Removed the project of a sequel to Suicide Squad , Will Smith will perform at the place, Richard Williams in a biopic titled King Richard . A film that focused on the father of the family who has taken in hand the fate of her two daughters, Serena and Venus, to make them become champions in world tennis. However, the news has led to strong protests on social networks.

” READ ALSO – The film King Richard retracerta the life of Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena

in The eyes of some, Will Smith was not, with her skin tone much clearer than that of Richard Williams, the best choice of casting. “I have nothing against the fact to see Will Smith playing Richard Williams, but I could well imagine other actors embody that role much better than him,” says one internet user. Several times, names, Mahershala Ali, recently awarded an Oscar for her role in Green Book or even Idris Elba, Don Cheadle and Morgan Freeman come back, to remind people that the industry does not lack actors to the colour of darker skin. It would be a new case of “colorisme” on the part of Hollywood.

The colorisme, not to be confused with racism, is a form of discrimination where people with dark skin is devalued in the face of those whose complexion is more clear. This is not the first time that the american industry, by its past slavery, is criticized for the choice of the so-called “colorists”. In 2016, the film Nina in honour of the great Nina Simone was worn by Zoe Saldana in the lead role. Already, the actress was criticized for having accepted this role despite the physical differences between it and the icon of the jazz and the blues. For the needs of the biopic, and his skin had been dark makeup and a prosthetic had thickened the bridge of the nose.

On the web, other internet support Will Smith and especially recall his correct interpretation of Mohamed Ali in the biopic made on the famous boxer in 2002. “The complexion of his skin should not matter as long as it plays well the father of the Williams sisters,” said one of them. “The one that started all this debate about the skin color of these two legends black should be ashamed of such negativity and discrimination,” wrote another.

A question of representation

For a few years, the question of the representation of minorities – including that of the black community – is at the heart of the debate in the film industry. In this way, the young Amandla Stenberg had refused to play in Black Panther . “There are so many black actors to play Africans that it would have been weird for me, as a métis person, speaking with an accent from nigeria and to play someone who has the same skin colour as the other,’ said she then to CBS Arts .

In this line, several other initiatives have been noticed. Star of Black Panther and to the poster of Creed from 2016, Michael B. Jordan, developed with the studio Warner “the Inclusion Rider “, a clause allowing the actors of a film to ensure that the casting of a production is representative of the population. Actress and singer Zendaya ( The Greatest Showman , Spider-man: Homecoming ) has also begun to shake up the standards of Hollywood: “I always say to my managers: ‘each time they say that they seek white girls, send me. Let me enter the room. Maybe I will make change your mind'”.

” READ ALSO – Oscar-2019: the representation of women and minorities in Hollywood still lagging behind

Well before that so does King Richard in the film, Will Smith returns to the big screen in the adaptation Disney of Aladdin , where it will propose the role of the legendary genius, blue! And to replace it in Suicide Squad 2 , Idris Elba has already agreed to incorporate the fine team of the studios in DC.