Will Smith can play a blue-skinned genie in “Aladdin,” but don’t aඣsk him to play somebody “too black.”
The Oscar-nominated actor has faced backla🐟sh after that he will be playing Venus and Serena Williams’ dad, in the biopic “King Richard.”
The problem? The former Fresh Prince is apparently too fair to play the darker-hued tennis coach, according to social media watc🌟hdogs.
“Will Smith is about to be the Scarlett Johansson of black movies,” , referencing how the white actress played an Asian character in the doomed live-action remake of the anime “Ghost in the Shell.” Never ♕mind that Smith himself is African-American.
Other commenters have likened the incident to the light-skinned black actress Zoe Saldana having to wear to play the ebony jazz musician Nina Simone in the film “Nina.”
Richard Williams isn’t as recognizable as Simone, an icon whose work and appearance were defiantly political and . Yet the rumored casting seems to have touched a nerve — perhaps because darker-skinned black actors have had more difficulty snagging leading roles tha🍸n lighter ಞones.
“Colorism matters,” “Love Will Smith but there are other black act🔴ors for this role.”