AngryGayBlackCanadianman

Although younger South Asian actresses such as Shilpa Shetty and Aishwarya Rai are receiving more international media attention I believe Nandita Das is more talented. Everyone talks about how pretty Shilpa and Aishwarya are but I firmly believe Nandita Das is a beautiful woman she is stunning! Nandita is very fastidious she is more of an independent art house actress and she is respected for her acting abilities. I admire Nandita because she has been able to navigate between Bollywood and Hollywood. I would love to see Nandita in a major blockbuster mainstream Hollywood film that would be amazing!

I think Nandita’s success proves a darker skinned South Asian actress can have success in Indian cinema and international movies. In South Asian cinema the actresses tend to be fair skinned and have Eurocentric features. Nandita is a beautiful brown skinned South Asian woman and she has a huge audience in India and internationally.

Nandita has a solid career she has appeared in Indian films and western movies. I remember the first time I saw Nandita act was in Deepa Mehta’s lesbian drama “Fire”. I thought Nandita’s performance was so strong in “Fire” she was very brave to be in the film. There were protests in India and even violence because some South Asian men were enraged that the movie involved South Asian actresses in a lesbian film. After “Fire” Nandita appeared in the acclaimed film “Earth”. Nandita is such a talented actress she has a new movie out called “Before The Rains”.

“Before The Rains” is set in 1937 India in the state of Kerala. Kerala is a very interesting Indian state because it is a matriarchal society and women are in control not the men. The women in Kerala have the power since literacy and higher education is available for women.

Okay I will admit the plot for “Before The Rains” is a bit derivative. How many times does there have to be a movie about a young beautiful South Asian woman in a doomed marriage? Are South Asian men being stereotyped as being pernicious and abusive to women? I have to admit I yearn to see more movies with South Asian men in more tender roles in Western cinema instead of just being evil husbands.

What is the real issue with the interracial love theme is it to create controversy or to provide texture to the film? I kind of wonder if the screenwriters or producers can think outside of the box a little bit more? Also, how can the stunning Nandita Das be just a maid? The only reason “Before The Rains” is even worth watching is because Nandita Das is in the film if she wasn’t in the movie I wouldn’t care about the film at all. I think Nandita deserves better roles to showcase her talent.

Nandita’s character in “Before The Rains” is a young beautiful South Asian maid Sajani she is in a loveless marriage to a callous South Asian man. Sajani wants more out of her life she desires excitement and pleasure. The Indian husband in “Before The Rains” is evil he beats Sajani after he finds out that she is involved in an interracial love affair with a white man. Sajani falls in love with her white boss LLinus Roche’s character Henry Moores.

The village people find out about Sajani’s interracial affair and all hell breaks loose. The movie was released in North America recently. Also, I have more good news Nandita is directing her first feature film called “In Such Times” I am so excited!

I watched ER a few weeks ago only because I am a fan of the British actress Parminder Nagra. I wish Parminder would get bigger mainstream roles I think she deserves it. It is interesting “Bend It Like Beckham” was such a huge international hit yet Keira Knightley is a big star and Parminder is on ER.

The issue I have is why can’t Parminder have the same opportunities as Keira? Keira is a solid actress and she is very talented but so is Parminder. I would like to see Parminder get some leading lady roles soon.

One movie role Parminder should be the star of is the film “Tulia” about an Indian American lawyer Vanita Gupta. African American actress Halle Berry is the leading lady in the film. Last time I checked Berry is biracial she has European and African heritage she is not South Asian. Vanita Gupta a young South Asian lawyer successfully won the release of 46 African Americans in Tulia Texas on a drug bust.

Shouldn’t the casting of the leading lady be racially accurate? The attitude of Hollywood is South Asian women are “invisible” are “displaced” and not “palatable” for North American audiences. The only reason Halle Berry was chosen for the lead role is due to her celebrity.

The question remains is Halle Berry really a box office draw? “Perfect Stranger”, and “Things We Lost In A Fire” both bombed at the box office. Halle Berry has been most successful recently in ensemble films such as X MEN.

The ideology in Hollywood is African Americans and South Asians “look similar” due to skin tone. Hollywood thinks the public can’t tell the difference between African Americans and South Asians. Since Halle Berry is African American the belief is she can pull off a convincing performance as a South Asian American woman. But is this true? Is this fair to South Asian actresses languishing in secondary roles in Hollywood ? What about the concerns of South Asian people? Is this right to change the race of the leading lady just for profit and business?

Or is this going to be another “A Mighty Heart” all over again? I understand Hollywood wants star power for the movie but choosing Halle Berry for the lead role is deleterious, racist, and incredibly offensive. How many leading lady roles do South Asian actresses get in Hollywood? The answer is zero. Halle Berry should be ashamed of herself she clearly has a huge ego and zero class.

Halle Berry is such an arrogant, selfish, hypocritical, woman she is not South Asian yet she doesn’t mind taking a role meant for a South Asian actress. Halle Berry and her publicity team always market her as the “victim” the public is supposed to feel sorry for her. I am not falling for Halle Berry’s publicity game any longer . Halle knows how hard it is for women of colour to get the leading lady roles yet she doesn’t mind taking on a role that wasn’t meant for her. Halle complains in the media all the damn time about how hard she has it.

Yes, it must be so hard for Halle Berry after all she makes $14 million per movie, multi million dollar endorsements with Revlon & Versace. Halle also receives an incredible amount of mainstream attention compared to other actresses of colour. Halle is also the top actress of colour in Hollywood whenever Hollywood has a major role for a woman of colour Halle gets called first for the role.

I am very disappointed in Halle I believe Parminder should be the star of this movie “Tulia”. “Tulia” should be Parminder’s breakthrough performance she deserves this leading lady role. Parminder has the talent to pull of this very dramatic and intense role if Halle Berry had any class she will drop out of the film. Isn’t it time for another woman of colour to shine in a leading lady role besides Halle Berry?

Meanwhile, Parminder is on television she has a steady gig on ER. Parminder’s character Dr. Neela Rasgotra is the most complex character on the show. Dr. Rasgotra has dealt with the death of her husband, falling in love with a fellow co worker, and trying to maintain her career.

I was on an internet message board the other day and some bloggers actually said Parminder would never make it in Indian Cinema. I responded back saying what about Nandita Das? Nandita Das is a gorgeous woman and talented actress she also has a darker skin tone as well. Nandita has been very successful in both Indian and Western movies. The other bloggers responded back that Nandita Das is an exception to the rule. Is this true? According to the information I have read Parminder is considered “too dark” to be successful in Bollywood. But is this this true of just gossip?

It seems the issue of skin tone racism and beauty standards exist in many communities across the globe. It is well known in the African communities light skinned women are placed on a pedestal compared to darker skinned black women. I have learned in South Asian communities the “lighter skinned” female image is the image that is considered more palatable for Indian film audiences. In Bollywood films the leading male character can be a dark skinned Indian man but the leading lady tends to always have Eurocentric features and lighter skin. Other bloggers also suggested that Parminder is doing the right thing trying to succeed in Hollywood instead of Bollywood.

If you want to watch a dark romantic comedy rent or buy a copy of the 2002 independent film “Secretary” on DVD. Maggie Gyllenhaal shines in the lead role as Lee Holloway. Lee Holloway is a depressed, lonely, suicidal, young woman she recently was released from a mental institution. Lee feels there is a void in her life she has emotions of melancholy and despair. The movie Secretary explores the alienation young adults encounter after graduating from high school. Where does your life go after school ends? How do you find yourself? What is your true identity?

Lee is having a hard time transitioning back to the real world her parents marriage is also on the rocks. Lee is not sure if the real world is where she belongs she doesn’t feel loved. Whenever Lee is unhappy and depressed she mutilates herself with a knife because she believe she deserves to experience the feelings of bitterness and unhappiness. Lee is bored with her life and restless.

Lee meets a young man Peter he is boring and Lee isn’t really interested in him. Lee figures since she’s bored she might as well date Peter since he does give her some affection and attention. Peter doesn’t excite Lee though. Peter asks Lee to marry him and she agrees only because she feels she should. Peter seems like a nice guy but Lee keeps on wondering if they are more exciting men out there? Lee decides she wants a better life and she begins takes a typing course discovering she’s good at it. Lee decides to apply to an secretary job for an attorney Edward Grey.

James Spader’s character Mr. Grey is a recluse, he is also into S&M. Mr. Grey is attracted to Lee the feelings are mutual but Mr. Grey cannot muster the courage to tell Lee that is deeply in love with her. Mr. Grey admonishes Lee for typos and spelling errors and this turns both of them on. Mr. Grey tells Lee to assume certain S&M positions and smacks her behind. Mr. Grey is all about being the dominant man and he wants a secretary to submit to his sexual fantasies. Mr. Lee and Grey don’t have actual intercourse but they play a lot of mind games. Mr. Grey is the aggressor and Lee is in the submissive role. Some feminists are outraged at the movie Secretary because they think the movie is sexist and dehumanizing to women.

Some people might not like Secretary because the movie is extremely sexual and very frank about the issues of sexuality. Mr. Grey has a hard time connecting with women he doesn’t want to have intercourse with Lee but he is sexually aroused when she is submissive. Lee is also turned on by Mr. Grey she masturbates in her bedroom rubbing her fingers between her crotch screaming the words “I’m your secretary!”, “I’m your secretary!”. “I’m your secretary!” over and over again until she has an intense orgasm. Also after Mr. Grey yells at Lee she is turned on and she mastrubates again in the washroom stall touching herself and climaxing again.

Lee is searching for some meaning in her life. Mr. Grey is afraid he will fall in love with Lee and he fires her. Lee becomes upset puts on a wedding dress and engages in a three day hunger strike to prove to Mr. Grey she loves him. I won’t spoil the ending but Secretary is a gritty, wonderful, quirky, dark, romantic comedy.

In the summer of 2004 John Cho and Kal penn finally had their first major breakthrough in Hollywood. Cho, and Kal Penn have been working diligently for years often in secondary roles . Cho was most famous for his role in the WB sitcom “Off Centre” and “American Pie”. Kal Penn was known for his role in the teen comedy “Van Wilder.” Finally, John Cho and Kal Penn were given the opportunity to shine in the leading roles of Harold Lee and Kumar Patel in the stoner comedy “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle”.

Although “Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle ” made $18 million at the box office the movie gained cult status due to DVD sales. Since the DVD sales for the first movie were huge a sequel will be released on April 25th 2008. There is more pressure on Cho and Penn that the second movie is a box office hit. Hollywood is slowly making progress realizing there is an audience that desires to see Asian American men as leading men in the movies.

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle” has received a lot of press because the leads are two young Asian American male actors. John Cho is Korean American and Kal Penn is Indian American. Harold and Kumar are also not nerds they are two intelligent, ambitious, and attractive young men. Cho and Penn definitely are eye candy and have the potential to become Hollywood superstars.

The plot is simple Harold and Kumar are two young Asian American men that are restless, sexually frustrated, and also craving some weed. Harold Lee is a junior analyst at a business firm he is hardworking but also lonely and depressed he has no love life . Harold is an attractive man yet he has no self esteem he doesn’t believe he is worthy of true love.

The only woman that showers Harold with attention is a young Asian American female Cindy Kim. Cindy is a student at Princeton University she is also the president of the East Asian club. Cindy is attracted to Harold and she is stereotyped in the movie as a nerd. Harold is nice to Cindy they talk a lot but he’s not interested in Cindy he fears he will have to date an Asian American woman. Harold even says Cindy calls him a “twinkie” yellow on the outside and white in the middle.

I kind of wish the movie explored Harold’s fascination with Maria a bit more. Why was Harold so against dating an Asian American woman? What was so wrong with Cindy Kim? Cindy’s kind of cute I didn’t understand what was wrong with Cindy? Is Harold interested in Maria more because she’s from a different culture?

It is easy to understand why Harold would be sexually attracted to Maria she is svelte, sexy, curves in all the right places. I wasn’t sure what to think of the character Maria? Maria hardly has any lines and she appears to just be a sex object for Harold’s sexual desires. By contrast Cindy Kim is stereotyped as an aggressive, desperate, unattractive, nerdy, Asian student. Is the movie trying to say ambitious women are not appealing to heterosexual men? Why was Cindy Kim such a caricature? I think if Cindy Kim was less of a caricature perhaps this would of been more interesting?

Kumar Patel he is an aspiring medical student he’s a bit more outgoing then Harold and kind of is the leader. One evening after Harold returns from work he and Kumar decide to instead of eating KFC or take out they crave White Castle hamburgers. Kumar appears to be in love with no one except his desire and craving for weed. There is even a funny sequence when Kumar marries a bag of weed although I did cringe when Kumar uses scatological language to describe his “wife”.

Harold and Kumar definitely has some funny moments for instance Neil Patrick Harris plays an extreme role of himself as a womanizing heterosexual drug user. According to media reports Harris was hesitant of taking the role because he first thought the movie was going to make fun of him. The screenwriters actually wrote a role specifically for Harris. Another funny scene is Chris Meloni’s cameo “Freakshow”. “Freakshow” is a Christian man that looks like a grotesque monster out of an old Halloween movie.

Some women may not like “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle” because the female characters really have no purpose other then being sex objects . There is also female nudity in the movie this might be a turn off for some women as well. I have read in the sequel there will be more balance there will definitely be male nudity so that’s fair. There is also some jokes in the film that may be interpreted by some as homophobia. I didn’t think the movie was homophobic at all. I think the movie was trying to demonstrate that Harold and Kumar have an intense platonic friendship some people may interpret as homoeroticism. There is a really cool scene the Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds is a male nurse. After operating on a patient Reynold’s character starts hitting on Kumar telling him he likes his “chocolate lips”. There is also another scene where Kumar is licking Harold’s face after he passes out.

I think this is perhaps the main weakness in the film. In one scene two female English foreign exchange students talk to Kumar at Princeton and tell him they wouldn’t mind smoking a joint with him. Kumar tells Harold in an explicit manner what he thinks of the two English students. Perhaps Harold and Kumar is a way to peek into the minds of heterosexual men? Harold and Kumar isn’t meant to be a serious film it is a comedy. A part of me felt conflicted watching the film some feminists will not enjoy the crude humor. The sections of the movie I did enjoy is when the film explored the issue of race, racial profiling, becoming independent, and living your own dreams.

Kal Penn, John Cho, and Neil Patrick Harris all say the movie changed their lives and careers. Harris credits the movie for launching his comeback on to television on the CBS show “How I Met Your Mother”. Kal Penn desperately wanted to audition for the male lead in Mira Nair’s “The Namesake”. Cho told Penn about “The Namesake” while filming “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle”. Penn and Cho attempted to buy the rights to “The Namesake” but learned they were too late. Penn started an aggressive campaign to obtain Nair’s attention but this proved futile. The reason Kal Penn got an audition for “The Namesake” is because Nair’s teen son was a fan of “Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle”. John Cho credits the film for giving him the opportunity to be one of the stars in the new Star Trek film.

Harold and Kumar isn’t rocket science the chemistry between Cho and Penn makes the movie endearing. You sense that Cho and Penn genuinely like each other and get along well. The magic to the film is the fact you are rooting for Harold and Kumar not just to reach White Castle but to gain independence and start to live their lives on their own terms.

I am so excited John Cho is going to be in the new Star Trek movie. The first time I ever saw John on television was when I watched the sitcom called “Off Centre” on the former WB network.  I was mesmerized by John’s presence and comic timing. Although John wasn’t the lead I thought he was hilarious and stole the thunder from his co stars.

I can’t wait until next month to see the sequel to Harold and Kumar in April!! John Cho is so sexy! I swear he is so cute! He is tall, handsome, fit, I mean he’s also a solid actor he’s leading man material. I wonder why casting agents never give John the opportunity to shine in a dramatic romantic leading man role?

John just drips with sex appeal he should be a leading man by now. It is nice to see John finally get bigger roles. I definitely want to see John Cho in a serious romantic drama.

Gabrielle Union doesn’t just walk she floats, her megawatt smile, her  intelligence, sophistication, talent, beauty, is extraordinary. Gabrielle Union should be a bigger star. Neo Ned Gabrielle’s controversial film will be released on DVD in May 2007. Go  visit www.neoned.com for more details.

I just heard that Jensen Atwood the gorgeous talented actor from Noah’s Arc may not return for the movie. According to Jensen’s Myspace blog he says that he isn’t certain if he will return for the film. The rumor is that Shemar Moore may replace Jensen. Isn’t Shemar Moore kind of old the guy is almost forty?

Of course Shemar Moore is attractive but he’s not very good at romantic comedies his acting comes across as stale, dry, lacking layers, complexity, and wooden.When people think of Shemar Moore they think he’s an attractive man nobody thinks he’s a solid dramatic actor.

If Shemar doesn’t get his act together when his looks fade he may be out of work. Shemar has always been typecast in just about every movie he’s been in as the hot guy. Perhaps, Shemar wants to be in the Noah’s Arc movie to demonstrate he has range?

The character Wade on Noah’s Arc is a tough role in relation to acting. Wade has a strong masculinity yet he is also vulnerable. Shemar Moore never impressed me with his acting. I just don’t think Shemar has the range or talent to pull this performance off.

Also would Shemar be comfortable kissing another black man? Shouldn’t a younger actor such as Jensen Atwood be cast? Also, isn’t Shemar upset about the so called gay rumors? Wouldn’t the gay rumors just fuel the fire if Shemar was starring in the Noah’s Arc movie?

The quandary for the Noah’s Arc movie is how can the film reach a larger audience? LOGO wants the movie to make money but I am not sure Shemar Moore is “famous” enough anyway to attract a larger audience anyway. Shemar Moore has been on a few soaps, a few supporting roles in films, and on a CBS show “Criminal Intent” but he’s never been a leading man.

Gay people already know about Noah’s Arc and perhaps a few heterosexual women. However, the dilemma for the marketing team for the Noah’s Arc movie is how can the movie grow and reach other demographics? Can Noah’s Arc reach the lucrative heterosexual black audience such as the Tyler Perry crowd?

The dilemma for black gay and lesbian entertainment are the barriers in relation to race, gender, and sexual orientation. Race is an issue because some people won’t watch the film because it has a black cast. The gender and sexual orientation is another issue because how many black heterosexual women want to watch a movie about black gay men falling in love? How many black heterosexual men would watch the film? Can some black females handle seeing gorgeous and sexy black males kissing on screen? Will it upset them?

I think since Jensen Atwood developed an audience with his character the sexy, mysterious Wade he should be cast in the film. Now of course, this is just my opinion but remember Hollywood is a business and it is profit driven. Remember earlier this week Sean Combs ruined “A Raisin In The Sun” with his horrible acting? Well the ratings are in and despite Combs ludicrous performance the movie had a respectable ratings of 12.7 million viewers on ABC. I will admit I am sure some people tuned in just if Combs can act. LOGO doesn’t want the movie to be released in just a few hundred theaters and pull in a low box office. Also, how many people know about Noah’s Arc anyway?

The ABC television movie “A Raisin In The Sun” will be broadcast on February 25th 2008 at 8:00pm. The television film fulfills the black quota for “black history month”. Pop star Sean Combs is the protagonist Walter Lee Younger. The title of the movie refers to black gay poet Langston Hughes poem “Harlem”.

African American lesbian playwright Lorraine Hansberry’s legendary play once again will be brought back to television to reach a new generation next week. Hansberry was the first black lesbian playwright to have a play produced on Broadway in 1959. “A Raisin In the Sun” was a huge success for Hansberry and launched her career.

The general public of course does not know that Lorraine Hansberry was a lesbian due to homophobia. Why is black lesbianism considered “private” yet “heterosexuality” is a part of the public domain? Although Hansberry married a white Jewish man Robert Nemiroff in 1953 the couple separated in 1957 and divorced in 1964.Hansberry was conscious of her lesbian identity and she negotiated between the public and private spheres. Black lesbians encountered racism from the mainstream, white gay culture, and also persecution from heterosexual blacks.

Lorraine Hansberry’s lesbian identity emerges from the articles she wrote for the lesbian publication “The Ladder” in the late 1950s. Hansberry did not use her full name when she wrote articles for “The Ladder” she used her initials L.H. instead. In the 1950s in America gays and lesbians lived in fear due to witch hunts against homosexuals. Black lesbian women encountered a triple form of oppression in relation to their race, gender, and sexual orientation.

Can you imagine the difficulties black lesbians endured in the 1950s? Homosexuality was still considered a mental illness that can be cured. The topic of human sexuality was still taboo in the 1950s. America was sexually repressed due to heterosexual male domination and male supremacy. The racial and sexual apartheid existed in the United States and black lesbians lived in constant danger due to racism, sexism and homophobia. The civil rights and gay movements did not gather strength until the 1960s.

Black lesbians encountered racism from white lesbians and were barred from entering white lesbian bars and establishments during the 1950s. Black lesbians also endured gender discrimination due to being women and unwanted sexual advances of dangerous, violent, and hostile heterosexual men.

Hansberry was indeed a lesbian but this important component of black queer history should not be erased by the homophobic Occidental world. Heterosexual black publications always ignore the important fact Hansberry was a lesbian. I didn’t know Lorraine Hansberry was a lesbian until I read lesbian activist, feminist, poet, and writer Adrienne Rich’s incisive essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence”. Rich’s analysis is correct society attempts to erase, diminish, and destroy the contributions of lesbians in many ways. I believe the silence about Lorraine Hansberry’s lesbianism is due to the negative attitude that still exists against homosexuals.

Why is the term lesbianism treated like a scatological word? One argument is some straights believe “it doesn’t matter” and if people discover that Lorraine Hansberry was a black lesbian it might “scare people off” from watching the movie. Why is there this invisible code and this silent barrier? If black lesbian emancipation is to occur why is black lesbianism still a social taboo? Society appears to have a love and hate relationship with lesbianism.

The political, cultural, social, and artistic merits of black lesbians such as Lorraine Hansberry must be celebrated and not treated as some shameful abhorrent secret. It is the year 2008 so why are we still reticent? Why hasn’t this final chasm been shattered and the truth still shrouded in silence? Lorraine Hansberry proves that black gay people care about the black community. Often heterosexual blacks believe black gays and lesbians only focus on sexual orientation and ignore race. Lorraine Hansberry proves through art that she was cognizant of the racial, social and political polemics blacks endured during the civil rights era. “A Raisin In The Sun” is about a fictional family struggling to survive in 1950s Chicago at a time when America’s social and racial apartheid was at full strength.

Virtually all the articles published about “A Raisin In The Sun” always mentions Lorraine Hansberry’s race and her gender but excludes her sexual orientation. The question is why? It appears in the year 2008 homophobia reigns supreme. Lesbianism is more then just a sexual act there is more to lesbianism then just sex. Lesbians are women that are not sexually attracted to men but there is an illogical fear of lesbianism in society that lesbians are anti male.

Lorraine Hansberry lived a double life a life where she constantly was in fear that the heterosexist matrix would discriminate against her since she was a black lesbian. The real Lorraine Hansberry is blurred between the printed lines of “A Raisin In The Sun”. The sentences, paragraphs, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and doubt, lives in Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking play. “A Raisin In The Sun” is about emancipation and personal determination I believe this also relates to the struggles gays and lesbians encounter. Perhaps Hansberry used her play as a metaphor to explore the internal struggles she endured during her own life?

Lorraine Hansberry’s incredible groundbreaking play proves that black gay and lesbian people were cognizant of the struggles blacks endured in the mid 20th century. Hansberry wanted to bring a greater awareness to the incredible racism, sexism, and economic discrimination African Americans experienced in the United States.

Lorraine Hansberry is very important she shattered an artistic and cultural barrier in the performing arts. It is such a disservice to ignore Hansberry was a lesbian. Lorraine Hansberry’s lesbian identity should not be concealed in the shadows and be treated as an afterthought. I believe it is imperative, and crucial that there be a dialogue about how Hansberry’s play relates to her lesbian identity. It is simply disgraceful that the mainstream press to ignore and attempt to erase the importance of lesbianism in Lorraine Hansberry’s life and art.

The articles Lorraine Hansberry wrote for “The Ladder” are very passionate and powerful she wrote about the struggles she endured as a black lesbian woman in the mid 20th century. Legendary African American actors Ruby Dee and Sidney Poitier were the stars of the original stage version of the play and the 1961 feature film. Sadly, Lorraine Hansberry died in her prime at the tender age of thirty four in 1965 due to pancreatic cancer. Lorraine Hansberry died at a very young age she was such an incredible talent.

The press have showered the movie with a lot of praise saying the three hour film is a testament of Hansberry’s incredible talent. The cast includes Phylicia Rashad, Sanaa Lathan, Audra McDonald, and the omnipotent Sean Combs. I will admit I might take a peek at the movie. However, I am not impressed that Sean Combs or P Diddy or whatever that guy calls himself is the star of the film. I wanted a younger black male actor to be the star of the movie.

The crisis in black Hollywood is the paucity of film roles available for young black actors. I am sure some black actors are seething right now that Sean Combs is the star of the film. In white Hollywood you rarely ever see a “singer” attain a prestigious movie role these days. Can you imagine Jon Bon Jovi as the star in a movie about Elvis? So why is there a double standard for black Hollywood? Why do untalented bottom feeders such as Sean Combs get to the be star of such an important movie?

I really feel for the talented young black male actors that are training hard at various universities, colleges, theater programs, across North America and the world. The only reason Sean Combs was hired is due to greed. The producers and director behind the television film believe Combs can generate huge ratings for ABC television. ABC television will hype this movie to the maximum I just believe a talented and much younger black actor should of chosen for the male lead.

The lead in “A Raisin In The Sun” Walter Lee Younger is a young black man and Sean Combs is thirty eight years old. Since Combs in thirty eight one argument is he can bring “maturity” to the role. However, I believe the feeling of naivety and optimism is diminished for the character Walter Lee Younger due to Combs advanced age.

A younger black male actor possibly someone between the ages of twenty five to perhaps thirty two should of been chosen for the role. Combs is simply not talented enough and too old for the part. Combs is also a rap artist he’s a wannabe actor he is not a serious dramatic actor. I have so much sympathy for the talented black actors that want to become stars in Hollywood but are not given the opportunity.

Why does Hollywood continue to insult the audience and cast these talentless flakes such as Sean Combs in such prestigious roles? The barriers for black actors in Hollywood are incredible there are limited opportunities to advance up the Hollywood star system. Twenty five years ago perhaps an unknown black male actor would of been chosen for the lead role. Hollywood is profit driven and the ideology is since Sean Combs already is successful in various demographics his fans will fans will flock to watch the movie. However, does talent not matter anymore?

Why do young blacks in Hollywood have to always be singers or dancers in order to breakthrough and get the big movie roles? Beyonce just won the lead role in a biopic about the legendary singer Etta James. I cringe because Beyonce is not an actress she needs acting lessons. Beyonce cannot act she requires an acting coach and numerous hours to learning the craft of acting.

Young talented unknown black actors are being disrespected and ignored. A young black male actor with talent would of been electrifying in the role of Walter Lee Younger. A young black actor could of brought pathos, complexity, sensitivity, and range to this very important role. Unfortunately, Hollywood is now all about profit margins, ratings, and the craft of acting is now secondary. The only glimmer of hope is that young people will learn more about Lorraine Hansberry and gain an appreciation for her incredible talent.