[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]

Then how do you explain Ice Cube being cast as a sub for Vid Diesel in 'xXx,' that is a huge budget picture..

[inkling]

Not garbage at all. Hollywood is a business with its eye eternally on the bottom line.

Exactly. Hollywood is extremely bigoted in its casting choices. And they're Dems, so that's no big surprise.

I still remember that the studio was demanding director Robert Rodriguez cast a blonde "Michelle Pfieffer-type" opposite Antonio Banderas in Desperado. Yeah, she would have fit right in that dusty Mexican town. Thankfully, Rodrguez refused and cast Salma Hayek (sigh) in that role. I, for one, am eternally grateful. :-)