Turning white characters black

Thinking about it English accents were probably different back then. Don't they say Shakespeare's accent was likely very close to a Brummie accent now.

A friend from Canada crossed to France one summer and couldn't make himself understood in French at all!

Anne Boleyn was not black so I don’t see why they cast someone that was, it was not accurate, very patronising, if it were to be a white person playing Mandela that would be wrong too.

theworriedwell

Let's be honest as the title says this is all about colour.

It’s how the OP worded it and it’s been discussed on here.You say ‘are Canadians ok’ on the subject of the actress Gen who is Canadian.She did a great job.
Boleyn was white and would have had a slight French accent so the actress playing her was perfect for the role.
What is it that you don’t understand?

Chardy

A friend from Canada crossed to France one summer and couldn't make himself understood in French at all!

Our French Canadian relatives haven't had that much trouble but the French don't recognise their accents as French, foreign accent but speaking fluent French.

Oreo

theworriedwell

Let's be honest as the title says this is all about colour.

It’s how the OP worded it and it’s been discussed on here.You say ‘are Canadians ok’ on the subject of the actress Gen who is Canadian.She did a great job.
Boleyn was white and would have had a slight French accent so the actress playing her was perfect for the role.
What is it that you don’t understand?

She didn't have a French accent. What is it that you don't understand about Canadians having Canadian accents?

Anne Boleyn was highly likely to have a French accent. That is the point.

theworriedwell

Oreo

theworriedwell

Let's be honest as the title says this is all about colour.

It’s how the OP worded it and it’s been discussed on here.You say ‘are Canadians ok’ on the subject of the actress Gen who is Canadian.She did a great job.
Boleyn was white and would have had a slight French accent so the actress playing her was perfect for the role.
What is it that you don’t understand?

She didn't have a French accent. What is it that you don't understand about Canadians having Canadian accents?

French Canadians speak French.

When our very young relative emigrated with her parents to Canada at the age of six, she went to infants school there and everything was in French, everyone spoke French. She survived (well, more than survived, she brcame bilingual very rapidly and did very well).

French is the official language of Quebec Province.

I thought everyone knew that.

The other point is - she is an actress.

The actress played Anne with a slight French accent, or so I have read.
Bored now tho with the whole discussion.😁

Meanwhile have you checked the comparative ethnicity of all the actors in UK TV adverts. You'd not think we were a predominantly white country.

Aveline

Meanwhile have you checked the comparative ethnicity of all the actors in UK TV adverts. You'd not think we were a predominantly white country.

There’s no value in that.

Aveline

Meanwhile have you checked the comparative ethnicity of all the actors in UK TV adverts. You'd not think we were a predominantly white country.

It gets more ridiculous every day.The companies all try to outdo each other in maximum ethnic statements.

I'd rather black actors got a chance to play white characters out of our rich literary heritage, than the lack of overtly Black roles in this leading to heritage pieces being overlooked in favour of new, multi-cultural pieces.

I see your point but that ruins heritage dramas. Why not just reflect modern life in modern dramas and historic life in heritage dramas?

Allira

The other point is - she is an actress.

Actresses come in many colours. So that's ok then isn't it.

Allirs speaking French doesn't mean it's a French accent, it's French Canadian accent. Say for example Dolly Parton was cast as Elizabeth l, she speaks English, it's the official language of her country. Has she got an English accent? In case you don't know her she definitely doesn't.

You might have missed the bit about my French Canadian relatives. I know what they speak and what their accents are.

Aveline

I see your point but that ruins heritage dramas. Why not just reflect modern life in modern dramas and historic life in heritage dramas?

Yes, I agree.

If that is taken to its logical conclusion, why not have white actors playing the part of historical black figures?

Who would make a good Martin Luther King?
Rosa Parkes?
Malcolm X?
Solomon Northup?
Kunta Kinte (Alex Haley)?

You just have to use some imagination 🤔

Aveline

Anne Boleyn was highly likely to have a French accent. That is the point.

But not a French Canadian accent. That's the point if we are so keen on authenticity.

You might have missed the bit about my French Canadian relatives. I know what they speak and what their accents are

Nope.

You might have missed my post about her being an Actor. Or Actress.

Bored now
😀

The OP is about a specific book written in 1962 so the characters are all white. Does the author state that in the book or are people just convinced everyone in Britain in 1962 was white? I'm trying to imagine the book.... The murder victim was 18 year old Mary Smith a white girl from the village. Her body was found by the white postmistress. She ran back to her house and dialled 999 and spoke to a white operator. Very quickly two white detectives arrived. Really? Every character was white or the reader pictured them as white?

Allira

^You might have missed the bit about my French Canadian relatives. I know what they speak and what their accents are^

Nope.

You might have missed my post about her being an Actor. Or Actress.

Bored now
😀

As I pointed out actors come in a variety of colours, still actors.

Oreo

theworriedwell

Let's be honest as the title says this is all about colour.

It’s how the OP worded it and it’s been discussed on here.You say ‘are Canadians ok’ on the subject of the actress Gen who is Canadian.She did a great job.
Boleyn was white and would have had a slight French accent so the actress playing her was perfect for the role.
What is it that you don’t understand?

What is it that you don’t understand? worriedwell?

This could run and run 😄
Time for my Milo.

I love Milo!
Didn't know you could buy it in the UK