Samuel L Jackson slams casting of black British actor in Get Out

By Tribute on March 9, 2017 | 9 Comments


Samuel L. JacksonDaniel Kaluuya in Get Out is calling out filmmakers who cast British actors in films that are meant to depict racism from an African-American perspective.

While being interviewed on New York radio station Hot 97, the 68-year-old actor criticized recent horror-thriller Get Out, questioning director Jordan Peele‘s decision to cast London-born actor Daniel Kaluuya as the film’s lead.

“There are a lot of black British actors in these movies,” Samuel said. “I tend to wonder what that movie [Get Out] would have been with an American brother who really understands that.”

Get Out is about an African-American man (Kaluuya) who encounters a shocking revelation when he meets his white girlfriend’s family for the first time.

“Daniel grew up in a country where they’ve been interracial dating for a hundred years,” Jackson added. “What would a brother from America have made of that role? Some things are universal, but everything ain’t.”

The Kong: Skull Island actor also took aim at 2015’s Selma, a biographical account of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic civil rights campaign. David Oyelowo, another black British actor, played the African-American leader in the film.

Again, Samuel, did not hold back, saying, “There are some brothers in America who could have been in that movie who would have had a different idea about how King thinks or how King felt.”

Selma‘s director Ava DuVernay previously defended her decision to cast David in a 2013 interview with Buzzfeed. She also shared, what she felt, set black British actors apart from their American counterparts.

“I think there’s something about the stage, because they have that stage preparation,” DuVernay said. “Their work is really steeped in theater. Our system of creating actors is a lot more commercial. … there’s a depth in the character building that’s really wonderful.”

Of course, Samuel’s comments are sparking reactions from actors on both sides of the pond. One in particular is Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor John Boyega, who is British. John made his opinion on the matter known, tweeting that it is a non-issue “we don’t have time for.” ~Ashleen Grange



Comments & Discussion

  1. Teresa • March 9, 2017 @ 11:49 AM

    Samuel L. Jackson grew up in a time of segregated schools, so he knows what they faced better than those born after the 1970’s.
    There is no actor in their early 20’s who would have lived through what he has.
    and if you want the shock value of you first view of what it felt like to be discriminated against because of your race, someone who has never experienced it would be suitable for the part.
    That being said – these are actors.
    its a job.
    One Samuel L Jackson has become very rich with. He should refrain from comment.

  2. Samantha • March 9, 2017 @ 1:13 PM

    Also 12 Years a Slave. Chiwetel is British.

  3. Mack • March 9, 2017 @ 2:53 PM

    oh look.. another Actor is offended by something. SO…. now Directors should not hire African actors from other countries if there are people in the U.S. to do that job? But white people are racist if they say we shouldn’t bring in immigrants to do jobs that people already living here can do? oops.

  4. Jackie • March 9, 2017 @ 3:53 PM

    He makes a point. He may be making it a bit too aggressively, but why couldn’t an American actor have played Daniel’s role in Get Out? It’s an interesting argument.

  5. Caroline Medd • March 9, 2017 @ 8:21 PM

    I can’t believe what a silly comment Mr. Jackson made. They chose a black man to play a black man role and he is still irritated? It’s called ACTING for a reason! It’s PRETENDING to be someone you are not, that’s the challenge in the profession. Should they hire a killer to play a killer because they have experience in that role? People are never satisfied.

  6. Lana • March 10, 2017 @ 3:13 PM

    I never liked Jackson.

  7. Joshuam • March 11, 2017 @ 1:29 AM

    SPOILERS

    How do we know that Daniel’s character, in this movie, is not British? Maybe when his mom died he moved to America? Point being there is so much we don’t know about the character’s past in this movie!

    I dunno

    I thought his acting was great…don’t know why S.LJ. would say something like this. Daniel probably looked up to Sam growing up for pete’s sake!

  8. Samsquanch • March 20, 2017 @ 3:16 PM

    I’ve had it with these motherf@cking snakes on this motherf@cking plane!

  9. JackMack • May 25, 2017 @ 8:21 PM

    Sam Jackson was in Star Wars episode 1-3. I think they should have only hired actual Jedi’s to play those roles. What a bloody idiot.
    Last time I checked an “actor” is someone who is ACTING out a role. You do not have to have personal experience to act. Forget Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, should have hired an actor with AIDS. For that matter Tom Hanks is not even a pilot yet he played Sully. Wasn’t Pacino blind in a movie? SLJ made a huge fool of himself.


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