MovieChat Forums > One Night Stand (1997) Discussion > Racism in Hollywood

Racism in Hollywood

posted 19 years ago by Karen_vinter
54 replies | jump to latest

Interesting that this film was released 8 YEARS ago, and yet it's still one of the only Hollywood films I've seen featuring a love story between a black male and a white female. Quite often you will see the reverse (white male and black female...for instance in The Bodyguard, Monster's Ball etc) but Hollywood still seems scared to admit that a white woman might be attracted to or...horror of horrors!!....have sex with a black guy. Yet it's hardly uncommon these days! Even big actors such as Will Smith invariably get cast opposite black females as if it's the law. Apparently it even happens in the future (see the Matrix sequels)!!

I wonder when this will change? I'd be grateful if anyone could name any other films with black males and white females, esp. any big Hollywood ones as I'm racking my brains here! Thanks!

Oh, and by the way...how come none of the men I've had one night stands with have fallen in love with me?! Mind you...none of them ever looked like Wesley Snipes either unfortunately!

[–] EmperorOfDragons (297) 3 years ago

I think it's gotten better in terms of representation. But interracial couples are still not depicted as having a healthy relationship.

[–] Cognoscente (2642) 2 years ago

12 minutes into this 2000 interview, the director alludes to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qjwgI3DDdk

In 2012, Mike Figgis talked about how Nicolas Cage was originally going to be cast. Some time after the movie came out, Cage's agent said: "You know the trouble with that movie, Mike? Snipes is too cocky in it."

Mike's reflection on it was: "But this was exactly the same character I had written for Cage. What he meant was he was too cocky for a black man!"

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/mar/27/mike-figgis-open-weekend-q-and-a

[–] EmperorOfDragons (297) a year ago

Not surprised