Actors Playing Another Race

There’s apparently been some controversy over the film “Tropic Thunder,” in which Robert Downey, Jr. portrays an actor in blackface.  The interesting thing is I haven’t read anything from the actual offended parties, only articles refering to this elusive “controversy”.  I think this is the case because he is indeed playing a character who plays a black man.  If Robert Downey, Jr. was playing the part of Mohammed Ali, people would have license to be upset (although I’d personally love to see that flick).

But it begs the underlying question: is it appropriate for an actor to play a race other than their own?  Can “blackface” be acceptable?  I would put forth it is acceptable if the filmmakers do it for a reason and do it well.

As an analysis of the issue, let’s take a look back at the cinematic history of people pretending to be other people’s people.

Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi
(Breakfast at Tiffany’s – 1961)

 

If historians in the far-flung future try to piece together our history from films, Mickey Rooney’s role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s will lead them to the conclusion that before the Era of Political Correctness was the Era of Humourlessness. Rooney’s part is not only offensive, it’s pointless non-humour.

Laurence Olivier as Othello
(Othello – 1965)

Even if the make-up wasn’t disturbing and distracting, Olivier hams it up too much in this version of Othello to bother trying to look past it.  The other Laurence (Fishburne) puts him to shame in the ’95 version.

David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine
(Kung Fu 1972-75)

Even though “Kung Fu” was a series specifically created to star Bruce Lee, the networks decided to cast caucasian Carradine instead.  Despite this sad decision, the character worked.  Carradine didn’t try to fake an accent and Caine is more believable for it.

Sir Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi
(Gandhi – 1982)

Kingsley gets a pass for getting into darker make-up for his role as Gandhi because he’s part Indian himself.  Also, legally speaking, you’re not allowed to pick on people who are both Knights and Oscar winners.  Let’s ignore that rule for Larry Olivier above.  Moving on.

Fisher Stevens as Ben Jabituya
(Short Circuit – 1986)

Don’t get me wrong.  I love this movie.  But there was no reason for Fisher Stevens to play Johnny 5′s pal as Indian.  This was soon after Gandhi… did Short Circuit aim to be the next Gandhi?  Pitch: “It’s like Gandhi, but with robots!”

Angelina Jolie as Marianne Pearl
(A Mighty Heart – 2007)

Although not alluded to in the film at all, Marianne Pearl is a black woman.  While the casting of Jolie doesn’t change the story in the context of the film, the choice doesn’t make much sense.  Oh wait, Brad Pitt was a producer?  Gotcha.  Angie want, Angie get.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Prince Dastan
(Prince of Persia – 2010)

This hasn’t even finished filming yet and I’m going to put this in the “bad choice” category.  Even though they cast Gandhi himself to star in this too, Ben Kingsley can’t save this weird star choice.  Jake Gyllenhal is not a Persian prince.

 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of actors portraying another race, but enough of a sampling to decide that sometimes it works and sometimes it definitely doesn’t!  I didn’t want to meander too much into other topics and so I avoided delving into films like Tropic Thunder where characters as opposed to actors adopt a different race.  Mostly because I’m scared to find pictures of the Wayans Brothers in “White Chicks.”