'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

by eddie Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:25 pm

His role as the original Hannibal Lecter secured his place in Hollywood 30 years ago.

He is now one of our most respected actors. In his latest movie, Churchill, due for release in June, he plays the wartime Prime Minister.

Now, on the eve of the 89th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Brian Cox has entered the ongoing Oscars ‘diversity’ debate by calling for white, not just black and Hispanic, actors to be given more varied roles in Hollywood.

Cox, who will not attend the Academy Awards tonight, said there should be no colour bar on roles.

Actor Brian Cox, pictured in X-Men 2, has called for white actors to be given more diverse roles in Hollywood

He added: ‘It’s kind of racist in reverse to say if you are a white man, you can’t possibly play a black man.

'Anybody can play anything. That’s the great thing about theatre and cinema – we transcend all that petite bourgeoisie and politics.’

The controversy surrounding the lack of non-white nominations last year and in 2015 led to threats of boycotting by celebrities and even earned its own Twitter hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite.

After a change in judging, however, this year’s Oscar nominations are more diverse, with seven non-white actors and four directors up for an award.

But Cox insisted diversity cannot be ‘one way’, adding: ‘It has to go across the board.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4260888/Actor-Brian-Cox-weighs-claims-racist-Hollywood.html#ixzz4ZopObb00

by Original Quill Tue Feb 28, 2017 8:01 pm

If it works, go for it. In employment law we have the concept of Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications. When the job calls for unique qualifications that fit only a male or female, black or white, Caucasian or Asian, or other qualifications, an exception is made in otherwise open recruitment.

It wouldn't do to have a white play a black man if the film was about race. But if the script can be made to accommodate, why not? There's no reason why Gray Grantham in Pelican Brief could not be white.

by 'Wolfie Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:36 pm

Let's consider some past examples, where remakes/'reboots' of stories and screenplays have changed the ethnicity of central characters :

The Magnificent Seven was a remake of the Japanese "Seven Samurai" movie;

In The Equalizer Denzel Washington plays the role taken by Edward Woodward in the original TV series;

Will Smith in I am Legend (2007) portrays the same character that Charlton Heston played in 'The Omega Man' back in 1971..

by eddie Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:04 pm

I think it's more about what Quill picked up on; if you're making a film about an historical black character, like Mandela, for instance, it really would be stupid to turn a white man into a black man. There are plenty of black actors to play the role so why choose the wrong-coloured actor?

by Syl Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:30 pm

Black actors should play roles based and written about black people...white people should play the roles written and based on them.
James Bond is white....half Scottish actually, which is why the odious Sean Connery will probably always be thought of as the prefect Bond.

Muhammad Ali should ALWAYS be played by a black man...not a white man blacked up...and so on..

There is certainly plenty of meaty roles written for black actors....as this years Oscars proved.

by veya_victaous Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:10 pm

this guy is being precious to suggest it does not already happen all the time Rolling Eyes

Case in point Matt Damon is a warrior in the new film 'the great wall' set in ancient china...
It is just his racist eyes only notice it when a black man gets to play a white man not the 100's of cases, entire films where ethnic people are all played by whites.

And the guy can STFU and let balance be resorted since only 50 years ago almost every role when to whites even when it required ridiculous make up an dodgy stereotypes.

Sean Connery played an Egyptian, even with his accent and obvious Scottish complexion. This guys in the OP is full of shit with no validity to his argument, but it will play well with other racist hillshepeherds that ignore facts, like the whole arguent is simply NOT TRUE

by 'Wolfie Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:22 am

Over in America, most Native American characters were played by "white" actors up until the 1970s and '80s...

Very few indigenous Americans appeared on TV during the '50s and 60's either.. Many roles went to the likes of Michael Pate, Yul Brynner, Burt Lancaster...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitewashing_in_film

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/white-actors-native-americans_n_4957555

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/01/28/100-times-a-white-actor-played-someone-who-wasnt-white/?utm_term=.f151bbd09b50

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'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'

Re: 'It's racist in reverse': Actor Brian Cox calls for white actors to be cast in black roles as he insists diversity cannot be 'one way'