see “Pariah.” It was in my city for a short time back in January. It wasn’t advertised (of course), and it totally slipped my mind. I’m still kicking myself.
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I seriously take issue with Viola’s statement, “Black artists must be truth tellers,…” I get so sick and damn tired of Black people defending the trash we get presented with by using that sorry excuse. Why is it that Black people’s truth is almost always depicted as (extreme) dysfunction? Abusive mothers, thuggish young men, drug dealing, poverty, crime, blah, blah, blah. The same crap each time. It shows a serious lack of imagination.
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saw the movie love it. travis smiley need to shut up on this one. they deserve the oscar. they didn’t just play any old maid. they played maids who fought for something. the white actors were the one’s looking bad with their behaviour.the story was true and real.for god sake play the race card when needed. travis this is not neccesary leave these sistas alone.
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i’m proud of them. i didn’t see maids i saw two strong black women working. stop it black people. whatever a person do to make a living, that is their job.everybody wasn’t born with a goldspoon in their mouth. somebody have to be the maid. that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a story. plenty of people still work for white people. just because they have a degree make them in a better position. their roles as maids wasn’t a negative role. leave my siistas alone.. travis just wanted drama for his show.
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@Truthbetold
The black guy from Family Guy, Cleveleland in his own show is a cable guy I don’t know what he was when he was one of the friends on the show.
The Southpark character is basically a play on the very idea of what your talking about, the character is even named “Token”.
It is kind of strange that no PoC were cast in LOTR especially considering how dark skinned the goblins and orcs seemed to be, though maybe they were trying to avoid any blatant signs of racism.
Little hard to do if not only are the bad guys dark skin but they are all played by black actors.
As for PoC it just seems weird to include black people in an ersatz version of medieval england, though Camelot seems to be okay with doing that.
And I think Tolkien’s novel actually had native americans (kind of) in it didn’t it?
I can see why they cut that out though if true, doesn’t really fit the atmosphere.
I can see why Viola Davis would be angry; from her perspective it probably seemed like she was been accused of basically helping to keep black people down with the parts she takes, probably got tired of essentially being called a race traitor all the time, especially when apparently her personal experience that the parts offered to black women maybe even more distasteful from many of the black written scripts handed to her over the years.
They maybe better representations of black men but according to her at least they are equally bad and possibly worse representations of black women.
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@Medium
Well; the stories “not quite” true, if I remember correctly they actually down played the struggle abit in the story as compared to how they actually had to deal with it in reality.
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@abagond: good point. If and when there was a black distrubution system, it should be resurrected because there is more middle class blacks now and more money available. This goes for cable tv too. If and when blacks with money start to really invest their wealth and money into black communities, there can be a real turnaround.
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@medium:
I re-read this thread. I didn’t interpret what I read as being a put-down of domestic work or the talent of the actresses. Also, I don’t believe anyone here is saying Viola and Octavia didn’t deserve to win or be nominiated for Oscars.
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@ V-4,
Being black in Hollywood is limiting in every aspect of the art. Roles are not written in the same way and caliber as white actors. Look at the popular tv show Friends.Not one person of colour!
When the fans began to take notice, the writers immediately selected black woman to be the object of Ross’ and Joey’s affection.
Then she was never seen again.
Are we so unusual that we cannot be written as real characters with real problems, good and bad?
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I am sick and tired of coonery. Bamboozled came out when, just 10 years ago yeah. I am sick of this coonery. Since raas “Birth of a Nation” we’ve known that artistic excellence and reprehensible, immoral stereotypes can exist – no – must exist side-by-side to exist. It is the only ay for people to be convinced that blacks are subhuman.
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“Black artists must be truth tellers, not politicians. When they become too concerned with image and message, they wash the humanity right out of black characters, who become noble but boring – and unrealistic.”
I have to say that I agree with Ms. Davis on this score. We see it in dramatic television shows in which blacks are consistently the noble cop, lawyer, judge and best-friend. I understand that is frequently due to primarily white script writers who write blacks as one dimensional and focus on the white leads, but who is to say some of it is due to a need not to offend? Or discomfort with addressing what it really means to be black in America? It is too bad that blacks seem to win Oscars for ignoble character portrayals. It’s almost like the Academy is saying oh, son and so deserves points for showing us the “authentic” face of blackness, which is base and undignified.
I’ve also noticed something else: when blacks win Oscars they are never for starring roles, but co-starring roles. Viola Davis was not the star of the Help, Emma Stone was; Denzel was not the star of Training Day, Ethan Hawke was; Halle Berry was not the star of Monster’s Ball, Billy Bob Thornton was. That’s interesting, in and of itself.
Still, I agree life is messy, Blacks are messy; we should be portrayed in all our humanity and sometimes that isn’t pretty. I’m torn, because we need to put forth honest stories about us and in order to get those projects developed it takes money and influence. Actors get that by staring in big budget films, which often are not written by or truly about us. There’s also the issue Davis mentioned about being offered “ghetto” roles. A lot of movies blacks do put out are centered in the ghetto, and this puts forth the mistaken belief that authentic blackness is somehow centered there.
Where are the movies about our heroes like Frederick Douglas or Toussaint L’Ouverture? What about a movie about Maya Angelou? I mean, I love comedy and Tyler Perry and ghetto dramas as much as the next person, but there is more to us than that. Between Oprah, Perry, Spike Lee and every NBA and NFL player there is the money to develop and green light movie projects. Not just about us, but other people of color. With the right marketing, I believe projects like the ones I mentioned can fly.
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Surprise Hollywood is superficial
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For any film to be successful, it must appeal to the broadest audience possible and that was the genius of the Cosby show. While in ostensibly this was a “black” show it was a show that the vast majority of Americans could relate to.
Therein lies the key: 1) it must be commercially viable 2) it must be entertaining 3) then you slip in your message under the radar
And all above all don’t hang up a proverbial sign out side the movie theater saying, “black film, white people stay out”
Sorry for the rousing round of pragmatism
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If only some version of the “truth ” had been acted by them. The point that Smiley was trying to make is that complex, multi-dimensional black characters are shunned in favour of one-dimensional coons. See “Do the Right Thing” vs. “Driving Miss Daisy.”
I understand that there are plans afoot to create a Black Panther movie – based on the Marvel character. What would be interesting to see is an explanation for why T’Chala doesn’t share his advanced technology with his poorer, less developed African neighbours.
Then again, better to have on dimensional characters – make people think too hard, and then you’ll start to have problems….
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Bad Wolf said “… don’t hang up a proverbial sign out side the movie theater saying, “black film, white people stay out”
I don’t recall there ever being such signs on any movie with the major characters being black. But apparently, according to Hollywood, white people’s experiences are universal and everyone can enjoy the 99.9% of movies starring whites but if a movie features mostly blacks it’s not seen as universal enough and white people can’t relate to it.
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Forget the Oscars, The Help was much awarded by the NAACP. What’s to be made of that?
And @poetess, Danny Glover is trying to make a movie about Toussaint L’Ouverture, but the studios are refusing to help because there are no white heroes.
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@ V-4 pretty much the only folks explicitly described as black people in LOTR were fighting on the bad guys side. Arguably some of the people from south Gondor could have been portrayed as Black since they had long mixed with the indigenous population BUT Dunedain are white, through and through.
I can’t remember any Native American types in LOTR-that trope was occupied by the (very white) elves who were closer to nature, didn’t have much use for machinery, etc..
There were some people described in terms that were close to aborigines but again they’re still Caucasoid. So if the film maker were to be true to the text, not much for blacks.
But film makers change texts all the time (Airbender, or increased role for Arwen in LOTR, etc). It comes down to money and marketing I think. Blacks will go see majority white films and not think twice about it. The opposite isn’t true.
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Truth time.
Most American whites don’t want to see a ‘black movie’ unless it Menace to Society, etc. The dirtier, grimier, darker it is, the more they are gagging to see it.
It makes them comfortable and secure that their world isn’t like that.
Regular blacks, nurses, farmers, admin. assistants, who don’t blackspeak, no way. Then they would be force to see us as regular folks. Which we clearly aren’t.
The only blacks are to be the ‘lead’ is to play the Magic Negro, helping the poor clueless white see the light of day.
Examples:
Larry Fishburne as Morpheus
Morgan Freedman in EVERY movie
Michael Clark Duncan in the Green Mile.
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One more thing…
Given the age of Viola Davis, this will probably be her last chance to take home the golden statue. After 35, Hollywood hates women. Unless you are Helen Mirren, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep. Dench and Mirren are from my homeland, Streep is friends with Mr. Harvey Weinstein, aka, God to the Stars.
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Dear Poetess,
The key word is “proverbial”. Thank G-d, we don’t have real signs like that or at least I haven’t seen one in my life time.
The key point, I’m trying to make is avoid being labeled like the Cosby show did because if your audience thinks they’re going to get a lecture, you’ve lost them before they’ve bought the ticket.
Because you want to hit that 100+ million mark and have costs under 20%, that is Hollywood gold.
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This is fascinating since I’m taking an African-American films of the 70’s class which is deconstructing the stereotypes that are still found in films today.
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@ nom de plume
travis riley argument is that .Why they have to play maids to win a oscar just like the other black lady did and denzel played i guess bad roles\ part to win a oscar. and my argument is can’t we let somethings fly. rather than pointing out the racism. if they were playing the yes mam,i worship you my white master maid, i would feel otherwise. but this movie showed a different side to black maids during that time,that i have never seen. a full movie about being a black maid and what they had to endure.
it showed the very same black women that white america disrespect, was the one raiseing and nurturing them and their children. it showed black women in a strong, loving and positive way.even although they had to fight. so i’m saying its okay to be a maid to play a maid if it is positive. i feel travis riley point was uneccessary,
@ v-4
maybe they did down played it but i got the message.
excuse my spelling
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Guys,
IF Spike Lee, Antoine Fuqua, the Hughes bros, etc, formed their own production company, it would be dynamite!
BUT, would it make money?
After all, overseas funds do matter in the movie making business.
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My own feelings are we all have a personal and collective responsibility to ourselves and our community. I can hear and understand much of the “personal” in what Viola expresses but nothing much of the “collective”.
Of course its an individuals choice whether she wishes to acknowledge those responsibilities or not. But I don’t see this as an “either” “or” its both! Much of how Viola comes across to me focuses on one aspect (the individual, personal) inspite of the other.
So although…
…may be true on an individual and personal level on a collective level it just doesn’t stand up!.
Its unrealistic to believe we can win or be nominated for awards that portray us in demeaning roles, regardless of how well they are executed, but not receive recognition or given the chance to play leading heroic/heroine roles.
Where is the celebration of our humanity in just uncritically continuing to accept the nominations for these type of awards?
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Very interesting discussion with Tavis Smiley and here on the board. If i were to offer my opinion on the matter which is admittedly uninformed since…
I haven’t seen The Help nor read the source literature from which it came.
From clips, the trailer etc. i would argue that damage comes from the fact that this story is told in a period which is decades past. It allows Whites to look comfortingly backwards as opposed to critically in the present time. It allows individuals to think that racism comes in a particular form and time. 50’s-60’s bourgeois whites.
Moreover, that you have this exceptional white who shows interest in interviewing a Black woman seems to be this sort of redeemable white archetype that needs to surface in every film. The White is the decompressor of a tension that isn’t allowed to build because it turns off white audience members. Thus she has to act in a civil manner that is in contrast with the system. What would happen if you took that character out altogether?
If we were to bring this story to today and make Davis and Spencer characters lawyers in a firm being passed up for promotion by a seemingly objective and neutral workplace along with subtle and non-subtle hostility, it might heighten the discomfort of the audience and give a better sense of what is really being dealt with for today’s Black woman at the hands of whites. Something people might just want to see too!
Maybe I am uninformed since i haven’t seen the movie however this is what i would imagine the film as if it could be told in a more subversive manner.
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@ Kwamla
I understand your statements and agree. The burden of racism prevents blacks from being seen both bad and good. Whites have no problem being the evil signature character. Ray Liotta, Harvey Keitel, Al Pacino…have all made great careers from being the bad ass.
With blacks, it’s not that easy. The world will wonder if we, blacks as a whole, are truly that way when the director yells, Cut!
Just ask the wonderful young woman who plays Precious.
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@ JT
Most American whites are not comfortable with seeing the truth on screen. Remember when Roots played on tv?
The discomfort within the white living room was so thick, the air went rancid.
Yet, almost against themselves, they were glued to the screen.
In order to have a black, truth-telling movie make money, you HAVE to have one moral white who protests louder than any black in the film.
Look at…well…any movie about this topic.
Otherwise it won’t sell.
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Abagond:
It’s a combination of black apathy and low expectations on our part. Sadly, a lot of us still see ourselves as less than others, consequently, we think it strange to support movies and tv-programming that actually uplifts our race instead of tearing us down. A certain percentage of us are in the loop, but not the vast majority. This is the dilemma that meaningful black actors have to deal with in hollywood and media in general.
Tyrone
Black Eros
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@truthbetold
In order to have a black, truth-telling movie make money, you HAVE to have one moral white who protests louder than any black in the film.
Look at…well…any movie about this topic.
Otherwise it won’t sell.
so true
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@tyrone
It’s a combination of black apathy and low expectations on our part. Sadly, a lot of us still see ourselves as less than others, consequently, we think it strange to support movies and tv-programming that actually uplifts our race instead of tearing us down. A certain percentage of us are in the loop, but not the vast majority. This is the dilemma that meaningful black actors have to deal with in hollywood and media in general.
i agree
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I think all three made good points.
Actors are actors. Viola and Octavia are not playing “happy” maids ala Hattie in Gone with the Wind. Their characters are more fleshed out, and they expressed their “indignation” for working as maid, and made it clear it was not the choice career for either of them. Their “maids” are more fleshed out.
But, I agree there needs to be balance.
PS. In regards to Denzel’s Oscar. I always defend it. Denzel plays “noble” black characters all the time, but these characters are “safe.” Playing the villain in Training Day took him out of his “safety” zone and he was scarily good.
PS. Angela Bassett stars in many “black” movies, but she usually plays the “angry, tough black woman,” who’s just “sick and tired of this.” Not many people complain about this.
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Here’s a controversial statement: most people, regardless of background, are really boring.
It’s funny that its only *white* people (and to a lesser extent, Asian people) who are allowed to be boring in the American media machine, however.
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Could it be that WHITE people just are not that interested in seeing Black people on the big screen and are NOT INTERESTED in the things that concern Black people? Why is that such a BIG DEAL? Sorry Whites have different interests, and BEMOANING the fact that WE wont watch what you consider to be “important” and “good” film IS NOT RACIST……..You keep whining about “White” hollywood, well WHITE people INVENTED CINEMA and Hollywood. Why isnt there the black equivalent of Hollywood in Africa? India has BOLLYWOOD! All of your incessant whining just continues to “turn off” the White audience to Black concerns……..Thanks for listening (can’t wait for all the Nazi comments =)
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@OneAmongYou:
“Why isnt there the black equivalent of Hollywood in Africa? India has BOLLYWOOD!”
—
You mentioned India and Africa. You basically compared a continent to a country. Africa is NOT a country. Perhaps it would have been better to write, “Why isn’t there a black equivalent of Hollywood in Africa? Asia has Bollywood!” 😉 Film industries do exist in African countries. The COUNTRY of Nigeria has a Nollywood. Perhaps you should have done a little homework before leaving a comment that shows how well-informed *wink* you are.
As tempting as it is, I’m not going to address the other points in your comment. Based on what I’ve learned from responding to others of your ilk, it would be an exercise in futility.
Have a great evening!
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@OneAmongYou
Whites liking or not liking is not the issue. Having an equal playing field in hollywood is the issue at hand. Yes, black actors can star in majority-black films as well as those that are not. Every other race of woman in hollywood can have multi-layered roles except blackwomen. They have to degrade their humanity to make a buck in the industry, it’s f**ked up. Real Talk…Halle Berry had to prostitute herself in “Monster’s Ball” with Billy Bob to accrue some form of recognition. Blackwomen shouldn’t have to stoop to that level to get paid. Why does the bs continue in hollyweird, as it relates to blackwomen? The real purpose of hollywood and other white media is to brainwash and conceal the truth. Why would white folk have the balls to cast Angelina Jolie as Cleotrapa if it wasn’t about keeping black folk in the dark? I’ve talked about this before, but repeating it is necessary. Hollywood doesn’t do the same when it comes to blackmen, because, the powers that be aren’t afraid of blackmen. With the exception of Denzel and a handful of other brothas, most black male actors are well-behaved…they stay in their place. You all know the names. This is the harsh reality that a lot of us don’t wanna acknowledge…the female casting couch is still relevant in hollywood. Blackwomen aren’t willing to sell their souls to the devil to come up in hollywood like other women. The entertainment industry is the “Devil’s Playground.” Good people have to sacrifice who they are to be a star, and we see the body bags piling up at an alarming rate. Why would any parent want their child to be enslaved to Lucifer?
Tyrone
Black Eros Movement
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This inteverview was especially depressing to me as someone who is working on entering an entertainment industry. Although I just want to be a game designer, we worry about what to portray instead of how we personally are portrayed, so it’s a similar situation.
The “realistic” comment bothered me though, because are a lot of black people who did great things in history, but we think a maid is the most realistic thing we could be because white people told us so. I know this is a tangent, but when your friends can be the heroes and your told you can be “the maid”, it just sucks because you know better.
It’s sad that you can win an oscar for being a maid, a poor mother, or a bad one if you are black, but if your black characters are all normal and well adjusted you get bad reviews and hardly a mention. Hence why Tyler Perry movies seem like they are the bane of the white movie goer’s existence. They all seem to universally hate his movies, but the only thing they have that is different than most white movies that come out is that all of the black people are usually either well off, hardworking, or are trying to better their situation.
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African Americans have spent YEARS demanding that black actors have roles that “reflect” the dignity of our race. Well guess what? I’ve discovered that such roles have yet to erase racism against blacks. Not even after Sidney Poitier had arrived on the scene.
If artists such as Davis, Spencer or Denzel Washington can received “dignified” roles that positively reflect African-Americans, well good luck to them. Although I doubt that such roles will permanently erase non-blacks’ bigotry. Frankly, I would prefer if they would find themselves in roles in which their characters have interesting and complex personalities, and that ARE NOT one-dimensional, regardless of their positions. And guess what folks? That is even harder for minorities to find.
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Hollywood is a global business not just America. You would be surprise who is more likely to be racist when it comes to movies- a lot of is Asian, Middle Eastern, and some Europeans market.
If Hollywood could sell their movies to a mostly Black markets and make the same kind of money, then it would have more diversity.
Another issue which is rarely brought up, is Black on Black stereotypes.
Why are so much love for a Tyler Perry movie, but will label something outside the norm as “not real Black” or “Black enough”
It’s not just White who think Blacks can’t ski, the Black community too….
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Hollywood is a global business not just America. You would be surprise who is more likely to be racist when it comes to movies- a lot of is Asian, Middle Eastern, and some Europeans market.
If Hollywood could sell their movies to a mostly Black markets and make the same kind of money, then it would have more diversity.
This is a fallacy, Black images are in demand because black culture is so prevalent all over the world , white hollywood knows this and suppresses black film and culture because it is diametrically opposed to the implementation of white supremacy through the use of white imagery.. I mean, get real.
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It’s 2012 Black women are still playing second banana to white women who cannot open a film on their own to huge numbers , yet Black Actresses like Angela Basset have proved that WE can, how are we rewarded for this? INVISIBILITY. Black women are still playing maids and prostitutes even though we have a Black First lady , Black Prime Ministers , Black Princesses, Black Astronauts, Scientists etc. I personally had no desire to see “The Help” and I adore Viola Davis.
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