Dwayne Johnson is John Henry

[RockSP]

Yeah, because I have Trini neighbors. And they're not black.

That's kind of like saying I have American neighbors and they're not black. Every Trinidadian isn't black, but the two you mentioned are. I can't honestly see how anyone could think Duke (who is originally from Tobago) isn't black. Minaj has a mixed father, but in her case it would be like saying Malia & Sasha Obama aren't black.

 

[Lencho01]

Yeah, because I have Trini neighbors. And they're not black.

That's kind of like saying I have American neighbors and they're not black. Every Trinidadian isn't black, but the two you mentioned are. I can't honestly see how anyone could think Duke (who is originally from Tobago) isn't black. Minaj has a mixed father, but in her case it would be like saying Malia & Sasha Obama aren't black.

Yeah, it's not like you only find Black people in the Caribbean or some South American countries. There's plenty of people of East or South Asian descent in those countries, for example.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

If this was 20 years ago, I would have said Michael Clarke Duncan. Now, I would really have liked Winston Duke to have gotten the job. When I think of John Henry, I just don't think of the The Rock.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Terry Crews would be a rather decent John Henry imo.

 

[Aximili86]

Wasn't aware of this. Could be cool, he's a nice character. Don't really see the problem with Johnson, he's half black. *Shrugs*

 

[samsnee]

I think for black people who are darker in skin, it's important to them because John Henry represented their level of blackness.

It's similar to when Zoe Saldana was cast as Nina Simone. Saldana is light-skinned while Simone was much darker skinned. I don't know how she was in the role performance wise but the argument is that Hollywood missed opportunity to cast someone closer to Simone's skin tone.

 

[Schlosser85]

John Henry is a black folk hero. Dwayne Johnson is only half black. He's also half Samoan. He's not "black".

I usually roll my eyes at controversies like this, but in this case I get why people think he's inappropriate for John Henry. He's not straight-up African-American, nor does he look it.

 

[RockSP]

I think for black people who are darker in skin, it's important to them because John Henry represented their level of blackness.

It's similar to when Zoe Saldana was cast as Nina Simone. Saldana is light-skinned while Simone was much darker skinned. I don't know how she was in the role performance wise but the argument is that Hollywood missed opportunity to cast someone closer to Simone's skin tone.

In the case of Saldana as Simone, part of Simone's real life story were the issues she dealt with for being a dark skinned black woman in that time period with her chosen career. So yeah that casting choice was just tone deaf and not well thought out. John Henry is a fictional character so it's not quite the same thing.

 

[RockSP]

John Henry is a black folk hero. Dwayne Johnson is only half black. He's also half Samoan. He's not "black".

People who are half black play black characters all the time.

I usually roll my eyes at controversies like this, but in this case I get why people think he's inappropriate for John Henry. He's not straight-up African-American, nor does he look it.

African-Americans don't have any one particular look.

 

[Erzengel]

After everything with Domino, Black Canary, Electro, Heimdell, Human Torch, Perry White, MJ, Catwoman, not to mention that no matter what Broadway show I currently see, there's been many black actors that were put in roles that were originally white or at least non-black, I find it a little surprising that people are pulling the Rock isn't Black enough to play John Henry.

 

[Hunter Rider]

This is the second time Rock has fallen under this race cloud issue recently, he got the same response when it was announced he was playing King Kamehameha in Zemeckis upcoming movie, and someone even gave him stick for playing a person with a prosthetic leg because he has two real ones...........Leave the dude alone to entertain us is what I say!

 

[the last son]

Dwayne Johnson is only black when it’s convenient for him. This is coming from a black man btw.

But I guess.

Agree with this 100%

 

[Da-Scribe]

John Henry is a black folk hero. Dwayne Johnson is only half black. He's also half Samoan. He's not "black".

I usually roll my eyes at controversies like this, but in this case I get why people think he's inappropriate for John Henry. He's not straight-up African-American, nor does he look it.

What exactly is straight-up African-American?

 

[Schlosser85]

This is the second time Rock has fallen under this race cloud issue recently, he got the same response when it was announced he was playing King Kamehameha in Zemeckis upcoming movie, and someone even gave him stick for playing a person with a prosthetic leg because he has two real ones...........Leave the dude alone to entertain us is what I say!

The prosthetic leg controversy was ridiculous, but I can understand people thinking he’s inappropriate for John Henry.

 

[Aximili86]

John Henry is a black folk hero. Dwayne Johnson is only half black. He's also half Samoan. He's not "black".

I usually roll my eyes at controversies like this, but in this case I get why people think he's inappropriate for John Henry. He's not straight-up African-American, nor does he look it.

By that rationale he shouldn't be playing Polynesian characters either, no? That'd seem unreasonable as a hill to die on though.

 

[Hunter Rider]

The prosthetic leg controversy was ridiculous, but I can understand people thinking he’s inappropriate for John Henry.

I don't think of The Rock as black to be honest as I watched him for years in WWF and it was always about his Island heritage as he's part of the biggest Samoan family in wrestling, they are like royalty in the business. I just think in this case the Rock is trying to get a passion project off the ground and being half black he doesn't see himself disqualified from playing John Henry.

 

[daddydivine]

I hate the double standard. If a mixed girl who was half black and half white was chosen to play Ciri it would be disrespectful to the slavic roots. But since the Rock is half black he can play any black role... even though he looks white enough to play a GREEK DEMI-GOD.

 

[Da-Scribe]

He’s black. Good lord.

 

[Schlosser85]

He’s black. Good lord.

Hannah John-Kamen is half-black. By the logic of Dwayne Johnson playing John Henry, John-Kamen should be fine to play Harriet Tubman.

Except she doesn't remotely look appropriate for the part, like Johnson doesn't.

 

[RockSP]

Hannah John-Kamen is half-black. By the logic of Dwayne Johnson playing John Henry, John-Kamen should be fine to play Harriet Tubman.

Except she doesn't remotely look appropriate for the part, like Johnson doesn't.

Lol. Reminds me of the argument racist fanboys make when a black actor is chosen to play characters like Perry White or Alicia Masters. "How about if [insert white actor here] played Martin Luther King?!!!1!!!!1??"

Tubman is a real person. John Henry is not.

 

[Schlosser85]

Perry White’s race is not relevant to his character.

 

[Erzengel]

I remember regardless that it wasn't a good movie, but one of the characters in the movie Jem was complained about not being Black enough.

I think there's a lot of issues going on in Hollywood. It does seem hypocritical that for Black characters, it seems that some people insist that only full Black people should be only cast. And yet, we get let's be diverse when many of white characters being made Black and people are often made out to be racist for saying they should stay true to their original concepts.

 

[RockSP]

Perry White’s race is not relevant to his character.

The fanboys I mentioned in my previous post were comparing someone playing a fictional character to someone playing a real life person. That was the point you're pretending to have missed.​

I remember regardless that it wasn't a good movie, but one of the characters in the movie Jem was complained about not being Black enough.

I think there's a lot of issues going on in Hollywood. It does seem hypocritical that for Black characters, it seems that some people insist that only full Black people should be only cast. And yet, we get let's be diverse when many of white characters being made Black and people are often made out to be racist for saying they should stay true to their original concepts.

But it's not like those insisting have any real say. The character from Jem was still played by the actor that was complained about. Halle Berry played Storm. Alexandra Shipp played Storm. The Rock played Roadblock. He'll play John Henry in this movie.

 

[Schlosser85]

The fanboys I mentioned in my previous post were comparing someone playing a fictional character to someone playing a real life person. That was the point you're pretending to have missed.​

.

I wasn’t pretending to have missed anything and I understood what you said the first time.

My point was, unlike John Henry, Perry White’s race is irrelevant to his character, hence you comparing me to racist fanboys complaining about it was invalid. Along with not too subtly implying I’m racist, so thanks for that as well.

 

[Manasrepublic]

Who should be cast instead of the Rock?