Black Actresses example essay topic

336 words
Another issue that I wonder if it is may be connected to the image issue is the fact that you see the same black actresses in ever other film. You would think that there were a shortage of black actresses available for roles, but that isn't the case at all... in fact I wonder what is the case? Is it that these actresses are the token black actresses because they fit a certain physical category? Or some may think that it is a way of limiting the amount of black actresses at the top to compete with white actresses at the top. (I think that you should pose this possibility as a question as well.) When Halle Berry won the Oscar award, many said that it was long over-due; many said that it shouldn't have been won for the controversial "Monster's Ball". But, more importantly to my issue, many said that she won it only because the academy needed to play it safe and allow a black actress to win.

(I think this should be added to the next paragraph to make a new one.) Playing it safe is a definite issue in Hollywood film for black actresses. Is the reason that you see black actresses in a powerful role, representing class, intelligence and dignity in one scene and then watch them become the stereotypical, degrading black woman to gain a quick laugh... playing it safe? I can compare my point to someone loaning someone money, but they must endure constant reminders that they borrowed the money. Black audiences get the satisfaction of finally seeing black actresses represented equally, but during the movie we must have to relate to "ghetto humor" in order to laugh. If it's not the character being loud, it's her being promiscuous, being the single mother with the estranged "baby daddy", or her having more curse words in her lines than every character put together, or its all of them plus more.