Jesse Jackson: ‘Star Wars’ Record-Breaking Box Office Success Due to Racially Diverse Cast

Breitbart.com ^ | feb 1 2016 | Kipp Jones

[drewh]

Rev. Jesse Jackson partially credits the casting of black British actor John Boyega for the financial success of Star Wars: the Force Awakens in an op-ed piece about “Hollywood apartheid.”

“For the second year in a row, no actor or actress of color has been nominated for an Academy Award. That is a shameful streak,” Jackson wrote in USA TODAY on Monday. “But the growing outcry over the whitewashing of the prestigious golden statue and the industry it celebrates is a sign of at least some progress.” Jackson wrote that minority performers are the future of the industry.

“By midcentury, America will be a majority minority country. But it is already clear that diversity is good for business,”Jackson stated. “Films with diverse casts, according to the Bunche Center report, enjoyed the highest median global box-office receipts and the highest median return on investment.”

He added: “Indeed, the movie that broke box office records around the world in 2015, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, stars a white woman and a black man.”

To date, The Force Awakens has grossed nearly $2 billion.

[American in Israel]

Bigots always view life with a race filter.

[musicman]

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[subterfuge]

Marked

[stocksthatgoup]

Jesse wants his cut

[Secret Agent Man]

The storyline of vii sucked a$$. I dont’t go to movies for diversity.

[Captainpaintball]

Star Wars could have been made with an all Indian cast (Sitar Wars?) andit would have broken records.

[stratboy]

Can’t a movie be good without someone injecting race or liberal interpretations into it?

[BenLurkin]

[ThunderSleeps]

Wrong again Jesse. I credit the success to a number of things:

• The huge Star Wars franchise behind it
• Good selection of producer
• Good selection of director
• Modest, restrained even use of special effects (especially for a modern sci-fi flick)
• Good casting
• Decent writing
• A good ad campaign leading up to the release
• etc. etc.

You'll note Jesse that race never enters into that list, anywhere. I didn't go see it because of who was or wasn't cast in it. (ok, maybe a chance to see Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher had a little something to do with it) I really did not and do not care what the race of the various actors and actresses is. The moment you start caring (for better or worse), that starts becoming racist. Well Jesse, since you seem to love bringing race into literally everything - I mean could you even order a hamburger without some racial commentary? In my book that makes you one of the biggest, most egregious racists on the planet. Oh, and my opinion of you Jesse? Has nothing to do with your race, only your words and deeds. By them you shall be known, and you are known.

[SkyPilot]

The black character added absolutely nothing to the actual plot. The role was invented and awkwardly inserted into the script, and it shows.