okay i want to be an actress. I'm African American and I'm afraid of having to play into the black stereotypes. I've in read in magazines and other sources that being an African American female you will face having to act into the stereotypes i stated below:
sapphire stereotype - angry black woman
matriarch stereotype - strong black woman
jezebel stereotype - promiscuous black woman
welfare queen- ghetto, loud, black woman, who has a bunch of babies by different men
the tragic mulatto- the light-skinned exotic, black woman who is exotic and follows white men
mammi stereotype- the overweight, black woman who is sweet and is a housekeeper of some sort.
how can i still get a role without playing into their stereotypes?
2006-10-12 17:07:48 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
Skip acting and be a writer.
Write new types of stereotypes.
2006-10-12 17:13:43 · answer #1 · answered by s t 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Acting is the ability to assume a foreign persona and
elicit emotions from the viewing audience. The emotions
you produce in viewers may be love, admiration, sympathy, hate, anger, arrousal, or interest and fascination. Do not get caught up in this list of stereotypes. What you want is to be able to take a
role and play it with recognized success whatever it is.
That is how to become recognized as a good actress.
For goodness sakes...Look at Whoopie Goldberg.
Be versitile, and win at the game.
2006-10-13 00:17:15 · answer #2 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were you I would read for roles that don't have the word black in them at all. Or male. Read for the character and not the adjective otherwise no matter what you do you will be pigeonholed. The most important role you can read for will be how to portray yourself in selling your confidence in self to those in a position to judge you. You will have to 'do it better' than the other people interviewing. You will have to create a mystique about yourself that implies a memorable human being that they will see you and be impressed by. I know that that might seem a stretch coming from a white girl, but on the other hand you can see that I have to put my feet square on the ground and lookem straight in the eyes, otherwise society pegs me as the dumb blonde flibbertygibbit instead of the straight shooting son of a gun, I am.
2006-10-13 00:16:33 · answer #3 · answered by honorbright24 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the person who suggested going into a discipline where those stereotypes are less important - classical theatre, stuff for kids, etc.
I remember reading about Camryn Manheim once, who was sick of playing "fat girl" roles. She asked her agent to only submit her for men's roles, and that's how she broke through that.
But we all play stereotypes - it's frustrating, but everyone gets cast for their "type." I'd love to play a villain, but I always get cast as the funny girl next door. Because that is a lot about who I am. What you're talking about is a little different, but typing is inescapable for everyone, to a degree.
2006-10-13 09:00:01 · answer #4 · answered by nomadgirl1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you make a very good point in stating the stereotypes of african american women, however if you truely believe that you can do otherwise, go for it. show people a fresh new image that would contradict all of the stereotypes people see. ask yourself what kind of things you can do, and join a theatre or any type of acting class if you haven't already, that should give you a lot of options of acting.
2006-10-13 00:18:20 · answer #5 · answered by jude 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Having been an actor myself as well the best thing is to go for roles that do not fit into to those stereotypes. Go for Shakespeare, Genet, Camus, Mamet, Beckett et all which have no colour specification. It means taking on serious roles. You are right to avaoid stereotypes because it's difficult to get out of. Even as a young white guy, my physique meant I got the old/gay/infirm/aggresively impotent roles, but it's easier for guys. Go for roles that require versatility and pick audition pieces that are different. try, for example, difficult pieces for women from writers like Osbourne or Strindberg (a notorious misogynist) to prove classical talents. Please feel free to contact me for more advice.
2006-10-13 00:25:54 · answer #6 · answered by wilf69 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every man and woman that acts has to start at the bottom and work their way up.
If you put your mind to it one day you will be in a movie with a great star roll.
You mite want to try Disney, they made a movie staring blacks called "Remember The Titans". They also have 2 or 3 TV shows staring blacks.
Good Luck!!
2006-10-13 00:34:18 · answer #7 · answered by Preacher's Daughter 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First are ya any of the above,,.lol first of all, set goals, start small then next take head for the little bigger goal,, after complete. work for the bigger an bigger, a person is limited by there own doings,
Exp: start with a Yugo, move into a VW bug, next to a saturn, then a caddy, then an drivin limo.... If one wants, one must work at it, there is not much out of reach, if you want it... and Good luck, and always remember the small guy!!
2006-10-13 00:29:23 · answer #8 · answered by malarango2006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will be cast the way directors see you! There is nothing you can do about sterotyping, except say NO to the roles offered to you, or, write your own plays. Welcome to show business!
2006-10-13 17:06:11 · answer #9 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just go with the flow, you want a start in show biz. at least you will have your foot in the door of acting.......
2006-10-13 00:19:04 · answer #10 · answered by mark22059 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋