Dwayne Johnson is John Henry

[RockSP]

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.

I wasn't calling you racist. And you say you didn't miss anything but obviously you did. The point of comparing you to to them...once again...is that since they had a problem with a black actor playing a white fictional character, they could've picked a black fictional character and suggested a white actor should play that character. Instead they inexplicably picked a real life person, derailing any validity to their argument. You did a similar thing trying to compare John-Kamen playing a real life person to The Rock playing the fictional John Henry.

 

[terry78]

The Rock probably has the best of both worlds considering how ambiguous he can play characters. Being half black he can pretty much do something like this and no one can technically say it's not accurate.

 

[the last son]

Bet money he'll step down.

 

[Erzengel]

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.

I know there is a real issue in Caribbean, Asian countries of trying to look whiter. The actors you just mentioned, however back in 2000, there wasn't that many more popular Black actress than Halle Berry, may get the benefit of roles due to "more pleasing" features.

My point still is the double standard of say turning Black Canary black, but let's not give the Rock a role because he isn't Black enough. Which is something that is slurred at people in the Black community.

 

[Da-Scribe]

There is no world where I would not think The Rock is black. The idea that he's not black enough to play this fictional black character is nonsense.

 

[Aximili86]

Guys, again. Dwayne doesn't look straight-up full-blood Polynesian either. Would anyone seriously be complaining about him playing some Hawaiian king in a period movie or whatever? God no. Everyone would be on the "whoo, representation!" train with no qualms.

He's as much African-American as he is Samoan. He's a big movie star that's bankable. Sure, in a perfect world maybe you go with someone of a darker look, but it's hardly some huge deal. Johnson's got legitimate claim to being an African-American, he sure as hell would have been treated as such back in segregation days. It's fine.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Who should be cast instead of the Rock?

Scarlett Johannsen.

 

[Erzengel]

I'd take Johansson or Emma Stone, she plays Asian pretty well.

 

[Manasrepublic]

LMAO

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Michael Jai White would've been a great John Henry or Michael B. Jordan.

 

[Melpardus]

I don't think he's the right person to play the role for all the reasons that have been brought up about the character himself (who actually might've been based on a real person) and Johnson's relation to his blackness (not that I think he's necessarily a bad person because of it), but I'm not as vehemently against it as some people are, perhaps just because I don't have the energy for it. If we're talking big actors, I'd have preferred to see Terry Crews or Winston Duke in the role, though this seems like an ideal project to have casted a lesser known actor.

For the record, there is a teaser trailer out:

 

[daddydivine]

There is no world where I would not think The Rock is black. The idea that he's not black enough to play this fictional black character is nonsense.

Pretty sure The Rock had to show receipts he was half black before most even knew. I don't know any half black actors that look white enough to play Hercules.

Still he doesn't hide the fact and it's doubtful this movie even gets made without The Rock.

 

[RockSP]

Pretty sure The Rock had to show receipts he was half black before most even knew. I don't know any half black actors that look white enough to play Hercules.

I don't think he looks like a white guy...I've read many people over the years saying they thought he was "just" Samoan. But as far as half black actors looking white enough (though not necessarily for Hercules because muscles), Vin Diesel (as long as he keeps his head shaved) and Wentworth Miller play white characters all the time.

 

[Schlosser85]

Johnson does not look white. But he doesn't look black either. To look at him I'd think he was Samoan.

 

[samsnee]

Because he is technically Samoan. I wouldn't characterize him as African American at all.

 

[Aximili86]

He's no more "technically" Samoan than he is "technically" black, for gods's sake. He has one parent of each, a foot in each background.

To reiterate: would you say Johnson shouldn't be playing Samoan guys, because he's "not full Samoan"? Some consistency would be good.

Put Dwayne in Doc Brown's time machine, dump him in 1950s Alabama. Are the whiteys going to be treating Dwayne as a black guy? Bet your ass they would be. He's black. He's just also Samoan.

 

[RockSP]

As they say "even a broken clock..."

 

[Schlosser85]

Because he is technically Samoan. I wouldn't characterize him as African American at all.

He's as much African-American (well, African-Canadian technically) as he is Samoan.

 

[Da-Scribe]

As a light skinned person, the idea that he doesn't look black is one the silliest things I've read on the Hype. It's also wildly offensive. We come in a lot of colors.

 

[Erzengel]

As someone who's mixed race, it's nice that other people can tell me what I am.

 

[Punisher_MAX]

I love it when "progressives" and SJW types cannibalize themselves

 

[Schlosser85]

Pretty sure The Rock had to show receipts he was half black before most even knew. I don't know any half black actors that look white enough to play Hercules.

Still he doesn't hide the fact and it's doubtful this movie even gets made without The Rock.

I used to think he was just Samoan.

 

[samsnee]

I didn't realize one of his parents was African American. I thought they were both Samoan, which is why I made my original comment.

 

[Schlosser85]

His dad is Black Nova Scotian, descended from African-Americans who moved to Canada after fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War.

 

[RockSP]

I didn't realize one of his parents was African American. I thought they were both Samoan, which is why I made my original comment.

​

I assumed he was half black. But yes, I always pictured John Henry as more darker skinned.

But considering he's also played Hercules, clearly it isn't a big deal for him.