theblackactor.com

Sean Combs - Monster's Ball

Sean Combs portrayed death row inmate, Laurence Musgrove  in Monster’s Ball (2001). In the role, he was also husband to Letitica Musgrove (Halle Berry). Someone else should have had this opportunity. 

Is he an actor; or merely an attention-whore a performer with a never-ending urge to be on stage?

Though not terrible, I found the portrayal shallow. The role was better suited to someone who understands how to convey drama and exploit the behavioral and emotional gradations in a character. It’s as if Sean Combs was told, “You’re a death row inmate, facing impending death. Now make sure you look sad and mope a lot.” 

One might argue they cast him because they needed star power. Wasn’t Halle Berry herself, enough star power? Billy Bob Thornton? How much star power is required?  Lots, I guess.

At some point star power has to be, or should be, weighed against talent.

I suppose when they need star power they have to turn to rappers because they are the real stars to our youth. They’re not going to hold a casting call to look for successful black businessmen, black mentors, black chess champions or black snowboarders. And they’re not going to look to actors, necessarily. They will continue to look to rappers for their star power. Even if Combs had turned it down, Ludacris would have accepted it. Or Usher…

Rappers May Save Black Cinema... or Not

I just gotta laugh. Today’s post (Rappers May Save Black Cinema) was drafted some time ago, but finalized tonight (Monday, December 10). On this day I scheduled the post to be published on Tuesday, December 11.

Unrelated to that, is the fact that only three minutes ago, I finished watching Are We There Yet? (2005) [Agonizing]

And this is why I’m laughing to myself.

If this Ice Cube vehicle is any indicator of the future (of black cinema) to come, we will remain…

… doomed.

Watching the pic made me realize how utterly stupid that post might be.

Lawd have mercy.

Rappers May Save Black Cinema

I was thinking to myself it may just be the rappers who save us. If they’re going to be actors then maybe they will change Hollywood forever. 

It is possible that some of them may really want to be good actors... that some of them care about the art of acting. It may be that some of them really care about black cinema and its state. I’m sure it’s true for a handful.

They are already accomplished, internationally known and fabulously rich. Perhaps because of this, they will gingerly pick roles… good roles. And where they don’t exist maybe they will create them. They have the money and influence to do so.

Wouldn’t it be quite something if -- say, in ten years -- there are lots of good movies being released monthly starring lots of good black actors that are… former rappers? 

Just a thought.

American Gangster - Rappers take Actors' Parts - Pt. II

American Gangster - Rappers take Actors' Parts, was unfinished and published by accident. There were one or two more things I wanted to say.

As you know, It is my feeling these roles should have gone to actors. 

Maybe since some rappers pretend to be gangsters it was only fitting that three rappers would show up in this film.

Ranting about it is not going to change this. This is how it is. I’m not going to rant about this, anymore… I hope. Why bother? It’s pointless. There are bigger battles to fight rather than whining over which man (or woman) plays a role. 

What is important is to examine the kind of work the actor is doing and evaluate if the person is talented and worthy of their place on the silver screen. If they are, I will celebrate them. If they are not, I suppose they’ll be dismissed just as any other incompetent would.

American Gangster - Rappers take Actors' Parts

I don't really have anything to say about this film, except that I thought it was entertaining. And one other thing...

Of course, it is my feeling that the roles should not have been awarded to T.I., RZA and Common. All three of these people are rappers.

Three rappers were placed in this film. That meant three actors remained unemployed. It is my feeling that these roles should have gone to actors.

Why am I calling them rappers? Cuz they are. Should I refer to them as actors? No. Not today.

Since I'm on the subject...

RZA - very good, I thought.
T.I. - decent.
Common - seemed kinda wooden to me.

T.I.

Rapper T.I. (Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr.) made his film debut in the film, ATL (2006). He was cast as Rashad; caring big brother, parental figure and teen coping with and growing up in Atlanta’s Mechanicsville nabe (the hood).  In addition to being a father figure for his younger brother Ant (Evan Naess Ross), Rashad, a talented artist, is a regular urban teen who likes girls and hangs out in the local roller skating rink.
    
I liked T.I. in this film. The role didn’t call for incredible range or anything. Nevertheless, I thought he was good in the film.
    
Why, I asked myself, did I like him? He seemed natural; real. I was completely into his character and never thought of T.I. as a rapper straining to be an actor. I enjoyed watching him in the pic. The character was engaging and T.I. made you pay attention to him and care about him. He did the role justice and was seemingly, perfectly cast for it… given the kind of film that it is.
    
I think T.I. should be proud of his first outing. T.I. has two more films in the pipeline. So, we’ll watch him... and see if he blooms into an actor of substance.

Ludacris

I’ve seen Ludacris (Chris Bridges) in two films. But his film credits include two other films, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and The Wash (2001). I saw Ludacris in Crash (2004) and Hustle & Flow (2005).
    
Ludacris took a role from someone appeared in Crash as Anthony -- an angry, pro-black, nationalist, rhetoric-spewing, thug. He was decent in the role. Nothing outstanding.
    
Then there was Hustle & Flow. An actor should have played his part. But that didn’t happen because they looked to Ludacris for star power... for box office bang. Even though Skinny Black (Ludacris) hailed from Memphis, his accent was what it was, very much ATLish. My guess is he probably didn’t feel like he had to master a Memphis accent. He obviously felt being Ludacris was enough. The filmmakers clearly concurred.
    
It may be that Hustle & Flow was created for the demographic that neither knows nor cares that Ludacris sounded like an Atlantan. It was created for the demographic that cares that Ludacris was cast in the film. Undoubtedly, it was hoped that Ludacris’ fan base would support the film because of that. This kind of casting exposes the reality that many of today’s Hollywood films are not produced for discerning viewers. That’s another story, though.
    
Again, I don’t take issue with Ludacris. I take issue with whoever felt that he would be the best actor for that portrayal.
    
Not bothering to master the accent made his performance less credible and his silent claim of being an actor – ludicrous. Be that as it may, he was pretty good in the role. Of course, the character is not that far removed from what he is in real life.
    
Like it or not, Ludacris (like many other Rapper/Actors) is positioning himself as an actor. At present, Ludacris has at least three films scheduled for release. Time will tell how Ludacris progresses as an actor… or not.
    
Since he wasn’t half bad in either role, I am unwilling to dismiss him. I will give him a chance.

Rapper to Actor - Part II

See Part I of this series.

Realistically speaking and in their defense
    
Who wouldn’t want to be in a movie, if asked? If someone today asked me if I wanted to be in a movie, I would say yes. If I had a brother and couldn’t act my way out of a paper bag [Joie Lee] and he asked me to be in one of his movies, I would be in it, even though I know that an actress should be hired instead. This is just reality. The truth is I should not be asked in the first place. But if I were asked, I would do it. (But I wouldn’t do it 242 times).
    
And this is what the rappers do… and the singers… and the models.
    
At the end of the day, what I care about are good performances. I care about talented black actors who are making worthwhile films. And if Queen Latifah and LL Cool J do that, then great.  If Queen Latifah transitions into a motion picture actress who does worthwhile work and is as accomplished an actress as she is a rapper, then so be it. It’s a good thing. Oops. She’s not a rapper anymore, is she? I'd rather see a good “Queen Latifah” in a movie before an ill-prepared, untalented “real actor.” 
    
With that said, I must give credit where it is due. I think Queen Latifah is satisfactory to more than satisfactory in most of her roles. I’ll be talking more about her in the future.
    
So really, I’m at issue not with Ludacris or Queen Latifah but with the people who cast them into these roles.
    
I’m not hatin’ on rappers. But I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the placement of rappers and singers into dramatic roles, especially when they can’t act.
    
I should feel “there’s enough room for everybody.” Well, I don’t...because there isn’t. There are only two roles offered per year for black actors.
    
There are exceptions
    
For roles that call for musical (or singing) talent, it makes sense to look to someone who can sing.  And while you’re looking for that, might as well throw in box office appeal and top it off with someone who is suited for the role and who can act, even a little bit… or maybe very well.
    
So, people like Fantasia (musical – The Color Purple - Broadway), Jennifer Hudson (musical - Dreamgirls), Beyonce (musical – Dreamgirls), etc.  who are cast into these kind of roles -- I understand these casting choices and I think they are fair.
    
That’s not the same as Ludacris being cast as Skinny Black in Hustle & Flow (2005).
    
But we have to acknowledge that we have been given many Rapper/Singer/Model-to-Actors who have lived up to the challenge of being worthwhile and respected actors. I’ll be discussing some of them in future posts. Sometimes the world is enriched because a rapper became an actor.

Rapper to Actor - Part I

Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Ice Tea, DMX, Tyrese, Andre 2000, T.I., Method Man, Red Man, Usher, Treach, LL Cool J, Will Smith, Heavy D, Dr. Dre, MC Lyte, Eve, Brandy, Whitney Houston, Puffy Combs, Tupac, Janet Jackson, Mya, Amerie, Ja Rule, 50 Cent, Ice Tea… these are some of our Hollywood “actors.”

    

Truth is, the Rapper-to-Actor [or Singer-to-Actor] thing bothers me. These rappers find employment as actors not because they are actors, but because they are celebrities.  Realistically, what can we expect them to do? Are rappers really going to decline roles offered to them merely because they are not trained actors? Of course not. I would not either. It’s just the way it is.

    

They are being given opportunities they haven’t earned 

But do they deserve to be cast in these roles?  I don’t think so; not at the expense of real actors.  But I do think that if Queen Latifah reads for a role along with another actress and she is thought to be better suited for the role and is selected to act in the role, then i think that's fair. What is not fair is Queen Latifah being given the opportunity to read in the first place when there are others who should be given the opportunity to read.

Success in one area of entertainment does not guarantee success in another

    

I only want to see actors act. I don’t want to see models, plumbers or rappers act. I don’t want to hear basketball players, quilt makers or EMS Technicians rap. It is amusing that some actors think because they can act, they can direct or even write. This is true sometimes, but there are few who do all really well. Some people believe that because they can direct they can act. This is hilarious.

    

To many, the silver screen is merely a stage on which to be seen; a cinematic trolley that shuttles one to fame; maybe lots and lots of fame. So, when models are magically thrust onto the movie screen just because they’re beautiful, I’m not feelin’ it. The screen is for actors. Just because someone is pretty doesn’t mean I want to see them in a movie. It only means I want to see them in a print ad. And anyway, even if a role called for someone exceptionally beautiful, there are many actors and actresses who are exceptionally beautiful.

    

Box Office Appeal.  Whatever.

   

I get it. But still.

    

I go to movies to see what I hope are good movies with good actors in them. I don’t go to see movie stars or rap stars. Just because Ludacris is a successful and popular rap artist, that doesn’t mean I want to see him act in a film. I have his stuff on my iPod. And that’s where I want him. It’s where I like him.

    

If Hollywood was concerned with finding the best actors for the best roles, we would have better films. Of course, creating a vehicle for Bow Wow and shoving it in my face is selling a movie, not making a movie, because there is another young black teen who should could have been cast in the role.

    

Hollywood’s unbridled presumptuous diminishes the quality of U.S. cinema. Ah, but what choice do I have? I’m only a member of the American moviegoing public. I know the world is not fair. Hollywood is driven by money more than fairness, creativity or niceness.  It’s wishful thinking to expect Queen Latifah or one of the others to refuse a role and urge the producer to hire an untried, unknown black actor from the local acting school. And yet, the worst thing is when a talentless rapper actor gets a job a talented actor should have had. When this happens, a grave injustice has been done.

    

 

 

This is Part I of a two-part series. See Rapper to Actor - Part II.