The problem of Hibbert

[Nearly Sane]

Is it a problem?

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/13/simpsons-star-lashes-woke-re-casting-black-character-20827980/

[jeremyp]

Is it a problem?

https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/13/simpsons-star-lashes-woke-re-casting-black-character-20827980/

This is the show where Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman.

It shouldn't matter what colour skin the actor has.

[Nearly Sane]

This is the show where Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman.

It shouldn't matter what colour skin the actor has.

To an extent. If there aren't many black actors being cast in Shakespeare, then having a white actor blacked up as Othello is surely an issue?

[Steve H]

Laurence Fishburne, the black American actor, has said that he doesn't object to white actors playing Othello provided black actors can play white characters.

[Nearly Sane]

Laurence Fishburne, the black American actor, has said that he doesn't object to white actors playing Othello provided black actors can play white characters.

Which I'd agree with generally. Colour blind casting is fine, the Iannucci David Copperfield as an example, but if you are casting a biopic?

[jeremyp]

To an extent. If there aren't many black actors being cast in Shakespeare, then having a white actor blacked up as Othello is surely an issue?

Talk to Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles about that.

Personally, I think actors are paid to pretend to be somebody else and, provided it doesn't affect the audience's suspension of disbelief, I think anybody should be allowed to play anybody.

That said, I saw the Welles production of Othello while I was at school - it was one of the set texts for O levels - and I found the black-face distracting even back then, so it's probably not a good idea to have a white actor play Othello.

[Nearly Sane]

Talk to Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles about that.

Personally, I think actors are paid to pretend to be somebody else and, provided it doesn't affect the audience's suspension of disbelief, I think anybody should be allowed to play anybody.

That said, I saw the Welles production of Othello while I was at school - it was one of the set texts for O levels - and I found the black-face distracting even back then, so it's probably not a good idea to have a white actor play Othello.

I saw Paul Schofield do Othello in blackface and a joke of an accent. That was 1980, and it was obviously dubious then.