Will smith not black enough

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.

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

By Eisa Nefertari Ulen. My heart holds all Black people everywhere, even when we are neck-deep in foolishness, especially when we are near drowning in pain. Oscar night was some foolishness. Oscar night was also painful. We Black folk often enough feel that we are near drowning, as we remain locked in a system that marginalizes us. The film industry has, historically, swirled us around just enough to get a taste of Blackness and, soon enough, spit us out. Hollywood is a beast, and I have nothing but compassion for all three of my people caught in the backwash of the Oscars. Had that slap taken place on the A train, at the cookout or anywhere else around the way, Black folk everywhere could all agree that that was some foolishness. Meaning that the slap never should have happened. We got this, babe.

For being a coward. 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.

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:. Skin color matters in how folk were treated and navigated spaces. Is Alexandra Shipp playing Venus? I like Will Smith but him as Richard Williams is not ok.

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. So is Smith snagging the Richard Williams role a step back? It feels more like a sideways move.

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:. I had the black and white speckled school book, and I was putting all my rhymes in there.

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March 29, pm. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. Accept and continue. Woods was followed by a group of more than 50 fans, some of whom did not behave well. Shows like Netflix's Dear White People were accused of recycling this very same trope in , when in the show's first season, its light-skinned protagonist Sam was given ample time to explore her struggles with her mixed-race identity and was also the subject of many men's affections. Our first drive of the Ram where we tell you what's new, why decisions were made and how it drives with the new Hurricane inline-six. You are worthy. This is really pathetic and sad. View comments. Colorism is a significant problem in Hollywood, especially with black performers.

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. I went to a Catholic school with mostly white kids until I was

Even films that purport to unpack racism have only perpetuated stereotypes, like the tragic mulatto in Imitation of Life and Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have been trying to do better since then. The incident on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. Election Ayanna Abrams, a clinical psychologist and founder of Ascension Behavioral Health in Atlanta, said what protection from a spouse or partner looks like can be different for each woman. Tayo Bero. This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. 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. This story corrects the name of the associate director of the Black Girls Smile organization. Read full article. Moon landing. UGA campus death. Share Share.