source: ew.com
A first-look from the new Ben Stiller project "Tropic Thunder" has been released showing a Rambo-like Ben Stiller, platinum blond Jack Black and... wait for it... an African-American character played by Robert Downey Jr.
The synopsis is that a new, epic Vietnam War film in the vein of Apocalypse Now is being created. The writer and director get fed up with the demands of the self-indulgent cast, made up of spoilt Oscar winners, vapid action stars and low-brow comedians, and abandon them all in the thick of the jungle.
While the stars naively think that they are in a dramatic and immersive war recreation, the danger they are in is real and the bullets fired at them aren't blanks.
With cameos from Tom Cruise and Tobey Maguire, this looks to be fantastic. Stiller hasn't directed since 2001's Zoolander, but this is a great premise for satire and I'm confident that he will be able to pull it off.
An image of Tom Cruise in makeup from his role on the film was leaked to the Internet recently, with the star apparently furious at his surprise cameo being spoiled. Have a look below.
UPDATE 19/03/08:
The official trailer has been released for the film at slashfilm.com. I have to say, I love Ben Stiller's dumb one liner he delivers in action-star fashion about 50 seconds in. "Who left the fridge open?"
Check it out below:
4 comments:
One of the other writers on Highbrid Nation wrote about Robert Downy playing a black man. He worries that Al Sharpton might have something to say about it, lol. Honestly as a black person I think it's kinda cool that movie make-up has gotten to the point where you can make someone look like another race and if the pics I've seen of Robert Downy in costume are accurate than they did a really good job! Plus Robert is a very capable actor so I'm sure he wont come across as stereo typical or offensive. I could be wrong though.
Hi Mike, thanks for the comment.
As touchy as this subject is, I think that it will be handled in the right way. Everything I have read about it (including your link) mention that focus groups are responding well to it.
Either way it is a brilliant way to get a whole bunch of free advertising from people talking about it :)
Adam Q
http://quickflix.blogspot.com
I'm a white, anglo-saxon Australian male, with no racial preferences either way, and no racist tendencies whatsoever, but I think that having Robert Downey Jr or ANY other white/anglo-saxon playing the role of an African American character is absolutely ridiculous.
The African-American community as a whole, and more specifically the entire fraternity of ALL black actors (whether American or international), has every right to feel upset, alienated, ostracised, offended, discriminated against AGAIN, as well as any other emotion that is suitably applicable. Surely there are MORE than enough suitably gifted and talented, well known black actors (not to mention those who are up and coming/yet to be "discovered") who would be MORE than capable of playing this role.
My immediate thoughts when I first read about this particular piece of casting, were of the so-called "good old days", and in particular of the TV variety show "The Black and White Minstrel Show". The only things about that show that were black and white were that it was broadcast in black and white (at least in its early days, and definitely on Australian television), and the black make up that was plastered on the faces of white actors and singers.
Surely in these so-called "modern" times of supposed racial equality and tolerance etc etc etc, the producers and other powers that be in the television and movie industry can come up with something better than to cast a white man in a black mans role. Sure, Robert Downey Jr might be a capable actor, but as I said before, surely there are more than enough equally and more capable black actors who could play the role equally as well, if not better.
I'll get off my soap box now and give everyone a chance to recover from my lengthy comment, and I'll leave you with the following thought to ponder.
Just imagine the outcry (and it would happen) if an African-American or other black actor was suggested or cast to play the role of a white, anglo-saxon character.
Hi UriahsWizard, thanks for the comment.
It's happened recently a number of times - Angelina Jolie played the part of Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart to critical acclaim.
As far as black actors portraying white characters we have a number of comics such as Dave Chappelle, Eddy Murphy and the Wayans brothers in a range of acts and films doing just that. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is playing the starring role of Tierney Cahill in an upcoming film, telling the story of a white teacher who ran for Congress in the year 2000. (http://eurweb.com/story/eur29012.cfm).
The main difference is that this part in Tropic Thunder is specifically written for a white actor playing the black role. Not a black actor. Downey actually plays the part in the film of a white actor that is so swept up in his own magnificence he dyes his skin so he can win the role in the ill-fated war epic.
It's a joke - and one that Robert Downey Jr is happily setting himself up for as the punchline.
The movie isn't making a racist casting statement about incapable Hollywood black actors at all - it's highlighting how ridiculous it would be to not cast a talented black actor in the role for any serious film.
Again, I love the passion of the argument but please have a look at the Tropic Thunder trailer and see if you are still quite so outraged :)
Adam Q
http://quickflix.blogspot.com
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