Who Is The New Denzel? Hollywood Struggles To Launch Next Black Stars

[nieman]

First off, Hollywood doesn't give an eff about the Indie circuit period. How many Indie movies are promoted, when they are distributed by the by the same studios as the features? Those ish are treated as evil step-children, and once you are considered an "Indie" actor by Hollywood, it's gonna take some convincing for a studio to let you in a feature. With that being said, black Indies have virtually no shot at gaining a major audience to take Hollywood by storm. Even the ones that win, garner all of the critical acclaim with none of the mainstream success.

Kevin Hart could be a mainstream actor, a mega-star, in an Eddie Murphy type role but he has to be willing to embrace it. It's not selling out because he will allow others to be able to do the same. Instead of Ride Along, he could've done Let's Be Cops (wider audience appeal), hell, he could go up for an action flick. He and Damon Wayans Jr could basically did a Bad Boys-esque buddy cop movie. The roles are there, they just have to nab them. Like Samuel L and them, if the movie isn't race specific, go after it.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

No fukks given about black actresses I see, that's the bigger problem

 

[NvrCMyNut]

Don't know what you're talking about. Tarantino already broke down the indie/hollywood barriers 20 years ago.

 

[blackzeus]

That's really what it comes down to. Denzel, Will and Jamie all did roles that obviously were casted with black actors in mind, but also have other successful movies where their characters could have been played by any race and not affected the movie.

Nikka said Anthony Mackie

There will never be another Denzel, that would be like asking who is the next Deniro. Those are once in a lifetime actors. There will be another Rock, another Vin Diesel, another Sylvester Stallone, there won't be another Denzel for a hot minute, enjoy the era you were born in. How I wish I could have been born in the Louie Armstrong Bessie Davis era to hear all that incredible music

 

[LurkMoar]

No fukks given about black actresses I see, that's the bigger problem

One at a time breh


We outchea trying to find actors to replace will and denzel, you already know Hollywood aint trying to see black actresses outside of tyler perry

 

[Ethnic Vagina Finder]

No mention of Andre 3000? There are good young black actors out there, studios don't be trying to give opportunities. I remember when Nick Cannon was supposed to be the next Will Smith. Derek Luke's first major role was produced by Denzel Washington and nobody supported it. At the end of the day, there aren't many roles for black actors. And Kevin Hart doesn't count. He basically gets typecast to play himself in every movie. Black characters in general are typecast to play the same roles.

 

[BodeineBrazy]

Dude from "Power" up next... he's going to be the black male Kerry Washington in a year or two if things go well... bytches like scandals, nikkas want power... same demographic. Hopefully he parlays that into some good meaningful roles. He's 40, handsome, good look, can act, hopefully he has range...

crown shoulda went to Lorenz Tate... never understood why he wasn't the black Leonardo Dicaprio... he had it at a very young age...

 

[labrokejames]

This is inspiring to black cats like myself who've always felt they could jump into acting. I've looked into acting classes several times but never pulled the trigger. The door is open in Hollywood for black excellence.

 

[The Don]

Denzel built a career on playing real life people...what have Chad Boseman's last 2 roles been? He's definitely going to be the next Denzel.

 

[Slim]

I honestly thought Derek Luke was given the Denzel torch in Antwone Fisher...Then he went and did Biker Boyz and Notorious

 

[Majestic Pape]

I think another piece to the puzzle is us not having this generation's Spike. A guy who's gonna keep Black actors working in quality films building up their resume.

People love to shyt on him and say what you want about his movies being wack and all, but if he's done nothing else Tyler Perry has kept food on the plate for A LOT of Black actors who probably would have found a new occupation otherwise.

 

[Majestic Pape]

And on another note, I don't know if anybody has already mentioned it, but what about Derek Luke?? What the hell happened to his ascent? He was supposed to take that crown.

Edit: Just as I post I see someone else already asked the question.

 

[Primetime]

to the responses here

i'll just add what ive said in previous incarnations of this topic, and thats that the idea that 'black' films dont do well internationally or in general is utter bullshyt. its a spin job. the blade movie franchise, a black c-list comic character that had no shared-marvel-universe to draw on, no special guest appearances from prominent characters to piggy back on, and no 100 milli budget in special effects and things to spring board it.. still did 130-140 million world wide. The sequel did 155 milli, with 70 mil of it coming overseas. They bring up Ride Along and it only doin 20 milli overseas, but lets not act like Bad Boys 2 didnt do 130+ million overseas. Lets not act like the princess and the frog, a disney movie featuring a black princess, didn't do a cool 160 milli overseas (despite not being a 3d pixar type film).. or that karate kid with jaden smith didn't do 180 milli overseas. Book of Eli, 60 milli overseas.

Part of the whole foreign market equation is how willing the distribution company is willing to, well, *distribute* the film to theaters in other markets/countries. Kevin Hart said it in an interview not too long ago that the major distribution companies he is working with are only now starting to be a little more open to giving his films more opportunities to play in foreign markets.

but i say 'spin job' because, as others have stated, if the category of movies for black actors are limited to only movies exclusively about black problems or black stereotypes or black/white relations.. then that would be like limiting 'white movies' to only being about matt damon's Promise Land film (something about country hicks fighting for their farm land vs.. the 'man' or something... i dont really know bc i aint watch that shyt... and no one else did either) as opposed to the bourne series or captain america or harry potter, world war z, etc.

You replace that shia labeouf with tyler james williams (everybody hates chris) and them first 3 transformers movies are still doin a billi+. You have megan goode replace megan fox as april o'neil and next weekend's TMNT is still gonna do half a billi world wide when its all said and done with. But its that mentality that a black actor/actress can only play a role that had to be black (as if they wouldn't feel worthy of it otherwise lol) whereas a white person clearly doesn't feel like they can only be a slavemaster, skinhead or poor country redneck. Part of that mentality does stem from media conditioning and also racist hollywood cacs cac'ing it up of course, i.e. simply not offering those type of roles to young and potentially up and coming black talent.

 

[Big Boss]

ive been a mackie fan since his spike lee joint with kerry. ive been waiting for him to win for a minute

Spoiler

im fukkin with you

but i agree.

She hate me

 

[satam55]

Duplicate post.