Forest Whitaker Triumphs Over Racist 'Unbankable' Claim

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.'"

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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)

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

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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.