[MarkL]

Agreed. I think that she is quite a good actress. Although I thought that the story of "Saving Issia" was terrible, I thought that she was quite good in it, as with "Monsters Ball." She really does have quite a range as an actress, and as I said, I thought that she was good in X-Men, just not what I had envisioned.

I think that maybe she's taking the "victim" role a bit too seriously, as it seems, do so many in Hollywood. I don't seem to recall Sidney Poirtier going off about how many roles he didn't get as a Black Man. Same with Samual L. Jackson, or Morgan Freeman. I think that it's getting pretty lame. There's nothing stopping a good actor who happens to be black from getting good roles (at least I don't think so). The problem is that there simply aren't that many good roles out there any more. If you want to see some wondeful acting, check out "Glory," with Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. I can easily see an actor of Morgan Freeman's quality playing the President of the US (which I believe that he did in one movie). Same with Sidney Portier or James Earl Jones. Or Denzel Washington as Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Or other terrific black actors? How about Keith David, from "Platoon," "Article 99," and about a zillion other movies. Or Yaphet Koto. Want to see some great acting? Check him out in "Brubaker." Or Courtney B. Vance, who played "Jonesy" in Hunt for "Red October" (I certainly never thought of that character as black, did anyone else?) or as "Doc" in "Hamburger Hill." And speaking of "Hamburger Hill," that was some fine ensomble acting from all of the cast members, black and white.

So, maybe there is a lack of leading roles for black men and women: If that's really the case, then the problem is with the Hollywood, liberal elite who decide who to cast in the roles.

Mark

[wardaddy]

Actually Sidney Portier has whined quite a bit....he is a good actor though and unlike Halle, he truly did have obstacles to overcome.

Morgan Freeman...is a great example of how all actors should act....black or white or yellow or whatever.....WITH DIGNITY and GOOD MANNERS.

OF course....he is from Mississippi(the Delta no less) so I'm partial.

[Skywalk]

Keith David is THE MAN.

Does the voice-overs for the Navy and also for the HBO series Spawn.

I still quote King, his character in Platoon. "Once you out of the Nam, it's all gravy, the rest of yo' life--GRAVY!"


Actually, the black actors(non-comedic) that have made a name for themselves are invariably superior to their white counterparts. Maybe it's that thing of having to be twice as good to get just as far. Unfortunately they are type-cast more rapidly, as Morgan Freeman is a bit too often playing a detective of some sort, and Denzel some crusading "noble" black man. That's why he won the Oscar for Training Day, it was such a departure from the last 12 years of his career, and well done.