June 09, 2005

Colorblind casting, indeed

When Jackie Gleason was growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in the 1930s, many of his neighbors resembled his family, Irish and working-class. Today, the residents remain mostly working-class, but almost all are black.

Perhaps, then, it makes sense that a film remake of Gleason's classic TV comedy "The Honeymooners" would feature a mostly black cast, with Cedric the Entertainer as the new face of loudmouthed Ralph Kramden.

The film, which opens in theaters Friday, reflects a growing trend in recent years called cross-casting - casting minorities in roles originally played by whites...

Colorblind casting in remakes, some say, is a hopeful sign that Hollywood executives are increasingly understanding that talented actors of color can fill prominent roles - and drive ticket sales...

Obviously - obvious to everyone but the AP - this isn't colorblind casting. This is about the money: apparently that studio decided that they'd make more money with this configuration than with, say, Alec Baldwin as Ralph and Janeane Garofalo as Alice (just to choose two names). Also, let me know when - for instance - The Color Purple is remade with an all-Bollywood cast.

Posted to MultiCultiCult at June 9, 2005 08:51 AM

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