In the recently released film New in Town, did you know Renée Zellweger was supposed to be Angela Bassett or Gabrielle Union? That is, Ms. Zellweger’s character was originally written for an African American actress. I honestly didn’t give much thought to the opening of this movie (and based on its weekend box office, neither did anyone else) until I read this piece in The Root, detailing how Kenneth Rance, the African American screenwriter of the movie, watched it go from a vehicle for a black actress, as he originally conceived it, to a vehicle for Ms. Zellweger. Rance’s experience is fascinating, if not a little sad.
Then today, I ran across this post from popular conservative blogger La Shawn Barber about the evolution of the movie and the sacrifices artists sometimes make to get their art out there. Ms. Barber has a personal connection to the story, and she poses a thought-provoking scenario for all of us to ponder:
Imagine yourself in [Kenneth] Rance’s situation. Someone wants to buy your work and make your movie, which no doubt will open doors and build your network of people in the business who can help get subsequent movies off the ground. But there’s a catch.
Is changing the race (sex, religion, nationality, etc.) of your main characters a small price to pay?
Great question. Well, what do you think?
Reconciliation Blog 
Sometimes characters, who were written White, are cast as Black actors. A classic example is “Red” from Shawshank Redemption. Morgan Freeman’s character of Red is supposed to be a White, middle-aged Irishman, but the casting team couldn’t turn down Freeman’s performance. However, this is a rare occurrence and I don’t know of any cast that has completely shifted races.
I understand the choice Rance made, though I wonder if he actually had any sway in this decision.
However I ask. Why couldn’t the cast be black? Or even multi-racial? Why couldn’t it be an interracial love story? – was an interracial romance the original intent?
I don’t blame the studio for this issue, they are worried about making money. The reality is, generally films about interracial or black romance don’t have the same commercial success. Though they are truthful, honest and express a positive progressiveness, the story of interracial love doesn’t strike a cord with views black or white. And stories of black romance and life has limited success outside the African – American world (how many popular romantic moves include African-American characters?)
While Will Smith and Eva Mendes pulled off Hitch, the romance was between two minorities and there was a concurrent romantic story with two white Characters. Something New, with Sanaa Latham, was the story of Inter-racial romance. Although it made some great cultural commentary and was a decent love story its total gross was less than the opening weekend gross of Music and Lyrics, with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant.
I wish that the film would have come out as written. The film should have come out as written. Having no, or few, romantic movies with main Characters that are African-American or another ethnic minority furthers the non-normalcy of interracial romance and gives Americans, of all ethnic backgrounds and improper view of the reality romance.
This sounds like a case of life imitating art! I recently watched the movie “For Your Consideration,” which humorously tells the story of a movie being created about a Jewish family celebrating Purim. By the time the movie execs are done with the movie, it’s a completely secular family celebrating Thanksgiving.
I couldn’t help but draw some mental parallels when I was reading your post.
i like your blog very much, love you
Great comments. Thanks for your feedback.
Molly, so nice to see you here. Thanks for chiming in. I haven’t seen “For Your Consideration,” but it sounds hilarious. I’ll have to put it on the rental list.
Blackwasp, that’s a good observation about the instances where white characters were cast with nonwhite actors. Of course, that seems to be the exception in the greater scheme of Hollywood.
Personally, I probably would’ve done exactly what Kenneth Rance did–break into the system, and try to make a difference once I’ve established myself. At least that’s what I’d hope to do.
As a writer, sometimes I’ve faced such decisions (though perhaps one could say it’s on a smaller scale). There are times when it has broken my heart to say no to a big opportunity because the publisher wanted to take the very heart out of a piece. Other times, if a publisher wanted changes but they didn’t threaten the heart of the piece, I acquiesced.
I believe that whenever we sell our art, whatever form our art takes, we face these questions. It’s quite personal, in the end, how we make the decisions. Also, can we refrain from selling our souls along the way? This is a challenge.
A mildly related comment:
Ironically, I originally found LaShawn Barber’s blog because I was looking for pictures of Hanson (you know, mmmBop). Hanson is my favorite band, and it turns out LaShawn loves them too.
They made a documentary about the making of their third album, Underneath. They eventually had to break their contract with their record label because the label interfered so much with their work.
It’s called “Strong Enough to Break” and is free on iTunes and is also on YouTube. It’s an interesting look at the inside of a big record label, even if you think you don’t like Hanson 🙂
I worked as a professional actor for many years, and have often struggled with race based casting because as an “African-American” it most always worked against me (Though in the theatre I could always look forward to February when the slew of “Black” plays would come out in celebration of Black History month) Lol. I’ve worked with some people in the industry who are well regarded and once I had to tell a director, “If you are only going to seek us out on shows that are explicitly directed at “Blacks” please do not seek me out unless you are willing to consider casting me across color-lines on “mainstream” productions”. He wasa true to his word, and did so. Perhaps being able to cast a caucasion in a role originally intended for an African-American is a sign of progress, or potential future credibility, but to working actors who are minorities, this really does seem to reinforce the status quo. It was Robert Duvall who only a few years ago said that Hollywood remains one of “The most racist industries in the country”, despite public perceptions. If only every month were “February” in Hollywood.
“If only every month were February in Hollywood.”
Wow.
This news irks me, Ed. I’m NOT a fan of Hollywood to begin with, but this just confirms my perception that there is this rampant bacterium of social elitism in “the industry”, which is balanced only by a failure to actually abide by the social justice which is so self-righteously preached. The academy is quick to award films with profound and edgy takes on themes such as racism in America, yet behind the scenes, this kind of thing (the “New In Town” story) goes on, all in the name of “making a buck”. Yuck.
It seems they’re kind of setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy. Has anyone really GIVEN an black/white interracial romance story a CHANCE, lately, for instance? With A-list talent? And promoted it in the mainstream? I’m not a movie fanatic (due to my lack of time or ability to sit still for 2 hours at once, and also due to my aforementioned disdain for all things Hollywood), so I could be mistaken here… but it seems the producers were assuming that only a whitewashed cast would sell… and now look at the flop it’s been anyway! That’s the irony in this whole thing. If Rance would’ve stood his ground, laid down an ultimatum, or whatever… would it have been any less successful?
If only every month were February in America.
I think that the economics of this are a “real” issue. I have a rather well off friend who recently attempted to work with a few others including some Christians in Hollywood to set up a studio to do major motion pictures with serious content and a high level of creativity but out of a Christian worldview. Their eye was on movies like Juno as far as both creativity and potential success if not exact approach.
But the reality is that as an investor they looked at the whole venture through the lens of risk. For this group of high net worth folks, it ended up just not making sense. It’s a HUGE risk requiring substantial capital (millions) to make the “bet”, most often with no upside and easily with a big downside. The current economic condition makes the bet a bigger gamble, something that investors are shying away from.
It is sad to say but our current economy makes it less likely that hollywood will take what it sees as “gambles” and instead will make the “safer bet” every-time, which means less work for non-whites. I hope I’m wrong but its just one more way in which the old saying may be true: when White America catches a cold, Black America gets the flu.
I think this is just one area where Hollywood is out of touch with the mainstream public. They seem to think that the viewing public is ok with African American men, Denzel, Will Smith, etc. but not African American women. That doesn’t make much sense to me and I really don’t think it’s true.
Maybe if they made some quality G or PG rated family films occasionally (which have the highest ratings) they’d have money to take what is perceived to be a risk.
Judy,the issue of African-American women is very true. When we think of popular leading African-American actors we at least have a handful. When we think of prominent leading African-American actresses we think of Halle Berry, who is Bi-racial.
Tyson, you alluded to the racial hypocrisy in Hollywood. I think part of that is because talking about racial issues is controversial, which sells. Having more integrated casts – including a romance flick that happens to be interracial – is promoting normalcy. What would be just would be to have more movies where minorities were casts as characters rather than as minorities.
Despite our likes or dislikes with Hollywood, it is part of today’s public square. It shapes and informs millions. We can find as much fault with that as we wish, but that doesn’t mean others will.
I am also no fan of Hollywood. African Americans have demonstrated through Tyler Perry films that they will spend money. But even Perry went through this same thing. Yet he started out on the chiltin African American theatre circuit and slowly built an audience. He then turned his plays…into movies complete with a built in audience and somehow reached a young cross-over audience. Young people seemed interested and comfortable with interracial themed movies and even all black movies. Maybe this is a result of the crossover appeal of R&B and hiphop.
The telling aspect of this is since Obama won, there is more talk about the browning of America. Yet this is not reflected in Hollywood movies at all. I believe at some point (maybe 30 years) if this continues, it will become a problem because it is predicted that America will be minority white by then.