It's a matter of delusions of grandeur, isn't it? Look at this 'I'm giving birth in Namibia and I need privacy' farce. They even managed to close Namibian borders! What a colonial mentality.

Hi - thanks for the link but my blog address is blacklooks.org NOT blacklooks.com

cheers

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Sorry about that!!!

I was actually relieved when I heard that Angelina Jolie was going to be playing Marianne Pearl. When Brad Pitt's production company bought the rights to Pearl's book the talk was that JENNIFER ANISTON would play Marianne.

For what it's worth Angelina Jolie doesn't identify herself as 'white' since her mother is half Native American. And apparently Marianne Pearl herself is quite happy that Ms. Jolie is playing her.

I don't know. On one hand, I think that Jolie is a fine actress and would do a good job. I also admire how she's managed to face whatever demons possessed her and come out the other side. I thought it was pretty funny that she went to Africa to have her baby. It was a great way to say fuck you to the press that would have made that part of her pregnancy a nightmare, as well as putting a spotlight on an African country most Westerners have never heard of. Let's face it, most people aren't interested in Africa unless a celebrity is somehow attached to it.

On the other hand, I hate the fact that Hollywood is always trying to 'whitewash' black people's stories. Amistad, anyone. My personal favourite is Mississippi Burning. At the beginning of the movie the car carrying the doomed civil rights workers (Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner)is pulled over. A flashlight shines in the back seat and the black actor playing Chaney is revealed. I remember sitting in the theatre thinking that there was something wrong but not sure what it was. Suddenly it hit me and I stood up in the theatre and yelled, 'Chaney was driving the fucking car'. You see, I grew up very aware of the history of the civil rights movement. Chaney was actually from the area. Goodman and Schwerner were New Yorkers and one of them had only arrived that week. They had been threatened with death earlier that day and yet we were supposed to believe that the black man, who was the most familiar with the roads especially at night, was passively sitting in the back seat. Chaney was sent to the back of the bus during the depiction of his own murder. A lot of people had problems with Mississippi Burning's depiction of black people as incidental to the story and the director replied that if black people didn't like how they were portrayed, 'they should make their own movies'. Spike Lee agreed with him and, quite frankly, so do I. Anything to avoid another 'The Colour Purple'!

I thought it was pretty funny that she went to Africa to have her baby. It was a great way to say fuck you to the press that would have made that part of her pregnancy a nightmare, as well as putting a spotlight on an African country most Westerners have never heard of. Let's face it, most people aren't interested in Africa unless a celebrity is somehow attached to it.

As I said, I don't think it's funny at all. They closed Namibian borders and then said during the interview that they want to be treated like ordinary people. Yeah, right. They also said how much they love Africa. Sounds sweet? Well, maybe. But which Africa did they mention? The one that was treated by them like a luxury hotel left at their disposal? I read that Namibians were irritated by all of this. I can easily imagine why.

What is going on that this is the only place I can find any commentary on the racism of Hollywood (and Brangelina in particular) that is ok with having a white woman portray a black (ok,ok...bi-racial)woman in a movie. Has seanyone seen a picture of Angelina in the movie. It's pretty close to being in Blackface. She is looks Mystic Tanned (as if that can make a white woman look black) and has a dark curly wig on. It's pretty condescending. Are there no bi-racial actresses out there to fill the part? I know that there are probably many bi-racial (black/white)women out there who ordinarily get rejected at castings for either being not black enough or not white enough. Those women must be really frustrated.
Angelina is dangerous because she appears to be doing great things by adopting outside of her race and donating $$$ to developing nations. I always wonder though about how great it will be for her kids when they grow up and realize they were a fashion accessory.

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As a biracial model/actress I personally find myself in a gray area when it comes to finding parts. I'm most commonly placed in roles for either black or hispanic women--both of which I do not identify. While I feel I know Angelina Jolie personally viacriously through her work/interviews/photos, I do not and cannot know why she is assuming the role of a biracial woman. I do not, however, think her intentions are ill-willed, why would they be? Why all the resentment towards her, ladies? I'm biracial and I'm not pissed off. More power to any woman who can draw attention to people who are typically overlooked. If it takes someone like Angelina Jolie to awaken the public to the exotic biracial female--so be it! I'm glad. Also, there are so many variations of multi-racial people that some of them can assume any ethnicity (with the right hair and makeup) and get away with it. I hope to be one of those strikingly beautiful performers some day.

Whether you "identify" as a black woman or not, that is what you are. I am sure you are never called in to audition for caucasian roles. That should be your first clue.

In order not to raise accusations of hypocrisy, how about turning down all black and latina roles you are offered?

I just registered here to comment to your post. I actually couldn't go to bed last night until I posted something on my personal livejournal. I am so disappointed in Angie but as someone said "It's a delusion of grandeur." When I first heard about the movie, I thought it was a joke, especially since no one not even the real MP seemed upset.

I'm not upset that Jolie is playing the role. I'm upset that they have painted her skin. When we have female actresses of color fighting for roles to prove that color shouldn't matter and who have played real people without havign their hair and eyes lightened, there is no reason to darken Jolie. It's an insult.

I HAD to add my two cents into this one. What the hell is going on? Like previous posters have stated, has Hollywood ran out of biracial women suddenly. Are we so scarse that you have to get a white lady to play us? The answer to that is NO, NO, NO. I am a biracial woman and proud like you would not beleive. I am black, I am white and I identify as both and am quite sick of people trying to force me chose sides. If your not mixed too then SHUT UP because you have no idea. My genes are 50/50. I am so tired that after all these years people are still so suseptable to the racial brainwashing of the days of slavery and the stupid one drop rule which was created by a white man to limit the vote of black and multiracial people in the early 1900's.

Weren't people sick of seeing white men with blue eyes play Native Americans and take on the role of Othello in blackface, oh sorry dark brown shoepolish. What is going on? I liked Angelina as an actress. But she should know better, her concern of people's reaction is a strong indicator that she knows what she is doing is wrong. Angelina portraying a biracial woman IS NOT bringing more attention to us at all. Its dehumanizing us as if we are some urban legend that does not really exist except in stories and rumors. Hollywood is acting like we are some fashion trend or mistake that poeple make. Well, I AM NOT A MISTAKE. My parents are marrried 28 years. I grew up in a German/Black household knowing both my backgrounds and I am proud. So how dare Hollywood undermine me and my sister and my children and my husband and all my students who are mixed and have a white woman play me. I am so sick of hardly ever seeing a true mixed peron in a mixed person role. Its either a black person or a hispanic person. Why are we still a tabu? I will tell you why because biracial people in all our glory still intimidate the monoracials, black, white, hispanic, asian, whatever. How about everybody just marry someone outside your ethnic group and we squash this garabage for good? How about that? And don't think the real Ms. Pearl is all excited because she has no problem with Angelina. She's cool about it because she is going to get a nice tight royalty check. She knows she has to be seen with Angelina all peaches and creame so people see the movie and make that check fatter. Sellout!

Invisibility is the gratest form of discrimination. No one feels that more acutely than the 'invisible'.

Historically, let's talk facts and not fiction, women of 'color' (and everyone knows what we mean by that) have been relegated to roles of screaming wenches,(who don't know nothin' bout birthin' no babies) or hard working heaven bound matrons who served as the white stars' movie mammies.. The real question is why? And why does this blanket discrimination still exist? And just as in Hollywood, we are expected to 'grin and bear it'. Applaud our own absence. Marianne may be of 'mixed origins', but had she been an actress she would never have been chosen to play her own role. Would we choose a woman of color to play, say, the life of Marilyn? Maybe put on a blonde wig and a little chalk on her face-can anyone give me an intelligent reason for doing so? would that be credible-even if the acting were outstanding? Of course not. Even our objections are being ignored. In no major celebrity magazine (I may be uninformed here) have I heard this objection.) Why is it such a big deal? How many films have you seen recently where a Black woman was the central character? Time's up. In more ways than one.

Firstly, as a white (not really white because I'm jewish and WASP's don't consider Jews to be white, but "jewish") I didn't really think much about Angelina playing Marianne Pearle. After reading your comments, I am torn between wanting to support a true warrior of peace (Marianne) and walking away from yet another racial slap in the face (Angelia and hollywood). Please help me come to terms with this!!!!

...is an exercise in frustration at best. I get the sense that she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer and neither is Mr Pitt. The role was going to be given to whomever he was romantically involved with at the time no matter what. It looks like their nod to racial representation was to dye Angelina brown.

In looking for a photo I also found this pretty ranty article. But there is a pic of Ange dyed up to the nines, which I frankly think is way worse than just having her play the role as a white woman. It's... I can't think of the words but it just seems ridiculous.

I forgot to thank all those who commented for opening my eyes to some thoughts about being bi-racial, and how bi-racial peoples are not represented. I spent a year in Australia a few years ago and was convinced white Australians and Indigenous (Aboriginal) Australians never crossed paths - at least romantically. How wrong I was!! There is whole culture of mixed race peoples there...albeit they are well hidden - as I never saw or heard of any of that! Mind you, I spent all my time with white Australians.... Note: it wasn't until the 1970's that Aboriginals were re-classified as "Indigenous Australian" or "Aboriginal" as the whites then decided they were the real Australians. Before that, whites were European and Aboriginals were Australian. Nice way to take someone's heritage!!

I agree with those who wish the role would have been offered to a biracial actress--or several biracial actresses!--but I don't understand the some of the online criticism that Angelina Jolie is wearing "blackface" for the role--as far as I can tell, she is no more tan in the promotional photos for "A Mighty Heart", than she was in the Tomb Raider II film here: http://www.comicbookhotties.com/models/angelina-jolie-pic.asp?i=26&l=tru...

So, in my mind, the only changes made for this film were to her hair and brown contact lenses--which actresses do all the time. Look at Jessica Alba's hair & blue-eyed contacts for the "Fantastic Four" films--I find that more disturbing, given how easily the producers could have changed Alba's character description to suit her own natural multi-ethnic beauty, instead of bleaching her hair and making her look like a Barbie doll. At least Jolie is playing a real person, and has a responsibility to be accurate to Marianne Pearl's looks and personality.

In this case, it doesn't bother me that Angelina Jolie is playing the role of a woman of color . . . Although I suspected Ms. Pearl was mixed, I never saw an article that referred to her that way, so . . . It doesn't appear that the media cared to do it, either, surprisingly enough.

But, anyway, I admire Jolie for her accomplishments off the screen, as well as her acting. I certainly would rather see someone who can act play the role vs. a Black female who cannot, i.e. Halle Berry. Pearl's story deserves to be told.

MaCandyBarr, Halle Berry is both black and white. She may identify herself as a black woman and indeed she does but she is mixed. The fact that she thinks her black heritage trumps the rest makes her a fool among other things. I think she's a mediocre actress and am grateful she wasn't offered this role or that she was sought. Angelina isn't particularly good herself and so I don't think she deserved to get it but nepotism is a grand thing isn't it?

Marianne (according to Angelina on Larry King Live last Thursday) said that she wanted Angelina to play her which is beyond ridiculous. I don't know if it's self-loathing but I find it egregious that Angelina was cast. I'm mixed (French/Dominican (not Dominican Republic)/Irish/Polish) and I see others like me everywhere. What was the harm in pursuing some realism? The story is what matters most but considering it is a true story and Marianne is mixed, they should have cast a mixed woman. It lends credibility. It adds realism. Making Angelina look brown-skinned with a lame wig just won't cut it and it trivializes the entire story. I'm unwilling to go see it.

It's bad enough women of color deal with so much strife just to get cast at all let alone get quality roles ie. not the crackwhore/negligent mother/"black" friend......... Angelina could put all the bronzer she wants, wear a curly wig and hit just the right accent.....it doesn't matter because she looks like a damn fool doing it.

Marianne's ethnicity is rarely mentioned and it's a good thing because what matters is who she is and what she has to offer, not her ethnic background. We are all of some ethnicity whether we're Irish, Polish/Jamaican or anything else. It bothers me that white actors get to play hispanic characters when there are struggling hispanic actors out there who would revel in playing the parts. It's not happening for them. Bigotry is pervasive. And producers dare not alienate their bigoted audience which is enormous!

Brad Pitt produced the film, he had bought the rights to her book. I do think and it's unfortunate that had a mixed actress been cast, the movie would not be as successful. I don't know the release date yet but Angelina will get a$$es in the seats and some people might go see it because it's her and not some mixed girl.

We see so few quality roles for people of color and particularly women and this casting just perpetuates that. Shame on the lot of them!!!

BlueLotus-Angelina playing a bi-racial women really does not bother me as much as it would if it were Jennifer Aniston. I think that they were trying to get to the closest as they could to the person and having someone who has the ability to portray Mrs. Pearl (in addition to ticket sales and such)Hollywood is and the film industry alone is enormous. u could really get swallowed up if you don't build the film right. do u know how many films get lost just because of the lack of pr, money & presence. So in choosing a women to come to look and come across film as to the actual person and that can also ACT is a job in itself, I'm not quite sure, (and don't hate me for this) that there's really anyone that can do that right now. I mean, im of bi-racial ethnic (sounds more of an ingredient than a human being)and I don't see the problem w AJ playing Mrs. Pearl. I read Mrs. Pearl's book, and I have so much respect for her and her story needs 2 b delt w/kit gloves, it was hard to read. I really liked AJ as Gia, she's not afraid to get dirty and gritty, and from what I've read about her, she really absorbs herself in these roles (maybe a bit too absorbed)anyway i would like to see a real sense of how Marianne was during her ordeal and AJ can get that across. I mean if we're talkin of color, Marianne is more of fair light-skinned, and AJ being of Native American descent, she can go get a tan for crying out loud to get the tone. But the real issue for me is the story, who will best portray Mrs. Pearl in a story that's just heartwrenching, fast, frustrating with government red tape and just plain sad. I mean ur dealing w government issues from different countries and then being a women! alone w/ child...that alone was just frustrating. anyway i think the story needs to be told and AJ has my vote. I just want her to stay true to Mrs. Pearl as possible forget everything else...this women is amazing...I'm a single mom also and I probably would have caved...well single-parent black or bi-racial just dont cave, we endure and keep going, but I just don't want this to become some black/white issue...I can't wait for the release...pray that our brothas and sistas come out to the see the film...even without it being a comedy or something w/ music...I'm sorry but if we wanted someone else in it, that was black/bi-racial why couldn't our finest have bought the rights to the film and then we wouldn't have had an issue...oh you probably would have wanted to read the book first.....oh yeah, well there u have it, it wasn't on our reading list, ah probably because we thought she was White and because she married a White guy and that was Their story.....now we know she's bi-racial and not a foreigner,we want to scream foul for not giving the role to a black/bi-racial actress...Again another opportunity to create a film with depth and we have to have THEM do it instead of us.....that in itself is frustating...another example of how much we aren't IN in Hollywood...So Marianne Pearl will be represented by Angelina Jolie...if Mrs. Pearl doesn't have a problem with it, then maybe we shouldn't either...and from what I've read Mrs. Pearl seem to be very satisfied with that...I'm happy for her that her ordeal will finally be told and no one will be able to block that and you will see how governments and politics are ugly business...Congrats to Marianne Pearl and may she be at some pease of some sort with knowing we will all see how amazing Danny was to her...Peace b unto u.

I had less of a problem with Jolie taking this role on before I knew she got painted up for it.

Marianne Pearl doesn't identify strictly as biracial - I believe she identifies by nationality - 3 or 4 nationalities. Remember, she is not an American woman, and her way of self-identification is different than what we Americans are more familiar with.

I see no point in engaging in the Love To Hate Angelina Jolie stuff over this movie (maybe over her imperialist tendencies, but not this) - when has mainstream movie-making ever been respectful or considerate of women of color? Her friend wanted her to play this part and her husband owned the rights. Do we expect her to randomly rise above the racism and privilege and suddenly be more socially and ethically aware than anyone else in the movie industry - an industry that she's been involved in probably since she was a teenager? I don't. This isn't an independent film.

And to Kayla: You'd be hard pressed to find someone who likes Halle Berry less than me, but I would recommend that you be VERY careful about calling mixed women who identify as black 'foolish.' It's a slippery slope...

Atena

Assumptions, Biases & Irrational Fantasies

My Life As a Radical Whore/Madonna

First of all, this whole notion of "biracial" or "mixed raced" is beginning to become laughable to me. Most black people, expecially those in the United States are of mixed race, largely because white slave owners raped black slave women. But that does not negate anyone's blackness, or it should not. Now, that's not to say those of you who have a white parent should not acknowledge that. But when you try so hard to ignore that you are a black person, like Tiger Woods, you look so stupid because white people definitely see you as black. Fuzzy Zoeller made that quite apparent with the "fried chicken and collard greens" comment after Tiger won the Masters the first time.

I am a fair-skinned black woman with two black parents and people ask me quite a bit if I am bi-racial (actually, no one in the South really asks, but people on the West Coast ask). For every bi-racial person you can name (Alicia Keyes), I can name one who looks similar and is not bi-racial (Vanessa Williams). All that proves is that we are all black people, of African descent. And we are going to experience racism like that of a dark skinned black person, and if there are differences in treatment, that, in and of itself, is racist.

Now, on to Angelina portraying this black woman. It is offensive, because they are essentially changing history. Why? Is the story not as relatable if Daniel Pearl's wife is a black person? Is something deminished in the eyes of white people? This is not about Hollywood or casting or good acting. This is about images of people of color. Black children all around the world will continue to think they cannot accomplish anything if we continue to change black hero's to white.