by Selam Aster
As much as we complain about Black actors being relegated to the sideline roles in major feature films, it’s interesting to see just how Black filmmakers do the same thing in their own films. Exhibit A: Jumping The Broom, directed by Salim Akil and produced by Tracey E. Edmonds, Elizabeth Hunter, T.D. Jakes, Glendon Palmer, and Curtis Wallace.
I know I’m late to the game but I recently watched this film about the family of a rich woman (Paula Patton) meeting her middle class fiance (Laz Alonso) and his family just days before their wedding. It’s a cliche setup for sure but what stuck with me after watching the movie was not the lack of a fresh comedic formula but the casting of Patton in the lead role.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a personal attack on Patton. I’m sure she’s a lovely person who works hard for her roles. But let’s call it what it is. Jumping The Broom mirrored the same formula of so many Holllywood feature films in which white actors populate the lead roles and Black actors are thrown in to add flavor, jokes, comedic relief, from their minor roles. In this case, the side actors were the rest of the cast including the always-delightful Loretta Devine and the hilarious Mike Epps.
I’m not saying Patton is white, but she played that character like a straight up white girl. In fact, she could’ve easily been replaced by Tara Reid and no-one would probably have noticed if they just closed their eyes. Just because you’re playing well-to-do doesn’t mean you’re devoid of all of the natural sass and rhythmic intonations of a Black person.
From bourgois to bourghetto, black folks just have a way of communicating that ranges from subtle to outlandish. To give you an idea of how liberal I’m being with my interpretations of what’s Black, every character on the Cosby show reflected Black folks despite their range of shades and their use of “proper talk.” Would anyone argue that Claire Huxtable was not a typical black woman? Sure,she had some unbelievable circumstances but her demeanor and character would never have her confused for a white lady.
If you haven’t watched Jumping The Broom or even another Patton film Just Wright, you won’t understand what I’m saying here, but Patton just comes off as a white girl in these two films. Can I even say it’s acting? I think it’s just plain lack of flavor, which makes me really wonder why producers are jocking her so bad for Black films?
Maybe you think I’m being hard on Patton but as I debated writing this editorial, all I had to do was consider how many Black women in Hollywood, who are much more relatable and reflective of Black folks, are passed over for being not “white enough.” Somehow, I’m sure the producers tried to find a way to appeal to the masses and that involved getting a black girl who can not only appear white from afar but also act white. It’s a very sad state of affairs when Tracey Edmonds, T.D Jakes and Salim Akil are buying into this B.S. Hollywood hype. Any number of the other Black actresses would’ve complemented this film much better – people like Taraji P. Henson, who always does a stellar and charming job, Naturi Naughton, Tia Mowry, Jurnee Smollett, Camille Winbush and the list goes on.
Patton has a red hot career. People tell me that she did a great job in Precious, which I haven’t seen, but for the sake of authenticity, I do hope that Patton becomes such a big star that she doesn’t have to play in niche Black films. And I hope that these Black producers stop being so scared of Black culture and embrace the beauty, soul, and flavors of Black people. It’s such a complicated paradox that in a time when Black people influence, mold, and shape popular culture throughout the world, our own directors and producers fear making a film that has the chance to celebrate our rich identities. Patton’s position in the power structure only reflects the misguided perceptions of the Hollywood engine, because so much of what works for Black cinema is not about the hue or whiteness of the lead character but how much of a leeway that film gives into a coveted Black culture.
