helen mirren -

No Mr. Dreyfuss, You Cannot Play a Black Man

Latin Heat — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:01:00 +0000

By Enrique Castillo

Times were when a particular dominant ethnic culture in performing arts had the unbridled privilege of setting and even breaking its own set of rules. “An Actor Can Play Anything.” This bill of goods was, of course, an unwritten rule. Which is why that group could practice or dismiss the rule as it desired. This interpretation existed almost exclusively for one particular ethnic group.

Smear on blackface and play African-American roles. Red face, throw on feathers and play Native American; stretch your eyes and play Asian/Pacific Islander (API). And of course, use your basic Egyptian makeup and smear on some spirit gum and stick on a phony mustache for your Mexican or Latin American and everything else under the sun that equated, anything else or “Other.”

When that privilege began to ebb and the “Others” began to challenge the status quo, reality began to set in for this privileged group. Then some within this privileged group, who professed to be “woke” and on the side of the underprivileged, began to show their true colors. Case in point, American journalist and sportscaster Rachel Nichols who unknowingly recorded her phone conversation while talking with Lebron James’ advisor Adam Mendelsohn and the former’s agent, Rich Paul about African-American co-worker Maria Taylor, who had been selected to cover the 2020 NBA Finals and replacing Nichols. Nichols is heard saying. “…Just find it somewhere else. You are not going to find it from me or taking my thing away.”

Then there’s actor Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws) who recently shared his thoughts on White actors being able to play Black in a recent interview with Margaret Hoover on an episode of PBS’s Firing Line, “He played a Black man brilliantly,” said Dreyfuss about Lawrence Olivier. “Am I being told that I will never have a chance to play a Black man? Is someone else being told that if they’re not Jewish, they shouldn’t play [in] The Merchant of Venice? Are we crazy?”

Mr. Dreyfuss, we suggest you read Noah Berlatsky’s recent CNN opinion piece on Helen Mirren playing Golda Meir in the film Golda or David M. Perry’s opinion piece on Bradley Cooper’s fake proboscis for his role as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Someone is being told that “if they’re not Jewish, they shouldn’t be play” Jewish.

It’s time for this privileged group to face reality.

No you can no longer blackface or put on feathers or stretch your eyes and play anything you feel is your right – without controversy. This practice is also now being challenged by Little People. After the trailer of the new re-fashioned film on Willy Wonka entitled Wonka was released this past month, the Little People community called out the casting of Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa, bemoaning that that role should have gone to a Little Person.

(L-R) Helen Mirren as Golda, Lawrence Olivier as Othello, Hugh Grant as the Oompa Loompa & Alex Wolf as Nobel Prize Winning Physicist Luis Alvarez

And, when it comes to accents, if they are European accents, there seems to be no problem. However, if the rule of no accent is specifically applied to the “Others” when they are being considered for a lead or prominent role, that is when “they” choose to dismiss the rule. Think of Arnold Shwartzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme whose accents did not deter them from playing the lead in several films. Russell Crowe as Maximus “the Roman” with his “un-authentically Italian accent ” won an Oscar for this role in Gladiator.

This privileged group believes they have been flawless in their accents for decades. Think Richard Burton speaking “flawless” German in (Where Eagles Dare, 1968); Horst Buchholz’s “flawless” Spanish accent in (The Magnificent Seven, 1960). Then there is Lawrence Olivier, Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis’ with their “flawless’ accent as Italians in (Spartacus, 1960). They didn’t even try.

It must be nice to be that privileged, especially when rewarded for it with a golden statue confirming your exceptional and “flawlessly accented” performance. We can almost hear them say, “I make the rule, I can break it whenever I damn please.”

Nothing capsulizes this “rule’s” sentiment more than what I read in the great late director Hal Ashby’s unpublished memoir that his former assistant let me read; and I am paraphrasing here: “There are three things that separate me from a lot of people, I was born white, I was born male and I was born in this country [the U.S.]. That means I don’t have to look over my shoulder.” He knew well the cloak of privilege he was born with.

But times they are changing and as the “MAGA” mentality that has benefited that particular privileged group continues to be challenged there is still one ethnic group that remains in the crosshairs of “the rule”– Latinos. Think Ben Affleck in (Argo) who played real life CIA Operative Tony Mendez. And more recently, think Alex Wolff who was cast as Nobel Prize winning physicist Luis Alvarez in the much lauded Christoper Nolan’s film Oppenheimer. And more recently, let’s not forget Leonard Bernstein’s Costa Rican-Chilean wife Felicia Montealegre being played by Carey Mulligan in Maestro.

(L-R) Latinos not portrayed by Latinos: Tony Mendez Played by Ben Affleck (Argo); Felicia Montealegre played by Carrie Mulligan in Maestro; Luis Alvarez portrayed by Alex Wolff in Openheimer; and Glenn Close played one of the fictional character of Ferula Trueba (one of three Latina lead roles) in Isabel Allende’s award-winning novel “House of the Spirits”.

Yet, some who have the complexioned ability to blend and have some crossover success might continue to defend the rule, out of desperate survival or acquired privilege. Martin Sheen whose real name is Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez and his son Charlie Sheen (Carlos Irwin Estevez) come to mind. Martin’s other actor son Emilio Estevez however, seems to have defied the rule and maintained pride in his heritage, and was ultimately advised by his father, “‘Don’t make the mistake that I did. Don’t change your name.” Yes, time has a way of assisting one in seeing things a little clearer and assuaging the need to conceal or deny one’s heritage.

Now that the “Others” have begun to challenge the “rule” and point out its inconsistencies, it’s about time to throw out the rule and adapt to what Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote; “There is nothing permanent except change.” Or more simply put by an unknown author, “In order to change, we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

What this year’s WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes have brought to light is that the privileged group is now feeling what the “Others” have been feeling for generations about being replaced on screen. Looking into the future, AI is one of the main issues. Now “they” are afraid of being replaced by AI. For the “Others” it’s more personal. As the character Ramon states in the 1940’s film Salt of The Earth: “Okay, so discrimination hurts everybody… but it hurts me more!”

MAGA? America has never been greater… for the underprivileged and the world. Now, many more are speaking out more freely and more can be stated about how and who built the film industry (Hollywood), how they did it, and how the “Others” can claim their space and move forward. But that’s for another article.

For now let’s just welcome Mr. Dreyfuss to the New World!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR POLL ON THIS TOPIC HERE:

The post No Mr. Dreyfuss, You Cannot Play a Black Man first appeared on .

SAG Awards Awards Re-play Today on HBOMax

latinheat — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 21:44:04 +0000

The Screen Actors Guild Awards® were held on Sunday, February 27, in person at the at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The stars did come out in-person to celebrate the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards which were telecast on TNT and TBS, and if you missed it you can catch the re-play starting today, February 28 on HBO Max.

Honored with individual awards were Will Smith, Jessica Chastain, Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose for performances in motion pictures, and Michael Keaton, Kate Winslet, Lee Jung-jae, Jung Ho-yeon, Jason Sudeikis and Jean Smart for performances in television. The Actor® for a motion picture cast performance this year went to “CODA,” and the Actors® for television drama and comedy ensemble performances went to “Succession” and Ted Lasso.” The Screen Actors Guild Awards originated awards for motion picture cast and by television drama and comedy ensembles.

Awards for for outstanding action performances were presented during the official live pre-show on Red Carpet Live: 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. The stunt ensemble from No Time to Die was honored for motion picture and the stunt ensemble from Squid Game was honored for television.

Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett presented Helen Mirren with the 57th Life Achievement Award. The SAG Awards continued its traditions of presenting a montage saluting the work of SAG-AFTRA members and a filmed “In Memoriam” tribute honoring the union’s members lost during the past year.

*SAG Awards Eligibility Period: March 1 – December 31, 2021

Here is a full list of the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Recipients

The Motion Picture Winners are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

WILL SMITH / Richard Williams – “KING RICHARD”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

JESSICA CHASTAIN / Tammy Faye Bakker – “THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi – “CODA”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

ARIANA DeBOSE / Anita – “WEST SIDE STORY”

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

CODA

EUGENIO DERBEZ / Bernardo Villalobos

DANIEL DURANT / Leo Rossi

EMILIA JONES / Ruby Rossi

TROY KOTSUR / Frank Rossi

MARLEE MATLIN / Jackie Rossi

FERDIA WALSH-PEELO / Miles

The Television Program Winners are:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

MICHAEL KEATON / Dr. Samuel Finnix – “DOPESICK”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

KATE WINSLET / Mare Sheehan – “MARE OF EASTTOWN”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

LEE JUNG-JAE / Seong Gi-hun – “SQUID GAME”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

JUNG HO-YEON / Kang Sae-byeok – “SQUID GAME”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso – “TED LASSO”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

JEAN SMART / Deborah Vance – “HACKS”

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

SUCCESSION

HIAM ABBASS / Marcia Roy

NICHOLAS BRAUN / Greg Hirsch

JULIANA CANFIELD / Jess Jordan

BRIAN COX / Logan Roy

KIERAN CULKIN / Roman Roy

DAGMARA DOMINCZYK / Karolina Novotney

PETER FRIEDMAN / Frank Vernon

JIHAE / Berry Schneider

JUSTINE LUPE / Willa

MATTHEW MACFADYEN / Tom Wambsgans

DASHA NEKRASOVA / Comfrey Pellits

SCOTT NICHOLSON / Colin

DAVID RASCHE / Karl Muller

ALAN RUCK / Connor Roy

J. SMITH-CAMERON / Gerri Kellman

SARAH SNOOK / Shiv Roy

FISHER STEVENS / Hugo Baker

JEREMY STRONG / Kendall Roy

ZOË WINTERS / Kerry Castellabate

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

TED LASSO

ANNETTE BADLAND / Mae

KOLA BOKINNI / Isaac McAdoo

PHIL DUNSTER / Jamie Tartt

CRISTO FERNÁNDEZ / Dani Rojas

BRETT GOLDSTEIN / Roy Kent

BRENDAN HUNT / Coach Beard

TOHEEB JIMOH / Sam Obisanya

NICK MOHAMMED / Nathan Shelley

SARAH NILES / Dr. Sharon Fieldstone

JASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso

JEREMY SWIFT / Leslie Higgins

JUNO TEMPLE / Keeley Jones

HANNAH WADDINGHAM / Rebecca Welton

The Stunt Ensemble Winners are:

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

“NO TIME TO DIE”

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series

“SQUID GAME”

The 57th Annual SAG Life Achievement Award

Helen Mirren

The post SAG Awards Awards Re-play Today on HBOMax first appeared on .

Vin Diesel Believes Late Paul Walker Sent John Cena To Play His Brother In ‘F9’

latinheat — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 02:57:10 +0000

Hollywood star Vin Diesel, who has played the character of Dominic Toretto in the Fast and Furious franchise for 20 years, recently said he had a “strange feeling” that Paul Walker sent John Cena to play his brother in ‘F9‘.
When the time came to cast someone to play his brother for the upcoming F9: The Fast Saga, the actor admitted the search gave him a bit of “anxiety.”

“Obviously, I’m multicultural,” said Diesel.
“You could’ve cast anybody to be my brother. So, for two months before I went into filming, I created a shrine where I could do all the combat training, all the stunts, and I had the charger there to simulate the garage to get into the Dom state of mind.”

“Now the idea of the brother worked great on paper, but when the time came to cast it, anxiety. Who could you cast to be Dom’s brother and 20 years into the game? The audience knows our mythology so much,” said Diesel.
That is until John Cena captured the role of Jakob Toretto, a casting that Diesel believes the late Paul Walker, who starred alongside Diesel in the Fast and the Furious films before his death in 2013, had a hand in making happen.

“[Cena] comes into the shrine one morning, and I had this strange feeling…that Paul Walker had sent him,” said Diesel, adding that the moment was “very magical.”

Diesel’s son, Vincent Sinclair, also made his movie debut for F9 as the younger version of his dad’s beloved character.
“I can’t take the credit. It was Justin Lin, the director,” said Diesel detailing the experience of working with his 10-year-old son on the film.

“But we’ve been making these movies for so long that every time one of my children were born, I was usually working on a Fast and Furious movie,” Diesel said. “So the director and the cast all have their relationship with my children. And it was [Lin’s] idea for my son to play young Dom.”
F9, the ninth installment in the iconic film franchise, was initially scheduled to drop in May 2020 but was pushed back by the Covid-19 pandemic. Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, and John Cena also star in the movie.

Justin Lin, who helmed the series’ third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sequels when it was a worldwide success, returns to direct F9. Again, the action spans the globe, from London to Tokyo, Central America to Edinburgh, and a secret bunker in Azerbaijan to the busy streets of Tbilisi. Old friends and foes will resurface, history will be rewritten, and the true meaning of family will be tested in the upcoming sequel.
(With inputs from ANI)
(Edited by Anindita Ghosh and Ojaswin Kathuria)

The post Vin Diesel Believes Late Paul Walker Sent John Cena To Play His Brother In ‘F9’ appeared first on Zenger News.

The post Vin Diesel Believes Late Paul Walker Sent John Cena To Play His Brother In ‘F9’ first appeared on .

“Hobbs and Shaw” A Spectacular Hero Buddy Film

latinheat — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 12:59:00 +0000

Eiza Gonzales as The Mysterious Madam M is a Standout

By Luis Reyes

Fast and Furious presents Hobbs and Shaw is a spectacular action film while at the same time being a buddy film in which the genetically enhanced supervillain Brixton played by Idris Elba is as attractive as its two heroes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham. Hobbs and Shaw opens wide on August 1, 2019.

Following in the tradition of The Fast and Furious multi-ethnic casting, Hobbs and Shaw enhance the mold even further by bringing together three of the most attractive and charismatic leading men and action stars in films today.

After eight films that have amassed more than 5 billion dollars worldwide, Fast and Furious presents Hobbs and Shaw as the first stand-alone film in the franchise. Hobbs and Shaw follow Johnson as Diplomatic Security Agent Luke Hobbs and Statham as Operative Deckard Shaw who has crossed paths previously in the Fast and Furious Franchise. Johnson first appeared as Hobbs in 2011’s Fast Five and has appeared in every Fast and Furious movie since.

Eiza Gonzalez has a major kick-ass role as the mysterious Madam M in the film. Gonzalez has been on a major upward trajectory since she received serious notice in the hit film Baby Driver. In a recent interview in HOLA magazine, Gonzalez remarked that Salma Hayek was her role model and that like Salma she wanted to produce and direct sometime in the future.

Eiza Gonzalez as Madame M and Dwayne Johnson

The movie also stars Helen Mirren, Vanessa Kirby and WWME Star Roman Reigns as Hobb’s Samoan brother. Johnson is in real life actually half African-American and half Samoan and showcases his Samoan cultural background in the film in scenes filmed on Kauai, Hawaii.

Johnson produced Fast and Furious presents Hobbs and Shaw alongside Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia through his Seven Bucks Productions. Hobbs and Shaw hits theatres on August 2^nd released by Universal Pictures.

The post “Hobbs and Shaw” A Spectacular Hero Buddy Film first appeared on .