Amandla Stenberg defends children of blood and bone casting – but Hollywood’s Colorism problem still exists
Fantasy has never been a genre that I am interested in. I always joke that there is too much going on and I have no imagination, so I can’t keep up. But children of blood and bones were different. This was a book about which all languages. She selected the Tonight Show for the 2018 Sommerbuchclub. The film rights were secured before the publication (which is almost unknown to a debut author), and it became much positive online. What really fascinated me was his surroundings: a richly prefabricated, pre -colonial world in Nigeria called Orisha. An African fantasy novel that enters the global stage? I had to see that for myself – so I tried the book and it liked it.
That was over six years ago. With the excitement for the upcoming film adaptation, the book is now becoming an important Hollywood production with actors who play Medu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris and Tosin Cole in the leading roles. Like many fans who prefer to read the book before seeing the film, there is a strong wish to keep the characters from Hollywood’s potentially brilliant reinterpretation and to remain loyal to the novel. With Amandla Stenberg, a Birakial actor who is occupied in one of the leading roles, the film has already triggered a debate about the color body – one that overshadows a larger conversation about African storytelling in the mainstream.
The multi-technology author of Children of Blood and Bone, the Nigerian-American Tomi Adeyemi, not only created a magical world; She built one that pulsed with the language, history and magic of a pre -colonial Nigeria that felt both fresh and deeply familiar.
The book follows Zélie Adebola, a young girl from a persecuted magical breed that wants to restore the magic stolen by the king. In addition to her brother and daughter of the king, Princess Amari, she is forced to navigate in a world full of prejudices and political turbulence, where her magic makes her goals. In essence, it is about the struggle for freedom in a divided world and the courage to stand against tyranny.
During a fictional fantasy story, Adeyemi clearly relies on Yoruba culture and West African mythology to form its world. Magic and religion, for example, are intertwined with each of the ten magical skills with a god or a goddess who rules the Maji clans. Every detail of Orïsha – its places, clothing, combat styles and social structure – reflects this West African cultural influence.
As someone from the African diaspora, my excitement was alleviated by Hollywood’s long history of the abuse of stories from the continent and rich cultures were tired of clichés that shock many of us. However, what this project felt different was the specificity of the book. To do it right, it seemed clear that they had to stay true to them, and so we hoped that they hoped.
But then the occupation list fell. And let’s just say that the internet had a lot to say, with a collective moan, especially about the casting of Amandla Stenberg, a Birakial actress, as Princess Amari. The choice of the South African actress, according to Medu as Zélie Adebola – the protagonist is described as a dark onyx skin – has also raised some eyebrows.
Hollywood often treats Africa as a monolith, whereby cultural and historical details have little considerate, and this casting is worried to me that this recurring trend fits.
Maybe I was naive, but a Biracial woman was not the one I presented as Amari. While the ruling class in children of blood and bones in a world inspired by Nigerian is light -skinned than the majority of the population, I imagined that people with complexion like that of SO MBedU. After I grew up in Ghana, I would argue that someone from Medus complexion (darker than Stenberg, but easier than someone who is considered “dark -skinned”) describes and fit the bill.
Amari from this ruling class is an outcast in her own family, who was punished by her mother to be too dark and too big. Colorism and Fatphobia shape all of their lived existence, push them to the edge and finally drive them to join the revolution.
Even if some readers Amari introduced themselves as a light -skinned girl, why did the filmmakers take the opportunity to build Hollywood’s long -standing patterns of light -skinned women in roles for black women?
This conversation is not new. For years, Hollywood’s choice for a “black girl” has often been a light-skinned, Biracial actress-Job, who is considered a tasty while she was still ticking the diversity box. What we say as fans is that it should have been accepted if there is an opportunity to fill darker women who are more underrepresented in Hollywood. This does not feel like a real slap in the face in this special instance.
In the past few days, Stenberg has reacted to the criticism via an eight -minute Tikok video and defended her casting in the upcoming film and in previous roles.
When she was occupied in the Hate U Give film adaptation, Stenberg was with similar counter -reactions because he had taken on the leading role. In her lengthy video, she announced that it was her online activism in terms of Black Lives Matter, who was the author about the role of the role because she could speak to the topics of history.
It draws a similar connection here and refers to the racist abuse that it recently faced after she has appeared in the Acolyt (Star Wars Universe) and suggests that she deserves this role due to her experience with racism. According to Stenberg, similar to Thug, the children of the blood and the bone author Tomi Adeyemi endeavored to occupy her, and after the hunger games moved from racism with which she was confronted as a children’s actress and how she got up. This experience, she says, has led Adeyemi to write a story in which black girls could have seen themselves everywhere.
One thing that we all agree on is that Stenberg’s experience is valid as a Birakial actress in Hollywood and nobody tries to take it away. In this case, however, this was an opportunity to represent dark -skinned black women in outstanding roles on the screen, in this case, where the color colorism is of central importance for the experience of a character. Don’t see enough of.
Why are our stories and experiences not the same level of commitment and respect? It is a question that Hollywood has to answer, not Amandla Stenberg.
Of course, large budget films need big names to draw the audience and sell tickets. But with such a large line -up and award -winning actresses such as Cynthia Erivo and Viola Davis, who is already on board, there was plenty of space to present fresh talent. Children of blood and bones already have a built -in fandom that will undoubtedly appear in droves. And with a probably massive budget, this felt like a perfect mandate to risk some new, talented faces in prominent roles.
These casting decisions are not just about colorism, although it is ironic is a factor. Hollywood often treats Africa as a monolith, whereby cultural and historical details have little considerate, and this casting is worried to me that this recurring trend fits.
First, there is a tendency to bring the entire continent together, which leads to Mishmash made up of accents, clothing and traditions that no place. The king of the woman with viola Davis was an excellent example. The film, which tells the true history of the purely female army, which defended the West African kingdom of Dahomey (now part of Benin), was widespread for its performances. But where it fell too short, the same place was that so many western productions do: accuracy. Instead of using authentic Benesian accents, the actors received a vague, generic “African” accent that moved a rich and specific culture in somewhat recognizable things. This may be low. But if Hollywood doesn’t bother to do the details correctly, it deletes the variety of languages, traditions and stories that make every country unique.
The industry has proven that it can do cultural representation with attention to detail. For example, look at the Oscar Pixar film, the Oscar Pixar film. The team behind it consisted of Mexican talent, from animators to cultural advisors, to ensure that the film reflected authentically Mexican culture. The result? It was a box office. Children saw their families, traditions, language and accents on the screen and deepened their connection to their legacy. It is clear that you invest time and resources in the obligation of Studios – such as the attitude of accent coaches and understanding the cultural nuances – to do it right.
Stories from or influenced by the African continent are not the same attention. Yes, children of blood and bones have made open casting for Nigerian actors, but we know that the key roles went to Amandla Stenberg. In the meantime, Nollywood (the Nigerian film industry) feels like this obvious, undeveloped talent pool; It is a billion dollar film industry full of actors and filmmakers who often reluctantly offered for the common opportunities to offer Hollywood.
It feels like we’re not good enough. Why are our stories and experiences not the same level of commitment and respect? It is a question that Hollywood has to answer, not Amandla Stenberg.
I am not ready to write down the film completely, but this casting decision has doubts about its ability to bring the culture inspired by Yoruba to life with authenticity. I will watch, but I’m nervous.
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