Will Smith 'casting as Richard Williams' sparks colourism debate

[jolldan]

Colourism debate over Will Smith 'role'

An upcoming biopic about the father of Serena and Venus Williams has faced criticism amid reports that Will Smith will play the lead role.

Richard Williams, 77, coached his daughters to become two of the world's greatest tennis players, despite having no previous experience of the game.

But Smith's reported casting in the film has angered critics, who say he is too light-skinned for the part.

The actor has not yet commented on the reported casting or the criticism.

Colourism is a form of discrimination against dark-skinned people in favour of those with lighter skin from the same race.

It can lead to a lack of representation in film, TV and fashion, particularly in Hollywood and Bollywood, as well as discrimination at work or on dating sites, and even to serious health problems from skin bleaching creams.

What have people been saying?

Smith's casting in the film has not been confirmed. However, after a report from Deadline News claimed that the 50-year-old actor was "poised to play" Mr Williams, many people expressed their anger on social media.

The criticism stems from the fact that Smith is significantly lighter than Mr Williams.

US-based sports writer Clarence Hill Jr tweeted that "colourism matters", and said that Smith wasn't the right choice.

 

[DarkKnight88]

This whole thing feels very racist if we’re going down the rabbit hole of how black is black. People really need to stop and think of what they’re saying.

And where was this “controversy” when Smith played Bennett Omalu?

 

[terry78]

How black is black enough? As a light skinned black dude with freckles that grew up in Gary, I could not answer that question but it had thrust on me every day in school.

 

[Erzengel]

Colourism exists in MANY countries outside of the US. People do lighten their skin and fairer skin people are usually given jobs especially in entertainment over their darker skin country people.

However, it extends further than just skin tone in other aspects as not "acting" more of that specific ethnicity.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I will ask whever we get stuff like this posted... How many are actually raising this as an issue? Cuz I feel that a lot of the times from the usual suspects around here there is some agenda. Sorry but that's how it comes across.

A handful of tweets does't indicate a mass movement around some issue and as is sadly ironic the outrage at the "outrage" is bigger than the original... Uh... Outrage.

 

[Lencho01]

While colorism is an issue all around the world and within Hollywood, I don’t think it’s a part of this. More like Smith is a big name (possibly the biggest) and casting him increases chances of the film getting made and being a success.

 

[jolldan]

I will ask whever we get stuff like this posted... How many are actually raising this as an issue? Cuz I feel that a lot of the times from the usual suspects around here there is some agenda. Sorry but that's how it comes across.

A handful of tweets does't indicate a mass movement around some issue and as is sadly ironic the outrage at the "outrage" is bigger than the original... Uh... Outrage.

The post itself is kind of meant to raise the issue and start discussion.

This is kind of a combative statement, what are these people usual suspects of? Disagreeing with you or not holding the same points of view as you?

Also I didn't take this article from a handful of tweets I took it from an article published on the BBC news website.

 

[Lencho01]

Even though there wasn’t any social media at the time as we have it now, I’d imagine there wasn’t much anger (or Beige rage ) back when Denzel Washington was playing Malcolm X. He’s a darker skinned brother playing a lighter skinned one. But, people know of Washington and his skills. Like can anyone now imagine a different known actor at that time in the same role? Can they imagine a known actor today in that same role?

As I said earlier, colorism is an issue all around. Like many things, some don’t even realize it exists or that they perpetuate the issue. But, I don’t think it’s part of it here. Another thing, I feel like as far as American culture and media goes, colorism is much more of an issue for women. At least most conversations I’ve seen have mostly been in relation to women rather than men.

 

[DarkKnight88]

And I raised the point earlier, nobody gave a crap when Smith played Bennet Omalu in Concusion just 4 years ago.

We’re living in outrage twitter world. They don’t really have an issue, they just like to pretend it’s an issue putting aside the fact that Smith is one of the biggest stars in the world.

 

[Lencho01]

Yeah, the main complaint about that role was the fact that Smith was playing a Nigerian man and his accent was garbage.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

The post itself is kind of meant to raise the issue and start discussion.

This is kind of a combative statement, what are these people usual suspects of? Disagreeing with you or not holding the same points of view as you?

Also I didn't take this article from a handful of tweets I took it from an article published on the BBC news website.

I'm being honest when I state that these type of "stories" get posted here with what I believe is the intent of trying to muddy the waters of any discussion about racial discrimination in Western society. It's intent is to absolve or mitigate the attitudes of some by going "See... SEE! There's racial biases among African-Americans/Asian/Hispanic/Pick and choose your Ethnic or Racial minority, so therefor any criticism of racial bias, racism, any questioning of injustices within the system, any calling out of bigotry is undermined by this singular story". It's a strategy of false equivalency. It's why statements like "Everyone is a little racist" that while true are actually pretty hollow in any important context. It's a dodge. What's funny to me is it's a dodge often used by folk who claim to disdain moral relativism.

And it's also the very flower of the "outrage culture" it thinks it's the polar opposite from given that again, what is the real number of people making an issue about this?

Oh... The BBC has a story on this? And... Big media outfits AREN'T guilty of clickbait stories on "hot button issues" to get more views, right? Also... uh... said BBC piece is literally a collection of Tweets so... Yeah.


What's the tragic aspect is... Colorism IS a thing in mass entertainment in particular in the West and in society in general as a another poster pointed out. It's seen in everything to how people of African descent are presented on the covers of magazines (lightened or darkened many times given what the intentions are) to who gets picked for exposure from music videos to movies. It's an issue that raises it's head in both the African American community as well as among Hispanics of varying nationalities. It should be discussed... But as I stated earlier it looks like it's being brought here to undermine any real talk about racism in the West and absolve the systemic racism apparent to so many.

And yes... There's certainly a group of usual suspects around here that post stuff for that purpose.

 

[jolldan]

I'm being honest when I state that these type of "stories" get posted here with what I believe is the intent of trying to muddy the waters of any discussion about racial discrimination in Western society. It's intent is to absolve or mitigate the attitudes of some by going "See... SEE! There's racial biases among African-Americans/Asian/Hispanic/Pick and choose your Ethnic or Racial minority, so therefor any criticism of racial bias, racism, any questioning of injustices within the system, any calling out of bigotry is undermined by this singular story". It's a strategy of false equivalency. It's why statements like "Everyone is a little racist" that while true are actually pretty hollow in any important context. It's a dodge. What's funny to me is it's a dodge often used by folk who claim to disdain moral relativism.

And it's also the very flower of the "outrage culture" it thinks it's the polar opposite from given that again, what is the real number of people making an issue about this?

Oh... The BBC has a story on this? And... Big media outfits AREN'T guilty of clickbait stories on "hot button issues" to get more views, right? Also... uh... said BBC piece is literally a collection of Tweets so... Yeah.


What's the tragic aspect is... Colorism IS a thing in mass entertainment in particular in the West and in society in general as a another poster pointed out. It's seen in everything to how people of African descent are presented on the covers of magazines (lightened or darkened many times given what the intentions are) to who gets picked for exposure from music videos to movies. It's an issue that raises it's head in both the African American community as well as among Hispanics of varying nationalities. It should be discussed... But as I stated earlier it looks like it's being brought here to undermine any real talk about racism in the West and absolve the systemic racism apparent to so many.

And yes... There's certainly a group of usual suspects around here that post stuff for that purpose.

Nobody is trying to discount or play down any other groups experiences by highlighting and discussing this, I haven't seen anyone do this is this thread so I genuinely don't know where your getting that from.

Im not arguing about what big media outlets publish but you tried to made it sound like I made this of the back off of 1 or 2 tweets which is very different than the front page of BBC the entertainment news. This is not a story I when searching for to fit a narrative it was something that was very easy to come across.

Right you are really losing me now, you started by saying these stories were just raised to muddy the waters and you end by saying it should be discussed? You could have easily done that with your first post and I would have been happy to go back and fourth with you, instead of this which just seemed like a passive aggressive post.

Curious do I now fall in to this list of undesirables? I honestly can't think of many times where I have agreed with you or Elektra on really any subjects but I don't assume either of you have an agenda because of that. I just assume you have different opinions.

 

[Web-Head]

Warner Bros. Wins 'King Richard' With Will Smith to Play Father of Serena and Venus Williams

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Did you know that Will Smith is the first actor to play the role of a white character in a comic book movie? A major role and not a side character like Billy Dee Williams played Harvey Dent.

Was there any backlash to gender swapping a character in that 90s biopic; Patch Adams?

 

[DarkKnight88]

Was there any backlash to gender swapping a character in that 90s biopic; Patch Adams?

Gah?

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Gah?

Yhe film had a lot of fictionalized elements including creating a female character who they made to take on aspects of a man from the real life Patch Adams story.

 

[chamber-music]

While colorism is an issue all around the world and within Hollywood, I don’t think it’s a part of this. More like Smith is a big name (possibly the biggest) and casting him increases chances of the film getting made and being a success.

Yep.

They most likely cast Will Smith because he is a big name actor rather than because they didn't want a darker complexion actor in the role.

Unless there is evidence they turned down darker actors like Mahershala Ali or Don Cheadle then I don't know how anyone can just to the conclusion that the casting was colorist.

If they cast some light skin or biracial girls as the young Williams sisters then things might look a bit questionable.

 

[Schlosser85]

Did you know that Will Smith is the first actor to play the role of a white character in a comic book movie? A major role and not a side character like Billy Dee Williams played Harvey Dent.

Was there any backlash to gender swapping a character in that 90s biopic; Patch Adams?

You contradicted yourself from your first sentence to your second one.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Too bad it isn't Elba. I read him as a suggestion the other day, and now I can't get it out of my head.

 

[Lencho01]

Yep.

They most likely cast Will Smith because he is a big name actor rather than because they didn't want a darker complexion actor in the role.

Unless there is evidence they turned down darker actors like Mahershala Ali or Don Cheadle then I don't know how anyone can just to the conclusion that the casting was colorist.

If they cast some light skin or biracial girls as the young Williams sisters then things might look a bit questionable.

Yeah, like I said about colorism mostly being talked about with regards to women... the casting of Williams sisters would probably be a bigger deal if they’re not dark skinned.

 

[Amano Jyaku]

This issue is a good example of the good and bad of everyone having a voice due to social media. There is a reason why the world has become much more PC than in previous years, it's because the internet and evolution of social media has allowed anyone and everyone an outlet to say anything and everything that typically only is heard in inner circles or smaller venues.

The good: "Colorism" for example, has always been a thing in America where darker skinned black people see lighter skinned black people as having a higher advantage to succeed outside of a black community. Prior to today's social media environment, it's never been a primary newsworthy focus but I've heard about it since I was in middle-school and high school attending schools that were majority African-American. Jokes about "high yellow" people from darker skinned classmates definitely existed and from the veeeerrry little research I've done, have been around since at least the late 19th century. Social media is now the outlet for thoughts about issues like this to be voiced, heard and critiqued. Someone somewhere in a position of influence will take notes and possibly adjust ways they handle things in the future...that's how changes are made.

The bad: Resistance to change. Majority of people don't like change. It's that simple. Changing habits, thoughts, traditional processes, underwear, etc. People become frustrated when new ideas (new to them, at least) are brought up and they don't see things like this as a "big deal" because for them, it isn't a big deal. But it is a big deal for some people and those in positions of influence (the all knowing "they", "them", "the man", etc.) have just started to lean towards accommodating to a vocal minority in order to maintain a semblance of harmony in our society. Does accommodating something like casting skin-tone accurate actors/actresses to the real-life people they are portraying hurt anybody? I don't see a negative in doing this and the people who want this would be appeased and find some form of satisfaction in gaining momentum on a ball that started rolling a long time ago.

Now, if this were posted in a forum that wasn't as nice as this one...I'd await the incoming barrage of "it's not a big deal", "grow a thicker skin", "quit b******* about nothing" comments.

 

[Da-Scribe]

Like I said in another thread, I get the point being made here, but I also don’t see colorism in Hollywood as being much of a male issue. If it were Venus and Serena casting, I’d get it. But there’s no disproportion in the acting gigs afforded to darker skinned black males than lighter skinned.

To be very frank, I once spoke with a casting director for a class who let me know the kinda roles I could expect as a light skinned black man. And none of them were for blacks. Hollywood doesn’t favor light skinned black men in the way it does light skinned black women.

 

[Schlosser85]

Like I said in another thread, I get the point being made here, but I also don’t see colorism in Hollywood as being much of a male issue. If it were Venus and Serena casting, I’d get it. But there’s no disproportion in the acting gigs afforded to darker skinned black males than lighter skinned.

To be very frank, I once spoke with a casting director for a class who let me know the kinda roles I could expect as a light skinned black man. And none of them were for blacks. Hollywood doesn’t favor light skinned black men in the way it does light skinned black women.

Did they want to cast you as Hispanic or something?

 

[Da-Scribe]

Did they want to cast you as Hispanic or something?

That and Middle Eastern. He followed that up by specifically telling me Hollywood still was still figuring out what to do with people that had my look. This was 2012 mind you.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

You contradicted yourself from your first sentence to your second one.

OBJECTION.
Elaborate explanation was supposed to give me a bit of a leeway.