Lanita Jacobs teaches anthropology at the University of Southern California, and often lectures on how African-Americans are portrayed in film and on television. Jacobs says casting the fair-skinned Zoe Saldana, then darkening her with makeup and giving her a prosthetic nose and an Afro wig, is particularly offensive to women who have had to struggle with acceptance because of their own dark complexions.

— Controversial Casting For A Nina Simone Biopic

via Get A Hollywood Studio To Green Light Your Picture, In 29 Easy Steps : Planet Money

tballardbrown:

Dandridge suffered so that others wouldn’t have to. Yet fifty years after her death, when one would hope that all vestiges of discrimination, prejudice, and sexual stereotyping would have dissipated, they’re still alive, however quiet. Think of (mainstream) black female stars. There’s not a lot of them, so this won’t take you long.  Now think about who they’re allowed to be with onscreen, and the discourses about their sexuality off-screen. Whitney Houston could do little more than kiss Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. Halle Berry was archly criticized for taking a role in which she was hyper-sexualized and can’t open a movie. Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jennifer Hudson, Mon’ique — none of them can get a leading role in a major Hollywood picture, much less a romantic leading role. We may have a black president, but most Americans still don’t know what to do with a black, sexual woman onscreen.

via Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Dorothy Dandridge vs. The World | The Hairpin

latimes:

Hollywood sign neighbors to tourists: Make legal U-turn, go away. Hollywood residents and L.A. leaders will debate how to deal with sightseers who, aided by GPS and the Web, clog the streets near Mt. Lee seeking photo ops with a famous sign.

Photo: Denny Saladino of Belgium waits for Stessy Emelie of France to photograph Djenaye Jesophe of France, ignoring signs saying that tourists are not allowed in the area. The warnings have been posted by area residents who want tourists off their streets. Credit: Christina House / For The Times