Slumdog star says Hollywood is racist

[one...two...tree 2,762]

American History X.

I don't think a black guy would work as a white supremacist. Not unless it was the Dave Chappelle show.

NSFW!!! (MODERATORS: this is a comedy sketch. watch it all before you fire.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7hxfMHV9A0

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If he wasnt then how was able to consistently put a55s in seats.

John Wayne wouldn't get many roles if he were in his prime nowadays. He had a certain charisma that many people of his day found appealing, which strangely some people today still find appealing. There were far better actors and actresses during that era than John Wayne.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Ok, so besides Rudy, how many movies coming out of Hollywood require the lead to be white for the sake of the story?

Invincible

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Ok, so besides Rudy, how many movies coming out of Hollywood require the lead to be white for the sake of the story?

8Mile?

If you're telling a story about a black family in Newark, you're going to cast black actors. You aren't going to cast 2 Blacks as the parents, a White guy and a Chinese woman as their children and expect an audience to believe that they are immediate family.

Most big budget movies do not feature lead roles that are identifiably "White"

[^_^ 5,021]

Wall Street. Only white people work that hard and can afford that much coke.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Most big budget movies do not feature lead roles that are identifiably "White"

Exactly.

Wall Street. Only white people work that hard and can afford that much coke.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Wall Street. Only white people work that hard and can afford that much coke.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

I don't feel like reading all that, slim, but do wanna give you mad props for taking the time to do all those quotes.

I think I'm falling in love with you, Legacy Member, a little more every day.

[Laveau 67]

American History X.

I don't think a black guy would work as a white supremacist. Not unless it was the Dave Chappelle show.

NSFW!!! (MODERATORS: this is a comedy sketch. watch it all before you fire.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7hxfMHV9A0

Love thise skit!

[slim 1,514]

So why are there so few A-List actors from Patels ethnicity? What about Middle easterners? Orientals?

Because that's not what the audience wants to see. Americans are fickle more than they're racist. They want to see what's cool and hip at the moment and if someone from Slumdog wanted to make a second movie here in the States, some folks from that target audience would watch it. People watched Harold and Kumar 2, didn't they?

It's not that the actors are shut out because of their race, they're shut out because they're not cool enough yet.

You're missing a lot.

Probably so, but I don't have time to read books and stuff, what with being on VJ all the time.

The question is why can't the lead in a blockbuster be Korean-American? Not saying that the part should be written for a Korean-American actor, but should one be excluded from consideration because he doesn't appeal to mainstream America?

I don't think anyone is excluded. But, saying Tim Kang is going to be cast over Leo DiCaprio is never going to happen in a million years. In three years, it might happen if Kang blows up and Leo bombs.

There's a reason we keep seeing the same actors and "type of actors" in the same movies over and over and over. It's because people keep buying the tickets.

I agree with your point that the problem isn't that Hollywood is racist, it's that Hollywood is giving America what they want to see - and it's not Jennifer Aniston opposite Dev Patel.

And why is that a problem?

Is it wrong for a business to be successful? You said my reference to making it more PC was inaccurate but that's basically what you're saying they should do by casting someone BECAUSE of their race instead of in spite of it. I will agree with you, exclusion based on race (all other things being equal, not our specific cab driver instance) is wrong. But, inclusion because of it is just as wrong, probably even more so.

Ok, so besides Rudy, how many movies coming out of Hollywood require the lead to be white for the sake of the story?

Any other story where the main character is based on a white person or the industry/lifestyle being portrayed is predominantly white.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

John Wayne wouldn't get many roles if he were in his prime nowadays. He had a certain charisma that many people of his day found appealing, which strangely some people today still find appealing. There were far better actors and actresses during that era than John Wayne.

The furniture acted better than John Wayne. Even Ronald Reagan was a better actor.

Clinton Eastwood put the final nails in Waynes career and Wayne spend his later years making knock offs of Eastwoods films.

[_Simpson_ 250]

John Wayne wouldn't get many roles if he were in his prime nowadays.

Considering westerns aren't as popular as they use to be you could probably get away with saying that.

He had a certain charisma that many people of his day found appealing, which strangely some people today still find appealing. There were far better actors and actresses during that era than John Wayne.

Well the hundreds of thousands of people who disagree with you will speak louder in the history books than your narrow minded opinion of him.

Edited August 10, 2010 by _Simpson_

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

No... The studio is what determines which actor is chosen based on a preconceived idea of what filmgoing audiences want to see (quite apart from reality) - film casting generally isn't decided by popular vote.

[_Simpson_ 250]

The furniture acted better than John Wayne. Even Ronald Reagan was a better actor.

Clinton Eastwood put the final nails in Waynes career and Wayne spend his later years making knock offs of Eastwoods films.

and thats your opinion. Personally I liked Charles Heston in The Planet of the Apes.

Edited August 10, 2010 by _Simpson_

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Considering westerns aren't as popular as they use to be you could probably get away with saying that.

Well the hundreds of thousands of people who disagree with you will speak louder in the history books than your narrow minded opinion of him.

Acting standards were lower in Waynes day, but there were certainly "good" actors - Cary Grant? Marlon Brando? Katherine and Audrey Hepburn? Spencer Tracy?