Last night while watching the SAG awards I noticed that Hollywood was missing some color.
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All night long, it was evident that all the winners were the same shade, and they all looked like they needed a tan. I immediately thought of George Lucas and his struggle getting Red Tails made – a film featuring an all black cast.
I’ve watched the number of black movies dwindle in the past few years, but never has it been so clear that Hollywood doesn’t really mess with the blacks.
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Sure, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer both won SAG awards last night, but they won them for playing maids. Granted their roles and the movie was absolutely amazing. I called the film one of the most important pieces of cinema of this generation. Still, Cicely Tyson was also nominated for playing a maid 50 years ago; there isn’t too much advancement for colored people in Hollywood!
As we approach the 10 year anniversary of Denzel and Halle’s Oscar award win in 2002, I can’t help but feel like Hollywood has a formula. Give a major award to a black person once every five years and then call it even.
Then they don’t have to make movies like Red Tails; the next For Colored Girls can sit on the shelf for another 10 years. The story of Jessie Owens never gets told, or the next Boyz In The Hood doesn’t have to get recognized because for God sakes, we know the world needs more movies about silent films and a house broken horse that wins a war.
Hollywood, get your act together, you’re such a great place, such a great field and an amazing source of entertainment. Last night when the whole audience gave Viola Davis a standing ovation I almost shed a tear. I watched Jessica Chastain wipe away tears, as she was truly happy for her co-host.
But I wonder if some of them were just clapping and standing so they wouldn’t be the only one not clapping and standing for another black woman playing a maid.
Xilla is the Sr. Entertainment Editor for GlobalGrind.com as well as the best thing on your computer since solitaire. He is also the CEO of BlogXilla.com/M2TB.com. He has been featured in The Source, Essence, LA Times and is considered one of the premiere bloggers in the industry. Follow him on twitter @BlogXilla
