Lin-Manuel raps his approval of Corbin Bleu — Page 2

Well, regardless of what he looks like...I hope he does well with the role. It's such a good show, it'd be a shame if Corbin fell flat.

---

I loved him on LA Law.

It's weird how that guy looks different in each picture. In the last one posted he looks like he could play Mimi in Rent.

Actually, they are pretty close.

PRS I meant nationality wise, Not location.

Except for spanish speaking language, they have nothing in common in culture.

---

I suggest anyone who has a problem with his skin color do a google images search for "Dominican Republic People" and see the variety of images that come up. Most of those I saw showed that Corbin is completely believable based on looks alone.

That's pretty much what I was talking about. Is a Broadway message board the wrong place to make references to Dominican baseball players?

---

While Dominicans and Puerto Ricans are obviously from different cultures, ethnicity wise there's not much difference (and to be fair, we DO have many similarities in our cultures - music, expressions, even food). It would be like claiming an American can't play a British, or vice versa, because the cultures are different, which is of course ludicrous.

I have no problem with an African American playing a latino character, just like I have no problem with a Puerto Rican playing a Dominican, and this is hardly something new in casting choices (in the recent revival of A Chorus Line an Asian actor played a Puerto Rican, and god knows how many productions of West Side Story I've seen with African American or Asian actors playing Puerto Ricans). Latinos come in all shapes and sizes, and many of us could easily pass for a different ethnicity. If someone told me Corbin was latino, I'd believe it.

If he's honestly the best person for the part, then so be it. If this is nothing but stunt casting, then it's a shame, especially with the lack of good parts for latino actors. But I'll reserve judgement until I see him in the role. God knows I'd be thrilled to see a latino cast in a non latino role, so I'll give the kid the benefit of the doubt.

Now, if they had cast Zac Effron, that's be a WHOLE other story...

It doesn't matter how good an actor you are, you can't change your physical features.

I'm not saying I agree with them, but that seems to be the problem most people are having with this casting choice. That Corbin's physical appearance does not match the character.

Of course you can play a Texan even though you're not from Texas. But I bet you couldn't play Sarah in RAGTIME.

That's what people are discussing. Not acting ability.

---

I'm sure there have been many African-Americans in the cast playing Latinos before now. In fact, Chris Jackson is a very light-skinned African-American, so they paint him up to look darker for the show. Do you have a problem with them casting a lighter black man and painting him?

I'm not trying to start a fight, I'm honestly asking.

---

Oh, I'm not trying to start a fight either. I'm just trying to explain my reasonings further.

No...painting an African-American to look darker so as not to be confused with the Latinos on stage, well...that's not really a problem. But, I've seen the show and yes, Chris Jackson IS a very light-skinned African-American and even though they paint him to look darker (which I have never heard of until now and I have a friend in the show; and if it's true then that's very interesting to know)...Corbin Bleu would still look very similar to him. That's what irks me about this casting.

I am not irked by the fact that one race is portraying another...I just think don't think it makes sense in THIS particular show.

---

Updated On: 12/9/09 at 09:49 PM

orangeskittles - You're right...I definitely think there are factors beyond Corbin's skin color that IMO lend it to being a bad casting decision.

But, like I've said...I hope he does very well with the role. I do think that he has talent and it's not like he cast himself, so I hold nothing against him. I wish him the best. It's just not the casting decision I would have made.

---

Updated On: 12/9/09 at 10:07 PM

Worst case, the stupidity of racism is only going to be exemplified by this casting. Two men of similar skin coloring and one is accepted because he is "from the same island as the rest of us" while the other is not arbitrarily because his ancestors were born in Africa.

---

But about the rest of it; Are you f***ing dumb?

Possibly, but more memorably she gets really excited at Legally Blonde; so much so that she has to apologize to her neighbors.

---