These are not my words. This story was put out a couple of days ago, but I'm just getting to it now. The article was brought to my attention from an Australian website,livenews.au
Acclaimed Australian director Rowan Woods had to fight to keep Oscar winner Forest Whitaker in his new film 'Winged Creatures' after a film company executive dismissed the actor as "ugly, black and unbankable."
Despite having "the hottest ensemble cast in town," including Guy Pearce, Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Jennifer Hudson, Woods said the company who owned the script wouldn't accept Whitaker as a leading man. 'The initial finance fell through when I stuck with Forest Whitaker for the role of Charlie,' Woods said.
"An executive told me straight: `Even if he wins the Oscar he's ugly, he's black and he's unbankable.'"
Forest Whitaker Pictures
Actor Forest Whitaker arrives at the Stand Up To Cancer broadcast event in Hollywood September 5, 2008. The three US television networks, ABC, CBS and NBC are broadcasting a TV special featuring celebrities to raise funds for cancer research. REUTERS/Fred Prouser (UNITED STATES)
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HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 05: Actor Forest Whitaker attends Stand Up To Cancer at the Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Caulfield/Stand Up To Cancer via Getty Images)
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Actor Forest Whitaker arrives for the Stand Up to Cancer benefit at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 05: Actor Forest Whitaker arrives at Stand Up For Cancer at the Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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Actor Forest Whitaker arrives at Stand Up For Cancer at The Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California..Stand Up To Cancer - Arrivals.Kodak Theater.Hollywood, CA United States.September 5, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (55638878), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Actor Forest Whitaker arrives at Stand Up For Cancer at The Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California..Stand Up To Cancer - Arrivals.Kodak Theater.Hollywood, CA United States.September 5, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (55634380), contact WireImage.com
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NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Actor Forest Whitaker attends the 8th Annual USTA Serves' OPENing Gala during the 2008 US Open at the President's Gate at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2008 in Queens Borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Actor Forest Whitaker attends the 8th Annual USTA Serves' OPENing Gala during the 2008 US Open at the President's Gate at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2008 in Queens Borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Actor Forest Whitaker attends the 8th Annual USTA Serves' OPENing Gala during the 2008 US Open at the President's Gate at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2008 in Queens Borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Actor Forest Whitaker attends the 8th Annual USTA Serves' OPENing Gala during the 2008 US Open at the President's Gate at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 25, 2008 in Queens Borough of New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)
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Speaking at the Australian Directors Guild conference in Sydney this weekend, Woods said the company, which he wouldn't name for legal reasons, eventually let go of the script because of their disagreement over Whitaker.
The budget on 'Winged Creature's dropped from $US11 million to $US4.5 million because Woods wouldn't consider a Michael Douglas or an Al Pacino for Whitaker's role. "The unbankable part of it was nearly right," he said.
"They wanted everyone but Forest Whitaker ... and this is one of the best actors on the planet." By the time we had stacked the cast around Forest the asking price for the movie had more than halved from its initial level."
'Winged Creatures' centers around a random shooting in a Los Angeles diner, and how it affects the lives of those who witness it.
I don't know about anyone else, but to say that Whitaker isn't bankable truly hasn't seen his body of work and what he brings to the table. There are plenty of actors, especially Oscar winners who still can't open a film let alone bring in an audience. 'Winged Creatures' was the first film that Whitaker and Hudson did after winning Oscars in 2007, and it still doesn't have a release date.
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By: Goatrydah84 on 10/02/2008 4:13PM
Outrageous! First of all because Forest IS black that automatically makes him beautiful. Since being awarded an Academy Award, this makes him more bankable as he has been in his many years on the screen. Whitaker exudes CLASS much like his predecessors, Poitier, Roberson and the like. Which is rare find by today’s standards of, if you will,"pop" actors--
Keep up the outstanding work Forest!
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By: Vanessa on 10/02/2008 4:16PM
Typical. I'm not surprised at the statement. Forest Whitaker is one of my favorite black actors. He is indeed one of the most talented actors black or otherwise. Given the scripts and roles he's given they should pay him for showing up. They have not even touched the surface of of his talent or charisma. Sad. He may wish he never said that...
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By: Inkognegro on 10/02/2008 4:20PM
Truth Hurts sometimes.
Black? Check
Ugly? *crickets*
Unbankable? That MOVIE is unbankable. Sounds magnificent, but 100M destined, I don't think so.
And it wont be Forest's fault either.
Bottom line is...real movies for adults that don't involve explosions, superheroes, or easily followed script-by-numbers are ALREADY handicapped.
Toss in a bunch of Black folk not named Smith or Washington and you best keep the budget under 20M if you want to see it get made AND see some semblance of a profit.
And whose fault is THAT?
its OUR fault. We don't support quality serious entertainment for Black Adults.
Its still ignorant to say...but casting Forest Whitaker in that role is shaving off 15M from the overall gross until Black folk get more sophisticated about their Movie Dollars.
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By: The Jaded NYer on 10/02/2008 4:28PM
While Whitaker is very unatractive (in my opinion), throwing in the "black & unbankable" was taking it way too far... I applaud the director for sticking to his artistic guns and trying to do what's best for his vision as opposed to following the money!
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By: alicia on 10/02/2008 4:31PM
No he isn't the most attractive man in the world...but he is a hell of an actor. Unbankable not quite, he won an Oscar and I am sure he is taking that to the bank.
alicia
http://todaystyle.today.com/
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By: A Black Man on 10/02/2008 5:01PM
Most aussies walk around like they have a stick up their asses. No surprise, since they're distant cousins of that untouchable group of Europeans known as the british, the group responsible for accelerating the African slave trade. If it weren't for the brilliance of performers like my good friend Forest Whitaker, along with many other gifted Black geniuses, the world wouldn't be blessed to know what true soul, electricity and power on film is, point blank. With that being said, that aussie exec should kiss Forest Whitaker's ass as an apology for being a wholly ignorant faggot european jerkoff.
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By: WATCH US EXPLODE on 10/02/2008 5:35PM
I don't know which is sillier - that the executive made the comment, or that commenters above are actually starting their comments with statements like, "While Whitaker is very unatractive," or "No he isn't the most attractive man in the world, but..."
Sigh...
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By: Davina on 10/02/2008 5:36PM
I know it is not a good comment about him. Forget the Oscar. If you ain't making money at the Box Office, you can forget it. Especially brown people. See a white star can have a string of flops and still get a big paycheck. A brown person has two flops and they can forget about asking for a big check until they get another big hit.
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By: Wanda on 10/06/2008 10:54AM
Nothing in this article surprised me.
First,Austrailians are some of the most racist folks out there. Sorry to offend anyone,but if you think all Aussies are like Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe,you need to read up on the history of the place and how the Aborigines were/are treated by the whites there.
Secondly,racism in the film industry is nothing new either. A lot of people think because Denzel,Halle,Morgan and a few others(including Mr. Whitaker) have won Oscars that the bad old days of racism are over. Ha!
Finally,as far as Mr. Whitaker being "ugly"-has this idiot production company never heard of character actors? Mr. Whitaker is a character actor,by definition,not a pretty boy leading man type.The up side to that is that while the leading men usually see their careers fade along with their looks,the character men continue working well into old age,because they never relied on their looks to begin with.
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By: Amazin' Grace on 10/02/2008 6:22PM
The ignorance of some people is astounding. Forest Whitaker is the consummate actor's actor. His beauty is in his art. He touches people in every role he is in. Outer beauty is subjective, and by society's definition mostly superficial. By all accounts, Mr. Whitaker is a beautiful person, hard-working, kind and respectful. I have heard him on talk shows where he talks about love of family. He is a beautiful husband and father. He gives an audience his very best and turns in beautiful performances, and by doing so opens the viewers eyes to realities, dreams and possibilities. I will continue to be a fan of his not for his appearance, but for the "ride" of the beautiful emotional content he gives me when watching his films.
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