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What does Barack Obama mean for black cinema?

Written by Salim Stephenson
Tuesday, 02 December 2008 00:00

In the midst of election fever last month, I was on a flight back to London from Texas and found myself watching the hit American comedy Baby Mama. One scene involves the middle class leading lady being told by her African American doorman about promiscuous black men and their “baby mamas”. Although funny, his character highlighted something I have long since realised – that regardless of our day and age, black actors continue to be stereotyped. While some of these stereotypes, such as the comedy sidekick and the gun-toting gangster, may no doubt be entertaining, they will continue to promote a dark side of this culture, with which black actors will always be associated.

However, the appointment of a black president has no doubt signalled a shift in our times. But will politics be the only aspect of life that benefits from this or will the ripples be felt in other industries? Are we on the road to seeing a time where black actors will no longer be stereotyped?

Cast your mind back to the 4th of November. The world watched as a black man stood on a Chicago stage and said that: “if there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer…”

Barack Obama’s speech addressed minorities across the board and could have been summed up in one word, a word he’d taken with him from a porch in Charleston to the Oval Office - “change”.

But what is the change Obama promises? Many of us interpret this as moving on from the republican war-mongering days of Dubya. However, with a new set of policies also comes the undeniable symbolism of a black president. One needs only to have looked at the tears in the eyes of black supporters, including none other than Jesse Jackson, to know that the hope for change comes in the form of something a lot closer to home than Iraq.

This got me thinking; will that change make it as far as Hollywood? For years now, I have been frustrated by the shameful stereotyping of many black actors. I’ve asked myself if they will forever be doomed to play the parts in which they’re pigeon-holed. If we can’t flip this on its head in an age where the most influential man in the world is now black, then when can we?

It seems as though Hollywood is also considering this point. Prior to the election result, superhero creator Stan Lee told film website Movifone.com that: “It would be a real leap to make Captain America black. It might be a really smart thing. If Obama becomes president, who knows … suddenly a lot of our characters will be black.”

Between 1989 and 1993, nineteen films with black producers, directors or screenwriters were made in America. This, combined with the Blaxploitation era prior to it, could make some think that it is Hollywood that influences politics and not the other way round. What better way to make a minority acceptable than by reaching an audience of millions through the silver screen?

In fact, actor Dennis Haysbert, who played President David Palmer in TV series 24, told The Times this month that his and other portrayals of black politicians have “opened the eyes of the American people” in regards to having a black president.

Then again, would we be reading too far into it if we cited that all recent portrayals of black presidents have been fraught with disaster? Tommy Lister was faced with an unknown threat from space in The Fifth Element; Morgan Freeman had to fend off meteorites in Deep Impact and Dennis Haysbert himself found his character getting shot in the fifth season of 24.

But maybe this influx of black culture in film has had the operative effect for which the previous generation had hoped. Perhaps the result of such entertaining black figures in cinema has led us not to take the race seriously in regards to casting.

Take two of the industry’s top black actors - Will Smith and Samuel L. Jackson. Both are considered great actors in their own right, playing un-stereotypical roles such as military scientists and Jedi Knights between them. However, it was only once they’d gone through the usual clichés that they were able to shine. My youngest memory of Will Smith is from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing a hip-hop spouting delinquent who is sent to the aforementioned American district after going off the rails. Likewise, my first memory of Jackson was seeing him try to rob a fast food store and getting beaten off with a mop by Eddie Murphy in Coming to America.

Now pick two white actors – say, Brad Pitt and George Clooney. A stud in Thelma & Louise and a doctor in ER don’t have quite the same effect as Smith’s and Jackson’s earlier roles. Needless to say, those are two random examples and there are no doubt many other contributing factors to consider. However, the fact remains that white actors rarely have to wade through a pile of scripts that recycle clichés as often and as shamelessly as their black co-stars.

When talking to a friend of mine recently, I was faced with a point of view that I had not yet considered – that a new black president could act, not as a help, but as a hindrance to black actors. A big part of the equality-cause has been achieved by America electing a black president. Could this mean that the need to make a statement with black actors on screen will be somewhat diminished, resulting in fewer roles for those in the minority?

Whether or not this is the case, we must accept one fact - that it is the not only the studios that are to blame, but the public. It is the public that buys the tickets and, as long as they keep buying, the industry will continue to pigeon-hole many young black men and women out there. Though, if one man can change the way we see the White House, then surely that same man can change the way we see film?