Halle Berry to star in movie based on white woman’s life

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

colorblind? not so much “Color-blind” casting somehow always seems to benefit white actors. Think of the new CBS sitcom The Class, for example. Although it’s set in the rather diverse city of Philadelphia, the show features an all-white cast. Just like Friends did. The producer David Crane responded to critics by saying this: “When we wrote the script, we wrote it color-blind…and then we auditioned. For six months we saw just a huge range and diversity of actors and at the end of the day these were absolutely the eight actors who were absolutely right for the parts.” Uh-huh.

That’s why it was so refreshing to read this news story about Halle Berry’s upcoming project. It’s based on the true story of a teacher who accepted a challenge from her sixth grade class to run for Congress. But get this: the original woman was white. For once, “color-blind” casting done right! From EURweb.com:

Halle Berry’s next movie role will center on the true story of Tierney Cahill, a teacher from Reno, Nev. who accepted a challenge from her sixth grade class to run for Congress in 2000.

The actress will portray Cahill in the DreamWorks drama, titled “Class Act.” The filmmakers have taken a rare turn in casting an African American actress to portray a woman who is white in real life. Sources close to the production tell Variety that it was more important to find the right actress for the role rather than the right white actress.

In 2000, Cahill decided to grant the wishes of her students and run for Congress on the condition that they would help with her campaign. The single mother ultimately lost her bid to an incumbent, but she ended up winning 35% of the popular vote.

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Trackbacks & Pings

Link Farm & Open Thread #38 « Creative Destruction on 10 Oct 2006 at 3:41 am

[...] Racialicious: Color Blind Casting Benefits Non-White Actor! It’s sort of a “man bites dog” story. [...]
TheThink on 10 Oct 2006 at 10:17 pm

[...] And anyway, why haven’t people been tripping so hard on Halle Berry playing “whitey” as they have on Jolie playing “brownie”? It just seems a bit odd to me. [...]
In case you missed it… at Anti-Racist Parent - for parents committed to raising children with an anti-racist outlook on 13 Oct 2006 at 10:51 am

[...] Halle Berry to star in movie based on white woman’s life: It’s based on the true story of a teacher who accepted a challenge from her sixth grade class to run for Congress. But get this: the original woman was white. [...]
In case you missed it… at Addicted to Race on 13 Oct 2006 at 10:51 am

[...] Halle Berry to star in movie based on white woman’s life: It’s based on the true story of a teacher who accepted a challenge from her sixth grade class to run for Congress. But get this: the original woman was white. [...]

Comments

Jennifer wrote:

Or, do you think Halle got this role because she’d be playing a black single mother even though in real life the woman was white? I bet a trillion dollars that if this woman was a married mom, Halle wouldn’t even have been considered for this role. Just thinking out loud…

Posted 09 Oct 2006 at 12:48 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:

Hmmm interesting point, Jennifer!

Posted 09 Oct 2006 at 12:54 pm ¶
LMR wrote:

Just a note about The Class: I watched the pilot episode and in the opening credits there is a fade out where they show the class as they were in third grade posing for a class photo, said third grade class included African Americans, they just “faded” when they all became grownups. Thus making the producer’s BS even more annoying.

Posted 09 Oct 2006 at 2:34 pm ¶
Meg wrote:

but we don’t always want “colourblind casting”. What if in Coach Carter tom cruise was the lead?Didn’t ppl on this site (or old site MMW) have issues with Angelina Jolie playing the wife of the murdered journo (who’s name escapes me at the minute) – i was possibly one of them. I think an effort should be made to keep minorities on screen and stop pretending colourblind casting is actually happening or overly useful at this point. Money concerns will dominate – this is Halle Berry we’re talking about not some newbie who just arrived in hollywood.

Posted 10 Oct 2006 at 4:10 am ¶
eric daniels wrote:

Thank You meg I hate colorblindness like I hate the KKK, what’s next

John Coltrane – Brad Pitt
Jimi Hendrix – Ben Stiller
Miles Davis – James Gandofini
Albert Einstein – Danny Glover
Fanny Lou Hamer – Meryl Streep

Give me a break, colorblindness is like severe pain in the rectum because you are consipated. August Wilson warned against this type of casting because it takes away a people’s story and trivializes it.

Nice site ladies, Sorry I haven’t visited lately been busy my blog and licking my wounds after the war with Lyonside (boy can she fight) but I won !!!!!

Posted 10 Oct 2006 at 1:07 pm ¶
Adele wrote:

I am all for colourblind casting . Having said that, I think it is rather silly to have a black actress portray a real life character who is white (and vice versa as in the case with Angelina Jolie playing a multiracial woman). If the woman Berry is portraying is white in real life (and is still living), then what sense is there getting a black woman to play the role?? That would be like getting Kathy Bates to play Oprah!

How absurd!

Posted 12 Oct 2006 at 3:59 am ¶
Dean wrote:

Why does it matter?
If racial eqaulity is what matters to you, why do you publicise the fact a black woman is playing the role of a white woman, or highlight the fact that a TV show features only white actors.
There’s no difference between black or white people, so there’s no difference between black or white actors.

I have brown hair. Yesterday’s episode of Hollyoaks featured only fair haired or dark haired characters.

Tell me the difference between the colour of your skin and the colour of you hair.

If you have an answer to that, then you’re speaking against racial equality.

Posted 13 Oct 2006 at 12:30 pm ¶
S wrote:

Dean, wow. Your post makes it seem as if you have missed the point entirely. Really, really far off. FAR. So far off, that if it were explained to you from every angle, you still might not get it.

Since when does acknowledging “differences” cancel out racial equality?

Racial equality and hair color?
Hair color comparible to race?
Are you kidding me? Seriously, it sounds like your whole post was a joke. If so, I’m sorry I ruined it.

Posted 13 Oct 2006 at 3:50 pm ¶
korshi wrote:

isn’t halle berry mixed race anyway? seems like a more interesting topic would be why we think she can play black roles but not white ones.

Posted 17 Oct 2006 at 7:09 am ¶
S wrote:

Good point, korshi

That would be due to the ridiculous One Drop Rule; created and supported by many white peole (and others, including some blacks). Well, they support it until it works against them in an argument.
I wonder what the motivation was in picking Halle for this role? Anyone know? I’m hesitant in believing the reason above…

Posted 17 Oct 2006 at 10:00 am ¶
Anonymous wrote:

why are you judging people the color of their skin.

Posted 03 Feb 2007 at 3:16 pm ¶
Monkeylumps wrote:

I see your points, S. and korshi.

Here’s the deal…Halle often publicly identifies as black. She doesn’t look white. I see Eric’s point, too. Halle is very talented but I can’t see her playing a white woman convincingly. She could do well as Mariane Pearl, however. Both are mixed race.

I’ve never considered Angelina Jolie to be a white woman. She looks like a lot of multiracial people I know.

Posted 09 Jul 2007 at 11:21 pm ¶
LosOjosMarron wrote:

There have been a select few black actors who’ve gone for and won an otherwise “colorblind” role; Denzel, Morgan and Whoopi are some that stick out.
What I have a problem with is when switching a race actually changes how actual history is perceived. (I think this is called “revisionist”?)

Much in the same way that depicting cavemen hunting/escaping from dinosaurs makes kids think the two species lived contemporaneously, it was wrong to bring 70’s integrated casting to shows that took place in the 1800’s (Little House on the Prairie) or 1950’s (Happy Days).

So unless the teacher’s story includes some of the trials and triumphs she had running for Congress as a single *Black* mother, I don’t think Halle’s the *right* one.

Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 11:59 am ¶
Kay wrote:

Wow Perfect, perfect point .My only problem is changing history!

Posted 04 Nov 2007 at 11:56 am ¶