Why Are White Actors Playing Black Characters?

As time goes on we see even more diverse people on television and movies. The popular television show "Ugly Betty" stars a Hispanic woman. Barriers are being broken down, However even in modern Hollywood; there are only a few minority actors and actresses that get starring roles in major motion pictures and television. Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Antonio Banderas, and Samuel L. Jackson are a few names that quickly come to mind. These are only a handful of minority actors who sometimes have to fight for their lead roles. Lead roles for minority actors may be few and far between but this doesn't mean there are not many talented black or Hispanic people out there in the acting world.

However recently I have been kind of surprised by the casting of a couple of roles. Let me start with the recent news that white actor Robert Downey Jr. will be playing a black person in his upcoming role in a movie. The movie is called "Tropic Thunder" where he will be starring alongside actors Ben Stiller and Jack Black. Even throughout Downey's turbulent personal life he is still a critically acclaimed actor. He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 1992 for portraying Charlie Chaplin in "Chaplin". He may be a good actor but I think Paramount is taking a risk with this one.

For some reason seeing a white person portraying a black character disturbs me. It brings up old images of whites wearing blackface in minstrel shows and portraying blacks as dumb and foolish. I really hope we as a society aren't becoming more accepting of these kinds of things. I hope Downey knows what he's doing. This is the kind of thing that could destroy his career if the drugs didn't. The popular late night comedy show "Saturday Night Live" has also been hit with criticism by using a non-black comedian to play Barack Obama. I also must say Fred Armisen's portrayal of Obama hasn't been funny at all.

I will of course take the other side. In 2004 The Wayans Brothers portrayed white women in the movie "White Chicks". That was offensive as well but it hasn't been done since. As for these two issues, they just make me wonder. There has some capable black comedian that can portray Barack Obama. There just has to be talented black people to play these black roles. There just has to be.