Casting of Thandie Newton As An Igbo Woman Causes Controversy, But Is It Fair?
Yesterday, it was announced that British-born actress Thandie Newton will star in the film adaptation of Ngozi Adichie’s award-winning novel Half Of A Yellow Sun. The 2006 book, which won the Orange Prize for Fiction, tells the story of the Nigerian-Biafran War from the perspectives of several different people: a professor, a young boy, a political figure, and a British citizen.
Newton is set to play one of the main roles along side fellow Brit, Chiwetel Ejiofor. While many see this as a step in the right direction for Hollywood, which has been slow to allow films featuring actors of color in leading roles, not everyone is happy Newton will be anchoring the film.
Nearly as quickly as it was announced that Newton, a biracial woman whose mother is Zimbabwean and father is white, would be starring in the film, a petition demanding the film be recast sprang up. Apparently, some are angry that the film’s producers picked Newton instead of casting an Igbo woman.
The petitioners write:
The main characters in this book are Igbo. Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, and they were also the main victims of this horrifying war. Upon hearing that Half of a Yellow Sun, a wonderfully written book, would be adapted for the big screen, I like other Igbos were extremely excited. However, I am disturbed by the casting of Thandie Newton as an Igbo woman.
Igbo people, like any other people range in physical characteristics as well as complexion. However, the majority of Igbos are dark brown in complexion. Igbo people do not look like the bi-racial Thandie Newton. Thandie Newton is an accomplished and talented actress in her own right. However, she is not Igbo, she is not Nigerian, and she does not physically resemble Igbo women in the slightest.
The petition continues:
This petition is important, because we live in a world where mass media sells us the belief that white, and anything close to white is right, and black is not only wrong, it is unattractive, and undesirable. We are indoctrinated into these beliefs consciously and sub-consciously through media images. Like many other countries in Africa, Nigeria suffers from the epidemic of skin bleaching. Many Nigerian women buy lotions, to lighten their once dark skin to become lighter. This practice has not only severe medical side effects, it is preaching an acceptance of self hate. The media plays a large role in how people, especially women view themselves. The casting of Thandie Newton as an Igbo woman is not only false, it helps promote the idea that light skin and curly hair is the only way black woman can be represented in the media, because that is the only way they are attractive. This casting choice is an abomination to Igboland.
This is indeed a tricky subject.
While it is understandable to want to see a film accurately reflect its subject, getting a film made in Hollywood is difficult enough and would be nearly impossible without having well-known actors leading the cast.
Also, if all films had to use actors who matched a fictional character’s ethnicity, nationality, or profession, how many films would make it to theaters?
Was Don Cheadle less convincing in Hotel Rwanda because he wasn’t from the region? Should Idris Elba not have been able to play Heimdall’s in ‘Thor’? Should Angela Bassett not have been cast as Rosa Parks because her skin isn’t as light as the Civil Rights hero?
Where is the line between allowing actors to act and wanting to stay true to the subject matter?
Clearly, there are no easy answers and the media has a history of “whitewashing” the stories of people of color. One look at any film featuring “Native Americans” and it’s clear that instead of using Indigenous actors, many directors chose to use white people with “darkened” skin. So this issue is, sadly, nothing new.
Either way, I commend the petitioners for standing up for what they believe in and continuing to hold filmmakers accountable for the images they choose to put on screen.
What do you think? Should Thandie Newton’s role be recast with an Igbo woman?
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here’s the petition for folks who are interested: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-casting-of-thandie-newton-in-half-of-a-yellow-sun-reconsider-casting-of-half-of-a-yellow-sun
I read article and while I understand Ashley’s perspective and concerns, I don’t see this particular casting as necessarily off base as far as complexion goes. I am dark skinned, but my brother and sister are both very light skinned. We are not multiracial and both my mother and father are from the same village.
Just because most of the people in Ashley’s village are not light skinned, it does not mean that many Igbos are not. In fact, growing up in Nigeria, the term Igbo yellow was often used to refer to the fact that many Igbos are in fact light skinned. To be honest, Thandie could stand next to a few Igbo women I know, who are not biracial and her skin tone would match theirs.
Half of a yellow sun is a brilliant, beautiful book. I read it over the course of three days and was completely riveted. I remember thinking then that it must be brought to the big screen and if Chiwetel (who I adore) and Thandie were cast then I pray they can do the characters justice. I am less concerned with her coloring and more concerned with her range.
All in all, I would hate to see this reduced to another discussion about colorism and how we as black people hate ourselves and hate on each other.
Actually, the other day, I was wondering how my parents managed to raise us, four children, two light skinned like my father and two dark skinned like my mother and honestly we never had issues of color in our house. Whatever esteem issues I had, came from the span of my hips and not the shade of my skin. Which I have always loved. Milk Chocolate, my mother used to tell me that when I was little. You are milk chocolate. I remember once asking her about my sister…she said…she was like white chocolate. At the end of the day, bottom line is that all chocolate is sweet.
Now Ashley does have a point. Colorism is alive and well in Nigeria. Many people believe and propagate the notion that light is right and if you are black, get back. Hydroquinone bleaching products are commonly used by many. It is indeed a issue we need to address.
However, Thandie’s casting, to me, is not an issue. It is not an abomination. It is, simply casting. I hope she can do the role justice.
Ekene, sista, dalu.
That was beautiful comment about the perception of skin color within an Igbo family.
“Milk Chocolate, my mother used to tell me that when I was little. You are milk chocolate. I remember once asking her about my sister…she said…she was like white chocolate. At the end of the day, bottom line is that all chocolate is sweet.”
Love this! I wish more Black families will instill these values in their children. Light or dark, neither is more of less beautiful than the other.
an interesting take. hadn’t quite looked at it like this.
grace
Good for you. Now what?
Thandie newton is alright with me, as long as she can interprete the role very well, ironically no one raised any eye brow when djimon hounsou was considered for the role of kratos in god of war ( a movie adaptation of a game based on greek mythology )
Yes, many caucasian people had a fit when he was cast, oh, sorry, I was thinking of Idris Elba in Thor.
I am Nigerian and if you had asked me before now, I would have said that the movie adaptation should be an All-Nigerian cast. But that could’ve only been possible if it were Nollywood produced.
Since it’s not, I can understand the thought behind choosing the named actors. Thandie Newton is half-African, and more than that, she’s a great actress and highly recognizable by both UK and the US movie goers. She has also been nominated for several awards, maybe this will be her first Oscar nod, and win?
Anyway, I’m too excited to worry about the politics of race at this stage. I wish them the best, and look forward to the movie. If you haven’t read the book, now is the time to do so. I loved it, I laughed, I cried, I learnt a lot, and I highly recommend it.
I loved the book; I paused so many times to just take in the wisdom of what she had written and absorb the words slowly. It is a phenomenally enjoyable book.
Agree with both of the above. I look forward to the film as well. I literally swallowed HOAYS the day I bought it – could not put it down.
Sophie Okenedo would have made me TRIPLE happy!
As a black British woman I completely understand why there is an outcry regarding the casting of Thandie Newton as Igbo. This is not to say that Thandie Newton is a bad actress , I think that she will do the best job possible. However, I’m getting increasing frustrated that the British media are always promoting light-skinned beauty or bi -racial beauty and often marginalizing dark skinned skin, non European features women in film, television and fashion. It’s does not surprised me that the funders of this film feel more comfortable putting Netwon as a lead rather than Nikki -Amuka Bird who I think would have fixed the character perfectly in terms of looks and performance. However, in Britain just like the US they still have a issue of seeing a dark skinned women as desirable. I strongly feel that this casting decision continues the ‘light is better’ mentality which has grown steady and more strongly within the UK over the past decade.
I wasn’t terribly aware that colorism is that much of an issue among Igbos these days. Our Nollywood actress range from light to dark without much of a preference of one over the other. I would suppose that Thandie’s colour is not the main issue here for if the role was given to Sophie Okenedo, who is biracial, light-skinned, but Nigerian, we probably would have this conversation. Regardless of Olanna’s colour in the book, we probably would have not cared so much if the role went to Okenedo. I think it boils down to the fact that Thandie’s is not Nigerian AND ontop of that she’s lighter skinned than most, making it seem as if her skin color adds insult to injury.
As for why other Nollywood actresses were skipped over, let’s get serious with ourselves. If you were Chimamanda with such international acclaim, the last thing you would do is to rubbish your image by allowing your book to be adapted to a Nigerian home movie, more or less. Achebe did it and got away with, but the reputation of a movelist these days isnt so resilient. Name recognition in the filmwouldhelp to distinguish you from the run if the mill works manufactured on Pound Rd, Aba. I admit, Nollywood has made some AMAZING strides in the past decade but you cannot compare the acting chops of Genevieve or Stephanie Okereke to that of a Thandie’s Newton. Genevieve is largely one-dimensional, and so is Okereke. If Adichie is planning a major international film with this book, the last thing she needs is to provide an avenue for such actresses to practice. Though, I think it she did, i would consider it a rather self-less and patriotic gesture. But to pair Nnaji with seasoned western actors like Chinetel Ejiofor would be an eye sore.
I meant, “would not.” if it were Sophie, we wouldn’t mind much.
There’s more to this than skin color and the fact that Thandie Newton is not Nigerian. He total set of features really does not illustrate what they character most likely looked like. There are Nigerian women with her skin tone, but let’s consider the rest of her features. Is her look specific to the indigenous people of the region portrayed in this project?
No.
And, why is a person with a half European biracial phenotype being used for this role, anyway. What type of message does that send?
i have said it that nigerian have inferiority complex issue. the only difference between chiwetel ejiofor and genevieve nnaji is the quality of script they work with, directors and professionalism in the industry they are in. chiwetel in an industry like nollywood will be irrelevant cos he is an actor that fly’s under the radar and with all his talent, he needs IT factor to push him forward. that is one thing idris elba has that chiwetel ejiofor doesn’t even though he has more talent.
genevieve nnaji has IT and she is graciously talented. there is nothing chiwetel or thandie can do with the director of half of a yellow sun that she can not do. oh don’t get me started with how bad thandie was in coloured girls. which actor shines with bad scripts and directors? mstchew.
The difference between Nnaji and Ejiofor is a number of golden globe nominations, critically acclaimed international films and breadth of experience. I love Nnaji and find her to be a pioneer in the Nollywood film industry but you can’t compare her experience to that of Ejiofor – and this is not necessarily her fault. There’s a reason Nollywood actors have not crossed over to more international arenas.
And anyone who says they lived in Nigeria for 35 years and has not met a biracial Nigerian must have lived under a rock, and I don’t mean Aso rock. You’re telling me you’ve never heard of the offensive term, “half caste” used towards biracial Nigerians – I don’t know, maybe it’s an SEastern thing.
As for colorism in Nigeria, I think among more modern Nigerians, it is not too much of an issue. We ridicule people who bleach their skin and our fashion and movie industries are incredibly diverse in terms of hues. We also represent a diversity of facial characteristics as well.
Like I said I look forward to the movie. I think the main gripe her is that we have a supposedly pro-Nigeria author who is producing a movie without Nigerians, save for Ejiofor. In one of her NY Times or New Yorker article she praised Nigerians for now producing their own hip hop and proudly playing it in clubs and such (compared to when she was growing up) and then said that she wishes that when she was growing up she wishes she saw more Nigerian authors to read and is now proud of the Nigerian publishing industry. She goes around with native attire and recently switched her name from Amanda to Chimamanda in order to further demonstrate her pro-Nigerianess. However, she is now making a movie that is devoid of Nigerian actors. I can see the hypocrisy, but punishing Thandie Newton for being half-white doesn’t make much sense to me. And reviving colorism again when Nigerian young people are making strides away from it is sort of a waste of times. In the Nigerian media pretty is pretty is pretty whether you’re as dark as Mercy Johnson or as light as Lillian Bach or Caroline Ekanem (both biracial actresses, who have since left the industry).
i repeat and stand on the truth that “thandie does not look like the igbo women with nigerian parents and heritage i have mingled with all my 35years in nigeria”. am not a child honey don’t twist my words and get offensive. am a yoruba woman with biracial relatives who are yorubas and i have met a couple of biracial igbo women but biracial igbos or biracial yorubas are not pure igbos or pure yorubas including my very own cousins. they are mixed hence its inaccurate that they represent the FBIs (full blooded indigens) cos they are not! even in that we accept them and they shouldn’t feel left out. nigerians are not the racist americans who will see mariah carey and call her black when her skin is white, we are very hospitable that’s why the chinese, indians and all race thrive here. i have nothing against ms. newton’s being half white, am against the film makers casting her as a nigerian woman who ought to be an FBI. it sucks!
golden globe nominations, critically acclaimed international films and breadth of experience is all possible for chiwetel ejiofor due to the industry he is in, wrong? will chiwetel accomplish all those if he works in the industry genevieve nnaji works in? my point is chiwetel and genevieve are both very talented, it doesn’t matter to me that chiwetel trained to be an actor and works in hollywood cos as long as bringing a character to life convincingly is the primary goal of an actor, him and genevieve are on same boat talent wise hence it can not be an eye sore to pair them together. or was it eyes sore when young chiwetel from theatres was paired with morgan freeman and anthony hopkins in amistad? genevieve does not only have talent, she is a full fledged star in her own rights and have even more fanbase than chiwetel so what’s with the eye sore underrating comment? golden globes nominations? am sorry i don’t need gloden globes or oscars to tell me who is a good actor and who is not, its humans who vote and hand out those awards, and i won’t wait until whites endorse someone before i say they are great. genevieve nnaji is great, period.
as for chimamnda, when tongues that have blessed her in her land begins to curse her, she will no the gravity of what she is doing by letting the so called white toffs tell igbos and nigerians how they look. people are waiting for her to speak, she better remain silent than support the casting of thandie as a light skinned igbo woman.
Nne, Well done! You have cleverly Identified the main reasons this movie should not be lowered to nollywood standards. Once again, Well done!
Something to consider: I wonder if Chimamanda will issue a statement of agreement, concerning the casting choice. She must have said yes, no? I also remember that one of the sisters in the book was lighter than the other.
Since people involved in projects like this are often required to sign non-disclosure agreements (can’t bad mouth the project publicly), we may never know the author’s real feelings about it unless something “slips out” well after it’s made. If anything, she’ll probably issue a generic statement supporting Thandie’s work and talent.
“Also, if all films had to use actors who matched a fictional character’s ethnicity, nationality, or profession, how many films would make it to theaters?”
They could, at least, try to match the fictional character’s phenotype. What’s the likelihood that the fictional character looked like Newton if they are Igbo from Nigeria during that era?
It’s not that likely. Why do we act as there aren’t a variety of phenotypes specific to the black race, and these differences do have historical, ethnic, ideological, cultural and social implications. One type of black look isn’t every black look. And one type of ‘black look’ can’t represent ‘every black look’ – it can’t be used, and shouldn’t be used, to tell all the different types of stories there are to relay regarding ‘black people’.
Yes, more authenticity in Hollywood film casting is needed, especially in regards to blacks and other minorities.
It looks the the film may be shot in Kenya, not Nigeria. I would be more concerned about that. Kenya, not Nigeria? Now that is some bull!
Dont really care who is cast as long as they interprete this story and the movie has as much or greater impact on its audience as the book.
The reality is that for this movie has a better chance of being globally successful with recognised hollywood actors and actresses. So lets put the bickering aside and wish it welll. For those saying Igbos as a people would be upset with Chiamanda for allowing the casting of Thandie, give me a break. I think the Igbo people would be more concerned about having their daughter and sister succeed and reminding the world of the horrors of the Biafran war than to be distracted by skin colour expecially since you are more likely to come across women who are even more naturally fairer skinned than Thandie in the streets of Owerri and Nsukka.
My mum is light skinned (lighter skinned than Thandie) with brown eyes, my dad is dark skinned. My sisters and I are all light skinned like my mum, we used to be called “yellow pawpaw” when we were younger, my brothers are dark skinned, I have a cousin, who is fair skinned with green eyes and my mum’s older brother is fair skinned with grey eyes while my Dad’s younger brother is very fair skinned with brown eyes and on my father’s side of the family, we have an uncle so fair, he is actually considered an albino. And my family is in no way unique. So people in from my town will not find Thandie such a shock.
Besides, Thandie would pull more international audience to the cinema than any Nigerian actress. Fact.
This will be the first movie based on a book written by an internationally acclaimed author who just happens to be an igbo woman. Lets just wish her the best and hope that the movie is as successful as the book. Its success will inspire others and who knows in a couple of years we might get a movie adaptation to another successful igbo author’s novel with the lead role played by someone who will satisfy all stakeholders.
@adaeze, I don’t know if you’re comments are directed to me, but from my comments above, I too look forward to the movie Thandie Newton or not. I think Thandie’s colour is a non-issue. I am merely suggesting that if people want to protest something, protest the fact that the movie is not based in Nigeria or that it does not feature at least one or two Nollywood actresses. The colorism argument to me, is petty, shameful, and divisive especially considering that Newton has publicly complained about racism and now from her own, she faces colorism. And as I said before, if Adichie wants to continue her international acclaim, hollywood actors makes sense. However, the next time she talks about the need for us to invest in homegrown talents (in music, the arts and entertainment) or the need to promote our own stories, I will take it with a HUGE grain of salt. Again, I am excited about the movie, but I would have liked to see more of her commitment to Nigerian stories by promoting our actors and actresses. And as you can tell from the name, I am Igbo, and Thandie’s colour is not foreign to me. In fact I have seen her so-called European features in the sotheast as well.
I agree that Thandie has been miscast she doesn’t fit the description of the main characters in the book. It’s not just because she’s mixed race, there are mixed race women that would fit she’s just not one of them.
Usually that wouldn’t bother me but in this case its important to plot and characterisation. There aren’t that many main roles which specifically call for darker skinned black women in film if they weren’t going to pick a Nigerian actress I’m puzzled as to why they would pick the eurocentric mixed race phenotype when the role doesn’t call for it.
Thandie is a good actress but it looks like soon we’ll have a situation where white women are playing mixed race women and mixed race women are playing dark skinned black women (in fictional adaptations and biopics only, the following applies elsewhere). And dark skinned Black women are playing bit roles as maids and best friends with sassy one liners ….hold on a sec that’s already the case
In Tropical Thunder, Robert Downy Jr played a black man. Are you all going to boycott?
As a light skinned Nigerian from the east, I can confirm that Thandie Newton would EASILY pass for an igbo woman. Igbo women are light skinned as well as dark skinned, so the petioners have no grounds in saying Thandie shouldn’t play the role. It makes no sense when she does actually look igbo!! Now, if the producers have purposely chosen a light skinned actress and not the best actress for the role, then there’s a problem. But hopefully, they’ve investigated all the facts otherwise they just sound like they have issues with light skinned people, which is even a BIGGER problem. Anyways rant over!
I loved the book and look forward to seeing it on the big screen. Well done Chimamanda!!
No, she doesn’t have igbo features even though she is “light skin”. her features are european. DUHHHHH!!!
I agree with tired-of-airheads. It’s more than skin tone. Even with all the women I listed in my comment below, they have more phenotypically European features. Narrow noses, soft or straight hair, thin lips, thin bodies…. sMh.
People will make excuses for this, but it’s happened time and time again. Don’t get me wrong, I realize many (most?) mixed people identify as black and ARE black. But Hollywood and fashion magazines would have you think most of these girls represent black women as a whole. Thandie Newton, Alicia Keys, Halle Berry, Paula Patton, Zoe Saldana, etc get these roles easily. I’m tired of it.
It’s so easy for us to look at countries like India and judge them on how they use light skinned women and men for their movies and ads… This is no different.
oh please people should stop saying they know light igbo women like thandie, wth. igbo women do have light skinned one like yoruba’s but we don’t have biracial ones like thandie newton. a light skinned igbo woman born by igbo parents is not same colour with thandie newton same as a yoruba woman. what is all is unneccessary support. thandie does not look like the igbo women with nigerian parents and heritage i have mingled with all my 35years in nigeria. this is hypocrisy
feyi. Thank you jare. If these people want to tell themselves that Igbo women look like Thandie, that is their problem . LOL. If she were hideous, Im sure they wouldnt yarn such dust. Thandie doesnt BARELY looks African, talkless of Igbo. delusion of grandeur.
You are also right on target about the inferiority complex.
lol. that is funny girl. i tire for the hypocrisy jare. what amazes me is the comments in chimamnda’s page on facebook, some igbos say thandie can pass as a light skinned igbo woman and i weep for them. are they loving and hiding the inferiority complex they have or they are not aware about the power of false depiction? are their mothers with igbo parentage light skinned or mullatos? O ga o!
Excuse me feyi, dont pretend to know it all. I can bet you have never been to the eastern part of Nigeria because if you have you will know that there are igbo women who are even lighter skinned than Thandie and it is natural fair. Yes, they may not have the skinning pointed nose but I agree with those who say she could easily pass for igbo. Besides, I expect that that something would be done to her hair to make it more african looking, either put it in braids or someother traditional hairstyle.
By the way, I am a yoruba guy married to an igbo woman. My wife is fair skinned, almost all members of her family are light skinned and if you see her sister, you will swear she was mixed race but she is not.
I think it is common knowledge in Nigeria, that Igbos generally tend to be fair skinned compared to yorubas who generally are dark skinned. My 5 year old daughter is fair skinned like her mum but with features that her more like my sister-in-laws. Genes are an amazing thing.
My point basically is that you cannot claim perfect knowledge of how igbos look expecially as you are not igbo and you have not met all the igbos in Nigeria not to mention the millions scattered across the globe. So stop with your condecending.
feyi, it does not matter whether you have spent 100 years mingling. As long as that mingling can not show a wide enough encounter with a larger segment of the population in question, then whatever conculsions you may have reached from your mingling will be flawed. Your 35years could have been spent relating to the same subset of a population. Its almost like drawing a conclusion on how children in lagos speak english based on 35 years spent mingling with only families in moroko or ajegunle or mushin. Do you see how flawed your conclusions would be? Because in doing so you have neglected the fact that the kids in ikoyi or festac by virtue of the influences on their upbringing would speak english differently from kids in mushin. So that you have spent 35years “mingling” with some igbos, does not make you an authority on the igbos and since you have no scientific study to back your comments, I think you should check your arrogance and leave the comments to the igbos who I believe are better placed to tell the world what they look like.
@kunle and sara, Biko tell him (feyi), jor. Thandie’s complexion is not an anomaly in the Southeast. Let’s stop embarrassing ourselves with this whole light-skin/ dark-skin debate.
@ kunle, egbon i am not pretending i know it all. my mother is igbo and i grew up in the east. i can also relate to genes factor cos i physically resemble an igbo woman than a yoruba woman. and indeed, igbo women can be lighter than thandie newton but their texture of skin is not the same, maybe only one of hundred cases. so why is the minority to represent the majority? thandie newton is a light skinned mullato and light skinned igbo women are light skinned blacks. mullato is mullato, black is black. it is one drop rule that is causing this confusing.
@ sara, please go and teach children in kindergarten all you wrote up there. how children speak in moroko can not be the same with how children speak in v.i because i know that province may affect accents and such as related. one does not need scientific study to tell that a light skinned black woman and a light skinned mullato has different texture of skin due to racial mix. you make baseless comparisons and telling me to check my arrogance? introspect is need girl.
@ Nne, are you not same person whose crazy about golden globes and oscars and it will be an “eye sore” to cast genevieve with an actor cos he is in hollywood? take an inferiority complex pill abeg
@feyi – different texture of skin??? Isn’t all skin of similar texture? Where did you come up with the confused notion that people who are half white naturally have a different “texture” of skin. There are three basic textures – oily, dry, and in between. Is Thandie using some type of skin lotion made especially for half-white women, that makes her texture so much different from everyone else’s? You’ve already admitted that there are Igbo women lighter than Newton, so let’s leave it at that. Your texture argument is just some BS you made on the fly in order to justify the fact that you said in your 35 years of life, you’ve never met an Igbo woman with color like Thandie. Since then, you suddenly have found some that look like her, and like magic, you add to your expertise by not only mingling with Igbos but, SURPRISE! – you’re now half Igbo!
Biko, ga nodu odu => \__
oh yeah please gbenu edake (keep your mouth shut) miss dermatologist and no thanks for the tutor. the context in which i meant to use skin texture is skin tone. colour. the offspring of a black couple be it lightest skinned cannot have same skin tone with an interracial couple’s offspring. that i have met igbo women who are lighter than thandie newton doesn’t mean their skin tone, colour is the same. eucharia anuobi, sola sobowale, bukky wright, nkiru sylvanus are all lighter than thandie newton yet their skin tone aint same. they are light skinned black women and thandie is light skinned mullato. whatever you say to discredit the truth i stand for is your cup of tea. thandie does not look the path you and your people cast her in and it is magnificent BS
This reminds me how white people depict Jesus as a blonde, blue-eyed Anglo – in movies, paintings, and even glasswork in churches.
Hello?? Hitler is dead, Jesus was a Middle-Eastern Jew! He would have looked more Arab than Anglo.
Actually according to Rev 1: 14-15 Jesus is a black man but don’t expect Hollywood to portray the truth about the hidden history of blacks and hispanicss!
How was Jesus a black man and He was born in the Middle East?
Tenia Griffin, this verse says:
‘His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes [were] as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.’
That to me doesn’t definitively sound like someone of African ancestry. The wool reference was to the colour of the hair, not the texture. And the feet were like burnt brass…many Middle Eastern people have dark/olive skin….
“I am black and beautiful” Song of Solomon 1:5.
Solomon was an ancestor of Jesus …….
@chilovesafrica – I’d hate to split hairs here but Solomon didn’t say that, his love interest, did and she later explains that her skin tone is basically the result of a really good tan (a few verses later).
Carry on…
A few years ago when I read that the producers of The Last King of Scotland would be adapting of “Half of the yellow sun” for screen I filled with high hopes and expectations as not only would it be a great experience for fans to see the film brought to life on the big screen but also I thought that it’d be a great opportunity to showcase Igbo culture and history to the world. Yesterday after reading that Thandie Newton had been cast in the film my hopes were shattered not because of acting ability but purely based on the fact that In no way shape or form does Thandie Newton resemble any of the two lead female characters in the book.
It is evident to anyone who read Harry Potter or Twilight before both books were made into films that the casting directors went above and beyond to cast actors who resembled the characters they’d be portraying on the big screen, so much so they cast relatively unknown actors In order to authenticate the aesthetics of the characters.
I think it is absolutely disgusting that Biye Bandele and the producers of this film think that they can get away with the treacherous act of casting Thandie Newton to play the role of either Olanna who is described as “full figured” or Kainene who is “tall thin and darkskin”. Thandie Newton is none of the above not to mention she is not even fully black. There are plenty of African American or Black British actresses who could have been cast to the roles.
In 2006 Thandie Newton expressed her “shock” at Angelina Jolie playing the role of a mixed race woman in the film Mighty Heart, 6 years on Thandie Newton is following the shocking footsteps of Angelina Jolie and the industry gang.
Denzel Washington did not play the role of Edward Cullen, Kim Kardashian did not play the role of Bella Swan, Vin Diesel did not play the role of Idi Amin and Thandie Newton certainly should not be playing the role of Olanna or Kainene.
If Biye Bandele and the producers do not reconsider their decision many of their intended audience will be forced into boycotting the film!
@ chilovesafrica, who exactly do you think is the “intended audience”?. If you think its the Nigerians or Africans, you are seriously missing the point. The intended audience is the global audience and for this movie to appeal to the wider international audience, the producers would need to cast a leading lady that has the international reputation needed to pull in a diverse audience to the cinemas across the globe. I think you should focus energy on determining why none of the actors/actresses from nollywood have been able to cross over to more global careers. Until you have that happen or you have more holloywood stars with african heritage, do not expect that a leading role would automatically go to some unknown african just because movie is based on a book written by an african. Alternatively, if some enterprising african enterpreneur can raise the huge capital required to fund such movies, then you might have a say in who gets the leading role. But if its someone else’s money, then sorry, you aint got much say. Its business and in business you do that which gurantees the greater return on investment.
Mmm tricky. As a Black Brit I welcome that the book will be made into a movie. Am I too bothered as to who will be playing the female lead? We know she has to be black but does the part have to be played by an Igbo, Hausa or Zulu. Was I worried when the African American actor Forrest Whittaker played idi Amin, or whenever David Oyelowo plays a West Indian/Black Brit or when Antonio Okonma played the Jamaican girl Darlene Cake in Bad Girls? Of course not because it is all acting. And good acting of the highest!! In the same way Meeryl Streep plays Margaret Thatcher to perfection then I would expect a ‘black’ actor to do exactly the same, whether the character is African or not. I agree that since Ngozi did not make the female character ‘light-skinned’ then Hollywood should not use a light skinned woman just to make the movie palatable to audiences. A beautiful actress like Viola Davis could have been given the part.
Thandie looks like my auntie Nnoye except for the nose and hair and my aunt is definately fairer than Thandie.
Love Thandie. Sure if they put her hair in plaits or braid it the traditional way, you would hardly tell the difference.
Looking forward to the movie. Dont care who is cast as long as the movie does justice to the book. It would be fantastic to have an Igbo inspired movie become a hollywood success.
Wish it all the best.