Non-Black Actresses Considered to Play Whitney Houston in Biopic

[jobeterob]

Non-Black Actresses Considered to Play Whitney Houston in Biopic: Fans Angry
7:53 AM EST 3/2/2012 by Terry Shropshire824 Views SHARE
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At least one major studio is leaving open the possibility of having a non-African American play the role of Whitney Houston in an upcoming biopic of her life, the media reports.

More than one major studio is already in production talks for a movie about the fallen legend who passed away on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Beverly Hills in February. Certain big names have names leaped to the forefront to play “Nippy,” including Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Jordan Sparks, Vivica A. Fox and even Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s daughter, Willow, who would play Houston during her adolescent years.

One studio insider, speaking on the condition of anonymity told the Huffington Post that the actress chosen to play an adult Houston doesn’t have to have the pipes to land the role. Then again, few people in history have ever had pipes like those.

“It doesn’t necessarily need to be a great singer to play the role,” the insider said. “I’m sure they will use Whitney’s voice for the songs. What they are looking for is a great actress, someone that can bring to life both the pain and the joy Whitney experienced. Does she have to be an African American actress? Not necessarily.”

It was the last two sentences in that quote that set Facebook aflame with outrage that, once again a non-black person is being considered to play the role of a significant African American figure.

“It seems that not a year goes by where this debate isn’t had, and I think it’s a worthy debate,” said Andrew Wallenstein, editor for The Hollywood Reporter’s website. “I think this stems from a long-held frustration regarding the access of minority actors to leading roles. It’s bad enough that they are far less likely to be cast in those roles in general, and it’s downright galling to them that in roles in which they are perceived as having a natural advantage they are still getting beaten out.”

‘Galling’ is a good word. Below are just a few of the movies in which a white person was chosen played the role of a black personality in the recent and distant past:

[Jerry Oz]

Here's why it is such an insult: Are Native American or Asian actresses likely to get the role? Probably not. Just like they won't consider a Black actress to play Barbara Streisand one day.

BTW: Could you attach the link so we can read the rest of the article? Thanks.

[candykamaine]

One studio insider, speaking on the condition of anonymity told the Huffington Post that the actress chosen to play an adult Houston doesn’t have to have the pipes to land the role. Then again, few people in history have ever had pipes like those.

Could they just have the actress lip-sync the song. -_- If this was to happen.

And for the jerry oz, here's the link:

http://rollingout.com/entertainment/...ic-fans-angry/

[Jerry Oz]

Thank you, candykamaine. If they cast based on talent alone, how about we support Gabourey Sadibe when they make a Liz Taylor biopic one day?

[ceasar]

I really hope this is not true.
Why was this even a topic of discussion, unless I'm missing something.
Ceasar

[jobeterob]

It's one of the stupidest things I've heard recently; it's the type of claptrap Rick Santorum says.

[Jerry Oz]

I'm calling BS on it from the standpoint that Black folk spend way too much money at the box office to tick them off by doing it.

[daddyacey]

"THEY" got away with having White actors playing Native Americans in westerns and Asians in other movies during the 40's and 50's and 60's ,so I'm not surprised at the attempt of it being considered. It's about the money ,not historical accurate representation. We ain't overcome yet ,contrary to what you may think. O's treatment is testimate to that. You can't make this stuff up.

[nomis]

its a ridiculous notion although executives make stupid decisions like getting a not-so-soundalike to record MJ tracks and releasing them as his work..its Hollywood insane things happen..

[soulster]

Rob, can you provide a ling to that story you quoted?

[soulster]

Why was this even a topic of discussion, unless I'm missing something.

Ceasar

You're kidding, right?

[soulster]

I'm calling BS on it from the standpoint that Black folk spend way too much money at the box office to tick them off by doing it.

Not enough to rake in the money they like to see. remember that the big money-makers always have large White audiences.

[Jerry Oz]

Not enough to rake in the money they like to see. remember that the big money-makers always have large White audiences.

That's partly because we apparently want to see the same crap that the White audiences want to see. Seriously, why should they take black ticket buyers seriously when we are the first people lining up to see movies where White people blow each other up and the only Black guy in the movie [[the hero's sidekick, usually) gets capped for trying to be a hero? There is no reason why a concerted effort by Black movie goers to demand more fare directed towards us would not be immediately effective if somebody were to take it up.

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

Not enough to rake in the money they like to see. remember that the big money-makers always have large White audiences.

Thats not always the case. There's been sold out movies where the majority of the audience were Black. "BOYZ N THE HOOD" & "HOUSE PARTY" for instance

[carlo]

I've read that there are no plans to do a Whitney biopic at this time. These are all rumours. It's far to soon to even be discussing this.

[soulster]

Thats not always the case. There's been sold out movies where the majority of the audience were Black. "BOYZ N THE HOOD" & "HOUSE PARTY" for instance

No, those films had massive White audiences.

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

Maybe in your neck of the woods but here in N. Cali that wasn't the case.
Basically any ICE Cube films that came out in the 90's was filled to capacity
with a mostly young Black audience

[soulster]

Maybe in your neck of the woods but here in N. Cali that wasn't the case.
Basically any ICE Cube films that came out in the 90's was filled to capacity
with a mostly young Black audience

You are just going by what you see in your area. Nationally, those movies had huge White audiences. There's no other way they could have been major nationwide theatrical releases.

[jobeterob]

http://rollingout.com/entertainment/...ic-fans-angry/

There you go Soulster.

I tend to think it is awfully early in the day for this to be considered..........unless, there is truth to the estate being deeply in debt and the houses being near or under foreclosure.

The CDs are all charting again but many of them really aren't selling that much in the way of copies.............a few thousand will get you on the chart again.

Why on earth would the child be put on Oprah. Even the Jacksons didn't do that. That one is very hard to fathom.

[BobC]

I think a black actress should play Whitney, but I have to say I am disappointed with the victim mentality and the "we have not overcome" crap. I noticed nobody whined when a black actor played Heimdall in the Norse God epic Thor [[he was very good actually, but I'm pretty sure Norse mythology didn't have any blacks in it). And nobody bellyached and cried when Morgan Freeman played the role of the white scientist who forged the first prosthetic tail for a dolphin in Dolphin Tale. And I don't recall anyone having nervous breakdowns over Hal Berry or Eartha Kitt playing Cat Woman, a character who was always white in the comics. And speaking of comics, Samuel Jackson now plays Nick Fury in Iron Man and the Avengers, and Nick Fury has been white for forty years over at Marvel. And where's the outrage over Jamie Foxx playing Lynch from God of War? How about the Kingpin suddenly turning black in Daredevil? TwoFace, a villain who was always white, magically turned clack in Batman Forever.

The truth is more blacks are cast into traditionally white roles than the other way around--in fact I don't recall a single instance of a white person being cast in a traditionally black role. So please stop crying. It's a disgrace.

[skooldem1]

I don't believe this story about them being open to casting a white actress to play Whitney.

[soulster]

http://rollingout.com/entertainment/...ic-fans-angry/

There you go Soulster.

I tend to think it is awfully early in the day for this to be considered..........unless, there is truth to the estate being deeply in debt and the houses being near or under foreclosure.

The CDs are all charting again but many of them really aren't selling that much in the way of copies.............a few thousand will get you on the chart again.

Why on earth would the child be put on Oprah. Even the Jacksons didn't do that. That one is very hard to fathom.

She's a teenager. It's her choice to go on TV.\

I have to chuckle whenever I see tons of copies of her first album on CD in the stores and they aren't selling. I think they aren't selling is because her music wasn't that good. It's not considered collectable.

[soulster]

I think a black actress should play Whitney, but I have to say I am disappointed with the victim mentality and the "we have not overcome" crap.

It's not crap, and it's not playing victim. You may have trouble seeing it because you are not part of the discriminated group in question.

On the other hand, if they can find a woman who looks the closest to Whitney in skin color, and everything else, and she's not Black, it may not be such a problem. That does open the door to a lot of other dark-skinned actors. But, it just wouldn't be right.

[Jerry Oz]

The truth is more blacks are cast into traditionally white roles than the other way around--in fact I don't recall a single instance of a white person being cast in a traditionally black role. So please stop crying. It's a disgrace.

The truth is after "Star Wars" was observed to be Lily White, Hollywood decided to have at least one black actor appear in major motion pictures to avoid looking like a racist institution. Since then, there has been typically ONE black actor in most major motion pictures. Although, you have brought up food for thought, I doubt seriously that we'll see an actor other than white portraying an iconic figure like Elvis, Buddy Holly, Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, etc., for fear of being laughed out of the theater. Therefore, it is laughable to consider a non-Black actor to play a singer as iconic as Whitney Houston.

[daddyacey]

"The truth is more blacks are cast into traditionally white roles than the other way around--in fact I don't recall a single instance of a white person being cast in a traditionally black role. So please stop crying. It's a disgrace."

Just what is a "traditionally White role? A Norse Mythology or Comic Book character? Why would those be "traditional White roles?

Also , to call the fact that the issue as was addressed ,as "crying" , is a disgrace, as I see it but that's your opinion. For the record though ,there is no crying behind the statements made. Please don't get it twisted.

Respectfully,
D.A