Will smith not black enough

The year-old actor has spent the last three decades crafting himself into the perfect image of the ever-pleasant, non-threatening Black man. From curse-free rap lyrics to his tender, nuanced portrayals of complicated characters, Smith has been a darling of mainstream Hollywood for a very long time.

Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have been trying to do better since then. As they see it, the casting is colorism in action. Those who are lighter head to the top rung, while the darker ones languish at the bottom. Colorism is a significant problem in Hollywood, especially with black performers. Directors, producers and casting agents often seem to favor biracial and light-skinned blacks, presumably because they are closer to the idealized white beauty standard and therefore more acceptable to white audiences. Not only does it have two black actors in central roles, but both are dark-skinned. One character is gay and the other is straight.

Will smith not black enough

The stunning physical altercation between actor Will Smith and comedian Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. The incident on Sunday has sparked debate about the appropriate ways for Black men to publicly defend Black women against humiliation and abuse. FILE - Sen. Cory Booker, D-N. Supreme Court. But to many Black people, it was about more than a slap or an insult. It was about Black manhood, about what is expected of Black men in the 21st century — and about attitudes toward Black women. Ayanna Abrams, a clinical psychologist and founder of Ascension Behavioral Health in Atlanta, said what protection from a spouse or partner looks like can be different for each woman. But for many observers, protecting Black women from verbal insults stops short of physical assault. The year-old actor has spoken publicly about her alopecia diagnosis, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss, as well as the negative effect it can have on sense of identity and self esteem.

Search Query Submit Search. More From AP News. The psychological toll we carry daily is real.

By Eisa Nefertari Ulen. My heart holds all Black people everywhere, even when we are neck-deep in foolishness, especially when we are near drowning in pain. Oscar night was some foolishness. Oscar night was also painful. We Black folk often enough feel that we are near drowning, as we remain locked in a system that marginalizes us. The film industry has, historically, swirled us around just enough to get a taste of Blackness and, soon enough, spit us out.

The influence of family can never be understated, especially when it comes to art. Not only has he experienced this through the lessons taught to him by his family, but the award-winning entertainer has used them to help raise children that have also become more conscious artists in their own right. Back in November , Smith was on tour with his autobiography Will , which saw him making select stops to promote his life story. That was until his grandmother Gigi caught a hold of his lyrics, which led to the following story which CinemaBlend was present to hear first hand:. I had the black and white speckled school book, and I was putting all my rhymes in there. And, you know, I was 12 years old, so I was letting it rip a little bit. She wrote me a letter, in the front of my book. Please show the world that you are as smart as we think you are. Love, Gigi. Coming up as both a young rapper and the star of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air , the Will Smith brand would be built through insane popularity, but with a family friendly approach.

Will smith not black enough

Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences have been trying to do better since then. As they see it, the casting is colorism in action. Those who are lighter head to the top rung, while the darker ones languish at the bottom. Colorism is a significant problem in Hollywood, especially with black performers.

Baldurs gate 3 custom party

While Smith and Williams are both black men, critics say the role should go to an actor with darker skin, citing Idris Elba and Mahershala Ali as examples of more appropriate choices. All Rights Reserved. Founded in , AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. Just say no to whitecentrism. March 29, pm. At the time of this writing, Will Smith has already publicly apologized to Chris Rock. The Associated Press. Copyright The Associated Press. The title character's light-skinned girlfriend Gina was fun-loving, cool-headed and professional whereas her best friend and assistant, Pam, was more-or-less portrayed as the opposite. Had that slap taken place on the A train, at the cookout or anywhere else around the way, Black folk everywhere could all agree that that was some foolishness. Alabama IVF. You are worthy. Black men and women in the U.

Will Smith said that his socioeconomic status played a part in the criticism he faced when he entered the hip-hop world as a teen. He added: "I grew up on a nice street in a two-parent household.

For failing to stand up to my father. Moon landing. The psychological toll we carry daily is real. As they see it, the casting is colorism in action. Walmart is conducting a stock split for the first time in nearly 25 years. More on this story. Saldana, however, has repeatedly defended her role as Simone, saying : "I don't care who tells me that I am not this and I am not that. We cannot excuse Will or Chris for their behavior on Oscar night. Accept and continue. It's just not appropriate and there are other actors that are dark skinned and have name recognition that can do this work. Why Black Panther was a game-changer. Search Query Submit Search. It feels more like a sideways move. View original content on Twitter. From curse-free rap lyrics to his tender, nuanced portrayals of complicated characters, Smith has been a darling of mainstream Hollywood for a very long time.