Was Race An Issue In 'Hitch' Casting?: Will Smith Says Moviemakers Afraid to Cast Black Woman

MSNBC ^ | 2.24.05 | Jeanette Walls

[gopwinsin04]

Casting Will Smith's love interest in the big screen comedy 'Hitch' appears to be not a simple black or white decision.

Cuban-American actress Eva Mendes was given the role opposite Smith because moviemakers were worried about the public's reaction if the part was given to a white or African American actress according to Smith.

The actor said that is was feared that a black couple would have put off world wide audiences and an interracial combo would have offended viewers in the United States.

'There's sort of an accepted myth thatif you have two black actors, a male and a female in the lead of a romantic comedy, the people around the world don't want to see it,' Smith told the UK Birmingham Post.

'Sony spent something like $50 million dollars making this movie and the studio thought that those situations would be tough on their investiment. So the idea of a black actor and a white actress comes up-that will work around the world, but it's a problem in the US.'

Eva Mendes was seen as a solution because apparently the black/Latina combination is not considered taboo. Sony studios didn't return calls for comment.

[gopwinsin04]

So now the rest of the world is implied as racists as well? How about 'US Marhsals' and 'The Preachers Wife..'

[cripplecreek]

What a bunch of garbage. I guess he doesn't remember the woman who played his wife in Independence day. I believe his love interest in MIB2 was black as well.

[gopwinsin04]

Will has been a big time liberal supporter for years. Looks like it has fianlly sunk through to his breain..

[Yo-Yo]

I guess Will never saw "Catwoman." (For that matter, neither did the rest of America...)

[cyborg]

Read this month's issue of Elle. The direction of the movie admitted that he wouldn't cast Smith with a white woman because it was too distracting.

[gopwinsin04]

Will never saw 'Haunted Mansion' with Eddie Murphy as well..

[RonF]

Why would a black couple be a problem worldwide?

Why would an interracial couple be a problem in the U.S.?

Are there that many racists about in either environment?

[PAR35]

I guess he doesn't remember the woman who played his wife in Independence day. I believe his love interest in MIB2 was black as well.

I wouldn't classify either of those as a 'romantic comedy'.

[cyborg]

I think the people who put out these movies are strictly about the money.

[LYSandra]

The only people I hear complaining about race is blacks! I see he didn't turn the role down did he?! What a load of crap! Who cares if it is a black couple? Lots of shows have black couples that are successful-what about the Cosby show? There are lots - one of the tv hits is the one with one of the Wyan(not sure if correct name) brothers. Maybe Will is hung up on black couples not the "world"-now they're trying to use the race card in the Jackson case - no blacks on jury - like Michael is close to black!

[gopwinsin04]

This is the old Denzel kissing Julia Roberts arguement at the end of the 'Pelican Brief..'

[sonofagun]

"Are We There Yet?"

[cyborg]

Fresh Prince to0.. which used to be on prime time and ran for a long time.

[wbill]

I, for one, believe him.

Studios spend millions studying demographics, and how their advertising influences them. I'm sure that they have studies that tell them, to within a few thousand, how many caucasian men age 18-27 saw the ad for 'Hitch' on MTV at 8:21pm last Wednesday. And, likely, how influenced by the trailer they were to go see the movie. Also, did they bring a date, and how influenced were both of them by the coming attractions....

If their surveys show that whichever demographic group (pick one: M, F, old, young, white, black) wants to see lefthanded hispanic hunchbacked lesbians in a wild-west shootemup, and there are indications that there's a buck to be made.....guess what will be coming to a theater near you.

Who cares about racism. Follow the dollars.

[cyborg]

Yeah I remember that... I honestly don't think it matters anymore.

[gopwinsin04]

'Johnson Family Vacation,' 'Barberhshop..'

[wtc911]

Not garbage at all. Hollywood is a business with its eye eternally on the bottom line. Half of revenues come from foreign markets. The truth is that the foreign buyers do not want films with black casts. The exceptions to this rule are pretty much limited to Smith and Denzel as leads. Actors like Sam Jackson and Morgan Freeman work a lot but never as leads. The Ice Cube type "Barber Shop" films are always shot on much lower budgets than Hitch was. They know that they will not sell well foreign but the low budget and "urban" flavor will get thenm their money back in domestic.

The two other films you reference are not good comparisons. The black female roles in both were supporting, not leads.

You don't have to like it but Smith is telling the truth.

[gopwinsin04]

The only thing that matters is that Eva Mendes is stone cold fox.. if Halle Berry wanted to play that role in a comedy the producers would have bent over backwards to let her!

[Jakarta ex-pat]

'There's sort of an accepted myth that if you have two black actors, a male and a female in the lead of a romantic comedy, the people around the world don't want to see it,"

He might be right. Think "The Wiz"

There again, was Michael black or white at the time?

[csvset]

Garsh darn it Will, you have plenty of money, make your own movie! If not,then stfu.