why did they cast a black guy to play that part? - Intouchables (2011) Discussion

[–] Pgle05 10 years ago

Why not? 'Based on a true story' not 'This is an exact true story'

If you felt soneone was perfect for a role (which I thought Omar was) why turn him down in exchange for a lesser fitting actor, only because of their race? It could have been a female for me, as long as you cast the best available actors for the role who cares?

'Based'....

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[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PierrotdeParis 10 years ago

The directors know Omar Sy for years and they have made 2 movies together before, and another after which will be available soon.
They wanted to find a great role for him and when they heard about this story, they thought it was a good opportunity.
But If it was an Arab guy, people could have also said "see Arab people are nice too", so I don't really see your point.

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[–] saraccan 10 years ago

thats exacltly my point. if an actual arab guy did all those nice things, an arab guy should've played the part so people would know. i dont know maybe im overthinking the race issue. its a nice film though no doubt

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[–] PierrotdeParis 10 years ago

I think all the people know, since the real guys are shown at the end.
There are also tons of documentaries or interviews about them, available on youtube (mostly in french).
There is another thread about this topic on this board, perhaps you'll find some other answers...

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[–] Pgle05 10 years ago

I think your over thinking it.

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[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

I agree, although Sy did a great job.

😎

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[–] seekingallthetime 10 years ago

I think a Mangolian guy would be better

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[–] micahstephens1 10 years ago

If anyone is racist it is you for even thinking that way

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[–] OldSamVimes 9 years ago

it kinda looked like they just wanted people to think "see black people are nice too" .. something i found racist

The fact that you care enough about the color of his skin to comment on it seems racist to me.

It didn't occur to me to wonder 'Hey.. Why did they use a black actor???'

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[–] saraccan 9 years ago

tbh its pretty obvious why they picked a black guy over an arab guy. to make it more relatable. i just wanted see about people's opinions. nobody can call me racist without knowing nothing about me. this is a discussion thread. i couldnt care less about the actors ethnicity. they could ve picked a bowl of spaghetti for the part for all i care. then i would open this website and type the same question as "why they cast a bowl of spaghetti instead of an arab guy"

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[–] OldSamVimes 9 years ago

You insinuated that there was some kind of racial agenda in having a black actor in the role.

it kinda looked like they just wanted people to think "see black people are nice too"

People who don't think about race all the time do not mentally inject racial divisions into things they see.

I thought the guy was a funny actor and did a good job.. Like I said questioning why a black guy was cast didn't occur to me at all.

Not calling you racist bro, but I do find it weird that you'd openly wonder why they'd use an actor with dark skin. Who cares?

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[–] therefdotcom (964) 7 years ago

"tbh its pretty obvious why they picked a black guy over an arab guy. to make it more relatable."

wtf??? wtf is going on in your head?

"nobody can call me racist without knowing nothing about me."

you are trying pretty hard to convince us yourself.

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[–] therefdotcom (964) 7 years ago

"It didn't occur to me to wonder 'Hey.. Why did they use a black actor???'"

hahaha, same here. never even crossed my mind.

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[–] ThoseLittleRabbits 9 years ago

it is racist. and of course the black guy has to come from the projects. *eye roll* just another movie where black people need to be saved from their ''savagery'', and turned into happy go lucky pets for whites

i've got feelings too, ya know - inbetweeners

http://melanoidnation.org/white-man-warns-all-black

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[–] MrBlondee 10 years ago

To show us how "kind" and loving blacks are. It's all propaganda.

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[–] fede_4488 8 years ago

Racist POS

If I don't reply, you're probably on my ignore list for something I forgot already

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[–] yahko_kun 10 years ago

I was somewhat surprised as well because they showed the footage of them both in the end and I said - wait, Driss is not black but Spanish/Arab.

To me it was done in order to create a stronger contrast of poverty vs the elite. To show the struggles of discrimination. Of course it would had worked as perfectly if the guy was an Arab. I think the casting was done very well and added a new dimension to the movie as opposed to a white character.

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[–] claesfate 10 years ago

i'm french and the fact is that we don't have the same issue that americans have with race. we see a character not a personn of color. we can laugh of everything (see "la verite si je mens" on jews)

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[–] thirtyfor30 10 years ago

Oh get out of here with your holier than thou attitude. Yeah, no racism in France, everybody, that only exists in America!!!

Dumbest post I've seen on these boards in a long time.

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[–] SamoanJoes 10 years ago

He never said racism doesn't exist in France, he just said they don't have the same issues.

I lived in France for almost a year and visited I the USA and let me tell you, in the short amount of time I was in the US I witnessed more racism there than I've experienced in any other country I've lived in or visited.

I mean, in America, if a white cop kills a black man, it's automatically a race issue. Americans are even too ashamed the call black people black. Instead they use the tres confusing "African-American", which is racist in itself as not every black person has African descent.

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[–] thirtyfor30 10 years ago

America is so racist, it elected a black man president! When has France ever done that?!?!

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[–] SamoanJoes 10 years ago

Obama is only half black. When you elect someone who is all black, we'll talk.

Also, there have only been 24 Presidents in France history, in comparison to 44 Presidents in the US, so the USA has had more opportunities to elect a black person. Also lets not forget the amount of Spanish speaking people in the US and none of which have ever been elected President. Minorities are treated like minorities in America.

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[–] j4ny21 9 years ago

Just saw this amazing film and came to check out the boards only to stumble on this idiocy. Not the OP. The point is a legitimate one, but the responses, as well as the OP's reaction to them, have been very well put as far as relationship with directors, just finding a good actor, etc.

My problem is that the Americans on this thread make me embarrassed to be an American. First of all, using President Obama to prove racism doesn't exist is like saying you found a synagogue and using that to prove anti-Semitism doesn't exist.

Second, I have been to, and in fact am currently
in, France many times. For those Americans talking as if they know how it is here but have probably never been here, here are some differences that are key to understanding what the Europeans on this thread have been saying: in Paris, black and white people song break off into separate social groups, go to separate bars or night clubs, or blame each other for any problems they encounter in their lives. That all happens in the states.

Nobody said racism doesn't exist in France. Any Algerian will be sure to tell you it does and the French know it. But the jingoistic American attitude about our proclaimed moral superiority is becoming nauseating. We are in many ways the worst offenders (on both sides of the racial divide), and we won't improve until we accept that.

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[–] ThoseLittleRabbits 9 years ago

that's why there are pics of french cops dressing in black face right? that is why france is the direct link to starving kids in africa, right?

i've got feelings too, ya know - inbetweeners

http://melanoidnation.org/white-man-warns-all-black

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[–] jackwolf 10 years ago

It's all politics.
The producers cast a black guy because they wanted the film to be a huge hit with the lefties.

It's really sad when political correctness and propaganda begins to seep into our art.

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[–] ItalianGreyhound 10 years ago

You foaming-at-the-mouth right-wing reactionaries are so ridiculous it's just funny. As stated earlier in the thread, Omar Sy was cast due to his previous working relationship with the director. Some directors like to work with the same actors repeatedly and vice versa because they work well together. He thought Omar would be a great fit for this film (which he was). It has nothing to do with political correctness. I guess you just can't handle seeing a black man not being portrayed as a thug.

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[–] lone_wolf_fenrir 10 years ago

Because it doesn't matter if he was black, asian, arabic or islandic. It's his situation that's important, his troubles and his personnality. Not where his ancestors lived. Seems to me that you're the racist one by designating a person by his skin color.

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[–] betty_starbuckle 10 years ago

it's all about the character, which is why we accept Angelina Jolie playing a black woman in "A mighty heart" and Judy Dench Playing M in James Bond.

ok, im ready now!

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[–] rainbowdelacruz 10 years ago

Its my biggest problem too about this movie.

I was voting 10 up until I saw the real dude was arab and not black, tss

6 out of 10

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[–] Marco_AGJ 10 years ago

Why do you care if he's black? THAT'S racist.

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[–] sharpnova 10 years ago

Three words: White Liberal Guilt.

I've noticed... and maybe this is just me. But it's not. It's anyone with a brain.

I've noticed that when a movie has strong liberal themes, it is a *beep* *beep* movie.

Day the Earth Stood Still, Happening, etc.

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[–] fede_4488 8 years ago

Maybe you should stick to watching John Wayne movies.

If I don't reply, you're probably on my ignore list for something I forgot already

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[–] sleekcollins 8 years ago

I've noticed... and maybe this is just me. But it's not. It's anyone with a brain.

Anyone with a brain would know that it had absolutely nothing to do with whatever you're trying to insinuate.

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