HAVE BLACK MEN IN FILM GONE SOFT?
THE FACTS
In an interview with EbonyJet.com, Antoine Fuqua and Wesley Snipes talked about the alleged lack of masculine actors.
THE SPIN
Antoine Fuqua’s latest film, Brooklyn’s Finest, is officially in theaters as of today. The film chronicles the lives of a trio of New York City cops played by Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Ethan Hawke. Rounding out the cast is the IRS’ favorite actor, Wesley Snipes, who portrays an ex-con slowly drawn back into the life he abandoned.
While reading Fuqua and Snipes’ interview with EbonyJet.com I found their comments about the state of the black male actor interesting.
EBONY: Too many black films now are aimed at women. Or nerds or comic book geeks. I mean what happened to us? What happened to movies for men?
SNIPES: That’s right!
EBONY: What happened in the film industry?
FUQUA: I think we’re in a time they’ve cut the cojones off or are trying to. You want me to put it to you for real? Everything is soft, they’re putting everyone in dresses and O.K. that’s fun. But I grew up watching movies about men. Watching movies from the 1930’s the 40’s the 50’s Movies like Public Enemy and Scarface (i.e. referring to the original Howard Hawks’ 1932 version with Paul Muni).
EBONY: Exactly! You don’t have those definite masculine actors today like you had back then like Robert Mitchum, Gary Cooper, Lee Marvin, Yul Brynner, John Wayne, William Holden. You can go on and on the list was endless back then.
SNIPES: We just had this same conversation…
FUQUA: Yeah we just had this exact same conversation just recently. Even in casting now, it’s hard to find men. I mean we have Denzel. No doubt. We’ve got Wesley. But Wesley now is going to come back and help me do that. Because if Denzel is busy, then where am I going to go? We’re not that deep with skilled quality actors and masculinity.
The interviewer goes on to say that “we’ve got too many soft black men from the U.S. in movies now.
Outside of Tyler Perry and a few comedians doing family roles (which is typical for an actor of a certain age and appeal), I don’t feel like we’ve seen that great a dip in seeing the hypermasculine black male on film.
In fact, the influx of rapper turned actors (you know, those sensitive souls) have kept that sort of theme in Hollywood even more constant. But maybe I’m mistaken.
YOUR SPIN: Are we in need of more “manly actors?” Tell us here.
Image courtesy of blogtribuna.com
(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One. TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)
Chi McBride, the guy who used to play the principal on ‘Boston Public’ was very masculine in the role. Michael Jai White is masculine. Charles Dutton. How about Idris Elba? Lamman Rucker?
They can’t find masculine actors? Well look around a little.
Interesting point. If I was the interviewer I would ask what roles do you want Black Men to play that you feel are masculine? I mean Fuqua stated in his examples were Public Enemy and Scarface. Those are movies about criminals. In fact most of Antoine Fuqua’s movies are crime dramas like Training Day, Bait, The Replacement Killers and Brooklyn’s Finest. Does this mean to be masculine the character have to be involved with a criminal element?
Thank you. Their idea of masculinity and mine don’t align. To me, masculinity is that quiet respect that a man commands by looking people in the eye…taking care of his business. Saying what he means and meaning what he says. Easy-going, but not a pushover. Someone who can kick a**, but only does it when he’s absolutely forced to, so you really don’t want to test him on that…like the men in my family.
This sounds like they are really taking shots at guys like Will Smith, who happens to be the most talented actor out there, period. I’m a big Wesley fan, have a lot of his movies. But he needs to wake up. Like Rance said, just because you ain’t kickin’ peoples “behind” everytime you see them, doesn’t mean you can’t. Some people like to show they are more versatile (or in reality, have more sense) than that.
Well we have a diverse culture. Our culture has a lot of sugar in the tank and we are now catering to those folks instead of everyone.
The only male role to show maculinity is being about drug dealers? I do not think so. Why not a role with a strong Black man holding a family together. Working to heal a community and not destroy it! I watched interviews with Wesley since this movie and when asked about his input on the legendary Michael Jackson, it was negative. The implying of Michael being weak when asked on Mo’Nique, him having to be portrayed as a drug dealer in “Badd” with Michael was his reply on The View. Don Cheadle had to try and correct him in saying it was just thugs fighting. Nevertheless, Michael put him on the map. This is not portraying a real man role either by contineously putting down your race. The comments he made years ago toward Black women. I appreciate the Denzel Washington and Will Smith, they do not tear down to lift themselves up and those two brothas are at the top of the A List!
I am tired of seeing Black men as drug dealers, rappers, crooked cops, womanizers, and low lives. Masculine to me is Denzel Washington as Malcolm X – a leader, family man, intelligent and with morals and convictions. Unfortunately, our idea of masculinity is askew. A man does not have to be an action hero to be masculine. Dignity is masculine, self respect and respect for women is masculine.
@ BigDaddy
Will Smith the best actor period? I mean he’s awesome but Denzel can out act Will Smith any day… But to the point of this conversation, I think the reason we are not seeing a lot of men, or Black men in this case, playing masculine role is (and I know i’m going to make someone mad) because of all this Gay Pride, mertosexual stuff. Nothing aganist gays and metrosexuals, but Hollywood and pop culture don’t promote masculine men like they used to. Therefore we don’t see them. Its almost like masculine men are not “cool”. That’s crazy to me.
A lot of the men in Hollywood take the easy route to being accepted by being the people pleaser. It’s much less threatening for the powers that be to stand in the room with a grin in your face, laugh when they laugh, animated Divo (aka diva) than one with a calm, cool, demeanor… because this appears to be the guy who comes across as a person who will not compromise his values for money. Truth be told, white directors would much rather work with someone who will do ANYTHING on or off camera. Even the so called hard core rappers are feminine when they get off the stage. Having President Obama serve as the most powerful man in the world, you would think that the playing field is levelled and the doors for our men would fly open to accommodated our various images. The talent is out there and we are willing to pay and deserve to see it on the silver screen, even if we have to do it ourselves. We have to define who we are. They don’t owe us that.
MARCH 7,SUNDAY, THERE WAS A REMBRANCE MARCH ACROSS THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDEGE IN SELMA ALABAMA.WHERE WAS ALL THE BLACK PROFESSIONALS AND RISH AND FAMOUS BLACK ENTERTAINERS, THEY CAN SHOW UP FOR AWARD SHOWS BUT NOT TO RESPECT BLACK CIVIL RIGHT BATTLES…THEY ARE WORST THAT SUPREME COURT JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS…
The actors names you listed on top are great actors in their own right;but i do agreed if you not portraying a character in drag or a rapist,child molester, drug dealer or thug you not getting anywhere even tyler perry last few movies why did i get married, daddy’s little girls,&the family that preys had good strong male characters in it but even at time they were put down.
What exactly are the standards that we (blacks) using to define masculine/men roles? The images on the small and large screens are paramount in the lives of our youth, young adults, and young professionals looking to identify an
and justify who they are and how they should act. Whomever our half naked sistas and white girls are drooling after is generally who the young brothas are attempting to emulate. I think it is very necessary for blacks to be very careful in their definition of manhood/man! Responsibility should be our most important trait for identifying strength, coolness, and hipness!
I have to agree with Rance’s statement and perhaps Fuqua considered these male actor such as Chi McBride, Michael Jai White, Charles Dutton, Idris Elba, Lamman Rucker not “manly actors” because they are potraying positive black men. I not quite sure what Fuqua idea or how he defines a “manly actor” and even though all of his movies have been good dramas, to me these roles/characters that the males have played aren’t considered “manly” roles (actors). Show me a man who is taking care of his children emotionally, financially and are truly concern about them and he not going around calling the mother of his children the B word, show me a man who is concern about his community, his family, who is “God Fearing” and have respect for himself and women, now those are just some of the characteristics to me that are “manly”, not a pip, drug dealer or a theif, all these type of men are negative and I don’t think there is any thing manly about them!!
true more women are based for women. tyler perry leads the way in feminizing men. i know some of oyu love tyler perry movies. the men are a bunch of manginas and symphs. you don’t see jim brown, jim kelley, fred williamson, bernie casey, avery brooks in these movies? grnated these men are in their 60′s & 70′s, they needs to be more masculine brothers out there but as long as you have tyler perry out there making these symph movies.
Didn’t Wesley Snipes play a drag queen in a movie he made with the late Patrick Swayze about a decade ago? Just wondering why someone who has emascualted himself in a film role for the sake of money, which he obviously didn’t take good care of, would spout off about there being a void of masculine black male actors. I never saw Denzel or Will Smith or Lawrence Fishburn put on a dress in a movie.
It’s funny that Wesley Snipes would comment about there not being enough masculine black actors when he played a freaking drag queen in Too Wong Foo. WTF? Give me a break. Lol!
I didn’t notice Je. Masons comment before posting, I completely agree.
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