Jamie Foxx in Negotiations for "Annie" Movie — Page 5

"They were meant to open people's eyes."

Well, mission accomplished, because when I read those "jokes" my eyes nearly popped from my head.

Anyway, I'm going to show my kids the mixed version of Annie, with Audra McDonald. It's beautiful and perfect. I'd rather teach them about mixed love stories than about the necessity of separation.

Updated On: 5/1/13 at 02:12 PM

By "mixed," you mean the version with one black cast member?

So, it's okay to have Black Barbie counterparts, even with Barbie being an icon mostly seen as White (well, very tanned white), but to make the iconic character of Annie black and the major characters as well, that takes it too far? I don't see the difference, personally

No Reginald, I mean the main romantic love story of the film being mixed race. I think that's wonderful. I think some of the kids were black too (and other races).

"So, it's okay to have Black Barbie counterparts"

It's not only ok, it's wonderful.

Insisting on having "no white counterparts" or "only black" is a different story. What part of that do you not get?

At this point, I'm not super clear on how this movie stands in relation to the musical. Jay-Z is working on the score- does that not imply that they are jettisoning or highly modifying it? They're renaming Warbucks, does that not imply they are drastically reshaping the material?

And if we're going to be so defensive of the sanctity of the source material- don't forget that the Annie musical is a pretty big about-face from the original comic strip, which was not shy in its conservatism. Harold Gray even briefly killed off Daddy Warbucks following the New Deal, citing a belief that Warbucks couldn't exist in a world in which the New Deal was enacted. Harold Gray also was pro-child labor- a "hard-knock life" was probably not a bad thing in his eyes.

God knows what he'd think if he knew they were making an all-black equivalent!

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But it's a slippery slope...

In fact, we really don't seem to know a whole lot about this movie at all, other than it's not the "traditional" (ie: lily white) Annie.

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Our society is rooted on stereotypes, every time you're talking about a race be it white, or black or any other, jokes will surface. Whether or not is right to do it is one thing, but...

Everyone's a little bit racist
Okay!
Ethinic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!


The real problem arrives when you try to turn a light and humorous discussion into a serious social statement, which is not, IMO. Like I said before, I'm very excited for this film and I'm happy they're updating it since we already have two more film adaptations of the same beloved musical.


Honestly, the only post here which I found to be demeaning and terribly racist was KKKatie's.

Reginals, that would at least teach people better life lessons. But something tells me that the producers of this film will not do that. That their interest of having an all black cast is bigger than anything else. But who knows, I might be surprised.

Updated On: 5/1/13 at 02:39 PM

Obviously, Christina as Effie.

Leaving "Annie" aside for a moment, do you get equally worked up when faced with all-white casts in film and onstage?

You mentioned "Les Miserables" (and your fear that some studio would attempt an all-black version). Did you think that all-white cast sent some sort of message?