Angelina's latest box office flop raises questions about her future marketability.
You have to give Angelina Jolie some credit. Only she can take a decent film, give a decent performance, but have a film completely bomb because her name is associated with it. This past weekend, A Mighty Heart came in 10th at the box office, making less than $4 million dollars. Looks like A Mighty Heart has joined the ranks of such classics as Howard the Duck, Glitter, Gigli, and Ishtar. How can this happen? Isn’t Angelina Jolie supposed to be the new age Mother Teresa?…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Victor Lana
Just an important (at least in context) note is that Mariane said she knew that "someone who loves me" was playing her character in the film. I think that should stand for something.
27 - ALIST
well if that the requirement for a role in a movie it sure sounds stupid!
28 - Sharon Sennett
I happen to be a tremendous Angelina Jolie fan! I applaud her efforts to bring awareness and humanity to those of us that need something positive to grab on to in this selfish and petty "Jerry Springer" society.
I believe that the reason people are not flocking to the theater to see it is that we all know the sad outcome and are already so saturated with tragic news.
29 - Joey
I think Daryl's comments were dead on.
I saw the movie and it was, ok. Not a blockbuster but just ok. Without the agony scream from Jolie, her performance was not Oscar worthy.
She never convinced me that she was Pearl. Not once. In fact, it often seemed like she was concentrating on her accent.
The thing that was running through my head, during this movie was; who was Daniel? This movie, wasn't about Daniel, it was about Jolie acting. This guy lost his life in a horrific way, yet the film almost seemed selfish to me. It's hard to explain.
I will not pay to see another Jolie film. Why should I, she's exposes herself enough through the media!
30 - Janice
I never like dancing on any ones grave but I love saying 'I told you so'. I mentioned in a post in an earlier blogcric piece by Darlyl D on Tom Cruise that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are headed for a fall, a bad one at that! I predicted that the movie 'A mighty heart' was going to flop. I know the fora was wrong at the time but I could not help commenting on it if only to say 'I told you so' like am doinfg now.
Mostly I agree with your assessment Darlyl on the whole situation apart from a few areas.
I do not believe that Mr and Mrs Smith hit because of Brad Pitt but because of the intrigue that surrounded the whole movie about the love triangle. Remember Pitt was still with his wife at the opening of that movi. People went to watch it for tow major reasons, a) they loved Pitt and Jen and wanted to show them support during their trying time and b) see for themselves if the on scream chemisty between Pitt and Jolie would provide any clues to whether there was any truth in the allegations. I am sure Pitt and his paramour took success as a sign of public condonation of any potential relationship between then. I agree Mr and Mrs Smith was not worth its clout and am sure if there was a sequel with Brad Pitt and Jolie, it would never be a box office hit.
This backlash has long been coming. I stated before that Pitt and Jolie are being built for a fall by the media. Raise them as high as possible and their fall will be a mighty as they are and that is what makes sensational news.
I rarely meet people in real life outside the internet who are enormoured by Pitt and his lover. Most people I know cannot stand them. In the beginning the reaction to the whole affair was 'too bad, shit happens' two years down the road and these two will soon have rotten eggs and tomatoes thrown at them if they are not careful.
Unless some one is blind or is a relative of either Angelina or Brad Pitt, it is easy to see through their actions and not so subtle media and public manipulation. Gosh they are so transparent it is disgusting. Who do they think they are fooling with their charity dos? I never for even one moment believed Angelina is charitable. She cannot reconcile with her father and save him anguish and yet she would like to save the world. PLEASE!!!!
She adopted Maddox to get a friend because she had no one to love after the fall out with her mother (after she checked her into a mental insistition) and her relationship with her father has never been the best, she was a bored rrich little girl in need of an adventure. She has no friends whatsoever so she chose to buy one and believed if she applied to the UN and got some respectability she should be able to have easier adoptions after the Maddox fiasco or get some security should push come to shove and Maddox is threatened to be removed from her. Believe me if she could adopt from the US she would if only for publicity but I guess with her mental history, she cannot risk the humiliation of a rejection.
Angelina is a very manipulative person, very. Granted she has a mental problem that she has never treated but mentally ill people are usually very intelligent. I think she looked at Brad and Anisotn and the adoration they recieved wherever they went and she wanted that too. Her acting is not exactly the best, remember despite her knife cutting revelations, bizarre sexual exploits, blood sucking stories brother tougning and blood pendants, true international stardom eluded her even when she tried the other extreme of doing charity, she still could walk on streets in many countries without recognition. Yet when rumours surfaced that she was having an affair with Pitt, she got the fame and publicity that she always dreamt of, so she decided to remove one half of the golden couple and plant herself there. She hoped that her over publicised charity dos with her new lover should get her the love and adoration she always wanted and never got.
Angelina is by her nature an inherently bad person (yes she is).Even when she tries to do good, she has an underlying selfish motive. Look at the way she waged a one sided calculated battle against Aniston with al the perfect family photoshoots with Pitt, all of the sudden, Aniston was the older woman, who could not keep her husband and was selfish and self centered and did not want children and never did any charity.
Funny that in the beginning people fell for this but like many bad people eventually their Jekyll side surfaces. Her ego got stroked when she attended the World economic forum and she was the news and the major attraction. Lets not even talk about Namibia. She claims that she brings publicity to these places, what has changed about Namibia since Shiloh was born there or Darfur or Cambodia or Chad? Apart from manipulating the corrupt leaders to put resources at her disposal and getting so much publicity from it and getting easy access to adoptions.
When you think about it, Angelina gains most from all this, if someone gave me 3 million dollars, I would too adopt Pax. She is now more famous than ever which theoretically should be good for a celebrity. For every dollar they give to charity, they get it back from boosting their names and their pay check, to me if you are benefiting from your so called good deeds, that is a trade not charity.
May be she has helped those children but they have helped her in turn so I do not give her any brownie points for adopting them and getting them out of dire poverty.
I am not sure am happy this movie flopped, the story should be told no doubt and so should those of so many brave people out there. But Marianne Pearl and her phoney stories of being friends with Jolie and choosing her personally to act in the movie have got what they deserved; Rejection. This movie was planned when Aniston was still with Pitt but rumours were rife of a Pitt affair with Jolie, how then could she choose Jolie when she discussed this movie with Pitt and Aniston? Did she think that we were all foolish and could not see through the fabricated stories of child play dates? May be after the shooting they became friends but I do not buy that 'I called Angelina up one day because we had a lot in common and we became friends'. So Mrs Pearl am sorry but you do not get my sympathy for being part of the fraud that is Brangelina. I don’t think Angelina would know the meaning of the word truth, she lies too much but that is for another day.
Now I come to her dozen fans who run from blog site to blog site defending their hero while shooting any one in the way, have you ever thought about it that you are part of the problem and part of this backlash? I put down the change in tone on the internet on Jolie partly due to her fans, they are too annoying for words and they have earned her more enemies than friends forgetting that members if the press use the internet the most and are her 24/7. These in turn dictate to a certain extent public perception of a star. So before you jump at me, think seriously about your attitudes and that may be too little too late.
Lastly, Jolie's actions in the last months show that clearly fame got to her head. Who is it that said that fame is not necessarily popularity the two can be great friends or great enemies in Jolie's case the latter. Have you noticed that the stories that sell like hot cake about these two in tabloids are mainly negative stories. That alone should have given them a clue of what was to come.
Make no mistake, the timing of the release was not an oversight, notice too that it was released in more theatres than the usual number Paramount vantage releases such docudramas. In their ego kissed minds, fuelled by the frenzy at Cannes, they thought that this picture would take the box office by storm. Stars are narcissistic and when they see so many cameras, they take it as a sign of massive public demand which they equate to adoration. This picture was supposed to portray Jolie as some sort of hero which in turn was supposed to earn her more fans, this is in line with her 'legacy that she wants to leave’. Ironically, she will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. I doubt any movie of hers will ever sell at the box office again, may be if she splits from Pitt and disappears for a while. Lets wait for the release of wanted and see the excuses her fans will come up with.
Most polls all over the internet (the authentic ones of course) show that most people would not watch this movie and the reason given is that they are simply tired of Angelina. Unless a miracle happens, I don't think she will even get a nomination because she is not a well loved actress in tinsel town.
Oceans 13 is still yet to pass 100 million if it has , may be in the last day, neither Babel nor The good shepherd were hits at the box office, coincidence? I think not. But that is life, you reap what you sow and you may think you are clever but people cannot be that stupid for long. Except may be Mr Pitt.
31 - sr
The world is going to hell in a hand basket and what do I see. Paris the rich Bitch, Anna the dead bitch and who the freck is Angelina Jolie. Holy crap. I would be more concerned about diabetes, aids and a handful of other promblems were faced with. Of course what the freck do I know. Maybe a muslim camel will rape your mother.
32 - Janice
Just confirmed that Oceans 13 in its third week at the box office with its ensemble cast has not yet made 100 million. It has so far made $93,872,922. Which is a pity because the only reason I skipped it was because I could not sit through almost tow hours of Pitt after seeing him every day. Thats just me.
33 - marla singer
Janice, Brad was not with Jennifer at the opening of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Maybe you somehow missed it, but the divorce papers had already been filed a couple of months before, and they'd been separated for even longer. Other than that, I didn't make it past your third paragraph, but I'm sure there's more good, researched stuff in there.
34 - Jamie
Jen and Vince were dating in 2005 before the divorce was finalized as well. She was photographed on the balcony sprawled over Vince's lap at a HOTEL.
35 - Alec
Daryl D - I suspect that "A Mighty Heart," much like the excellent "United 93" and other post 9/11 films, has underperformed at the box office because emotions are still too raw and the real-world situation is still unsettled. I also suspect, sadly, that some people, having been force-fed the lie that "the media" is a liberally biased nest of traitors, cannot easily turn around and applaud a film about a journalist, no matter how worthy.
It is an odd disconnect that the title of your post purports to be about Jolie's behavior, but then fixates on race. Marianne Pearl, born in France, is of Dutch-Jewish, Afro-Latino-Cuban and Chinese Cuban ancestry. This is not biracial in any meaningful sense, not that the terms "biracial " or "mixed race" mean much of anything anyway. And to reduce her to being "black" is significant only to those who have a wistful nostalgia for South Africa's rancid racial classification laws or who cling to the idea of the "one-drop" rule because they desperately need to be able to identify and separate black folk from other ethnic groups. In this, liberals, who love to define people so that they can be assigned to their "appropriate" communities, are no better than South African racists, who would ethnically categorize people so that they could be assigned to arbitrary bantustans and to their hierarchical place in South African society.
Also, Jolie's French Canadian ancestry on her mother's side could encompass almost anything, from Native American to African, but until casting decisions include a DNA test, there is not much more to say here.
Oh, by the way, should Wentworth Miller, who has African American ancestry, be precluded from playing a white man on the TV show "Prison Break?" Should Salma Hayek's Lebanese ancestry have precluded her from portraying Frida Kahlo?
Jolie's lame, and retracted attempt to limit press questions at the movie premiere was a serious miscue, but it is a sad irony that the press wanted to pepper her with personal questions, rather than honor the memory of a slain fellow journalist, or to comment upon pro-journalist organizations that Pitt and Jolie wanted to honor.
Lastly, your assertion that Jolie somehow milked her mother's death for publicity points is wildly off base. Columnist Mike Walker, who works for the National Enquirer and who hosts a radio talk show in Los Angeles, noted that few people, including the press, even knew that Jolie's mother was seriously ill. And when Jolie visited her mother at the hospital, she went out of her way to avoid disrupting hospital operations or the comfort of other patients, and also went out of her way to be courteous and respectful to the hospital staff. This does not sound like a publicity hound to me.
In the end, criticisms of Jolie not related to her performance in the film make about as much sense as continuing to hate her because she "stole" Brad from Jen.
36 - Anna
I just never want to see Angie in any public arena.
Not because she wracked home but because she wracked true love going through it's obstacle as we all do at some point.
Brad isn't worth to be loved this so much from the public. Where all the other funny, witty, handsome, intelligent,loving guys gone? We need some variety to choose!!!
37 - daryl d
Janice:
You should be the one getting articles about Angelina Jolie published; your comments are RIGHT ON! Great job!
I did like "A Mighty Heart" but it's not an Oscar worthy performance at all (though it is good). I think Angelina's PR people are trying to spin things in favor of her.
The funny thing about this all is that one year ago, I didn't care for Jolie one way or another. But then, I just saw all these pictures of her treating orphans like pets. Then, she had the nerve to criticize Madonna's adoption (which I think was sensationalized by the media). I didn't get so angry about that until I read an article in the New York Post about how her adoption methods closed down adoption in Cambodia. Since the Post isn't always reliable, I did research on my own and saw how she paid Maddox's mother for him. Then, she said something about not wanting to talk to her daugher because he cheated on her mother. HELLO!!!!!!!!!! No more comments on this one.
Basically, what happened is that Angelina tried to reinvent herself as Mother Theresa. As naive as the public is, it worked. But then, it went to her head.
Janice, the only thing I disagree with you about is Brad Pitt. I still think he's a great actor and I can watch him without my stomach getting sick. It's unlike when I couldn't watch a Ben Asslick movie anymore because of his connection to J-Lo. I think Brad would be really intellegent to dump Angelina while he can.
38 - Words
This film has tanked because of ANGELINA JOLIE, there is no denying that!!!! She has fans but more peoeple dislike her than the amount of fans she has! The article is spot on by mentioning that. A lot of women don't want to see it because they don't like angelina jolie.
As for playing a mixed race woman. WHY IS IS OKAY FOR WHITE TO PLACE WHITE? It's disturbing. Pearl keeps saying jolie understands her, well that is the most unprofessional thing I have ever heard about casting! LET'S FACE IT JOLIE WAS GIVEN THE JOB BECAUSE SHE WAS THE PRODUCER'S LOVER. Let's us not denying that please! If Pearl has asked for susan surandon would Brad and has said okay? I don't think so. It's an insult to fine black actors in America. Mariane Pearl has just helped her friend to tank a movie about her dead husband.
SAD
39 - Jane
Dear Alex, you may think we all bleed red, that's a very convenient way to deny yourself of responsibility that comes with being black!!!! Read more Maya Angelou books please.
THERE ARE MANY FINE BLACK ACTRESSES IN HOLLYWOOD WHO COULD HAVE PLAYED PEARL. The person who has mentioned Sophie Okenado is right. She looks very like Pearl and she could have pulled it off.
Alex would it okay if George Clooney plays Stevie WOnder? Ask yourself that question!
40 - J
Can we see Meryl Streep in BELOVED instead of Oprah Winfrey? If you feel uncomfortable imagining it, then ask yourself why?
Why it's okay for a white woman to play a mixed race woman when there are plenty of people who could have played her?
Because jolies loves pearl and because jolie likes to read about International relations? OH GOD, Mariane you as a black woman should have known better. It's so funny to me when you keep saying
you are mixed of many things. So as many black people! Are you saying you are too pale and mixed to accept how you have screwed up for other black actors and black people?
NO I can't imagine seeing George playing Stevie, the same way I don't want to see Miss Jolie playing Pearl (who I no longer respect as a journalist!)
41 - LOL AT JOLIE
Jolie-Pitt are the most cunning spin doctors themselves. Yes they are worse than Tom Cruise. I shall not be seeing this movie purely because I'm sooooo sick of them and because I DO NOT LIKE ANGELINA JOLIE. She makes me sick. As parents they are terrible. Their kids are heading for rehab as soon as they can drink. The limelight will sure screw them up. Thanks to HELLO and PEOPLE, best friends of the parents.
42 - TO MARIANE
It's not about colour, Aren't we past this?
LOL, Mariane NOBODY HAS PAST IT. NO BLACK FACE IN AMERICA (and in Europe where I live)HAS PAST IT!!!! YOU ARE QUITE HAPPY TO WRITE ABOUT RACISM AND HIGHLIGHTS THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN IN YOUR BOOK BUT SUDDENLY DECIDES TO PLAY IT DOWN BECAUSE OF BAD PR!
Mariane Pearl has screwed up as much as her fabulous friends.
43 - Fed Up
This just so ridiculous. I understand that not everybody is going to like the same people we all have likes and dislikes. But from what I can tell from reading the commets above Angelina and Marianne are responsible for all the wrongs in the world. Everyone get a life. I mean seriously what is your problem? As to the Angelina Brad Jennifer situation no marriage if it is strong and the people are happy together would breakup and also I think everyone tends to forget that the only people who know what happened there are the three people involved. As to the humanitarian work of Brad and Angelina is there something wrong with trying to make the world a better place if there is would someone explain to me what it is. As for the person claiming that Angelina is funding all the humanitarian work with Brad's money it's almost laughable have you any idea of the amounts of money Angelina earns. Also why should Marianne feel shame for expressing her opinion this is a film about her husband being killed if you don't like who portrayed her that is your problem not marianne's. As for bringing up the loss of Angelina's mothers passing as a way to criticise her that is just being purely nasty. As to anyone who is thinking that I am just another rabid Angelina fan think what you like. But this is the first time I have ever responded to any article about her.
44 - Fed Up
I'd thought i'd this last comment the original person intended to play the role was Jennifer Anniston correct me if i'm wrong but the last time I looked wasn't she white as well.
45 - Dear Fed UP
For your info' jen waved good bye to the project. She hand picked the projects from Plan B before she departed. She didn't choose the mighty heart! I bet she's glad hey :)
I don't think people are holding pearl and jolie responsible for all the bad things in this world. I think some people think it's just insane that she's allowed to play a mixed race woman. All the reasons Mariane has been telling people don't sound very good. I can't help but notice too that Marine is playing down the important of race when faces with bad PR when in her book she is happy to chat about it.
46 - Dear Fed UP
I find it's very strange that when an actress loves the real life character she's keen on playing she's automatically given the job. I also find it even stranger when the reason she's given the job is because she understands the world we're living in??? I find it very uncomfortable. As someone has mentioned many intelligent black actress read and understand world politics too. Why did Pearl not consider them? Why there was no audition for her role? Well it's because the producer is this actress's lover. It has everything to do with it. I think it's unfair and gives a very bad message about Hollywood. It bothers me. I think Pearl herself tries to play down her race when people start questioning her. Many blacks are mixed of many things, it doesn't deny the fact that they are black! Pearl would not pass as a white person at all. She looks black to me.
47 - Reality
Janice, research harder next time
O12 after 18 days had made $89,478,621
O13 after 18 days has made $92,501,894
OOPS, there goes your thoery. Just accept it, YOU are in the MINORITY. Most people don't think like you. Most people don't hate Brad or Angelina, in fact MOST DON'T CARE!
And BTW, there ARE other countries than America where movies can make money ya know. Babel made 100 MILLION dollars overseas.
And a Mighty Heart only cost 16 million dollars to make, so it's not a big budget movie. And it wouldn't of done better with another actress because Americans have HORRIBLE taste and only like to watch Superhero movies like Batman&Spiderman and dumb animated movies.
48 - oh
I want to see ocean because of George and Matt. Brad..he looks like a burnt pancake. The pretty boy's days are gone. Anyway we're talking the mighty heart here, oop, the mighty tanked i meant!
49 - Amanda
I live in Europe (ENGLAND, to be precise) sorry i will not go to see angelina. Not only americans don't like her hey.
50 - Myra
I think the failure of 'A Mighty Heart' goes to the casting. Angelina Jolie is a talented actress (hence films like Gia and Girl, Interrupted), but it seemed to be a case of casting someone too big for the part. With the media circus surrounding Brangelina, the film needed someone with a less famous name that could really bridge in the theme of the story. And that becomes lost in translation because of Angelina. I understand the casting of Angelina based on her connections to Mariane, but I do think another actress should have been cast in the role. But Brad Pitt has stated that he wanted Angelina to play the part and his production company produced it. So, some of the blame falls on him. I am sure it is a good film and well acted, but I think everyone is OD'd on Brangelina.
As far as the who shot who debate about the breakup of Brad and Jen's marriage to when Brad and Angelina began dating, does it really matter anymore? It seems the only people obsessed with the issue are the fans and haters. Regardless of how or what happened, it is really past debating it. All parties have moved on and we should stop talking about it.
And some of the most guilty are the fans and haters. They blog for hours and hours on one certain site (hint: initials JJ). A lot claim that we should give them privacy and how dare this tabloid or that tabloid say this or that. But here they are reading about it, wanting to see the pics of something as simple as taking the kids to school every day. They all play a part in the media game. It's supply and demand and they play right into what the tabloids want: to sell magazines.
And Angelina has created a lot of her own problems by trying to control the media. Remember Princess Diana- she also tried to keep tabs on the press and control what was being put out there. It backfired on her eventually. Angelina has done the same thing. By playing favorites to the media and only allowing certain publications to have exclusives on interviews and photos, she's created negative press against her by other mags that feel neglected by her. You ultimately cannot control what the media puts out there and she's wrong by wanting it to be by her rules only.
When you sell private pics of your children and open doors that should be shut, you are going to create a frenzy. There are plenty of other celebs who have played the game right. Instead of playing bidding wars for pics of their kids, they ignore the press and if they snap a pic walking outside their home, then they snap a pic. They don't try to control or comment on the paparazzi.
And lastly, I didn't understand why there was so much negative press against Angelina playing a woman of bi-racial heritage. I agree that the parts for black women are in the minority, but the difference here is that Angelina wasn't playing a stereotypical part like a black character would have been portrayed in the 1930's-1960's in Hollywood. She plays Mariane as a woman of extreme intelligence, compassion and love. She does justice to her as a person. There is nothing racist about how she portrays her in the film. And Mariane has endorsed her playing the part and has even said that she thought we were beyond playing the race game. I think that since it is Mariane's story, if she endorses any actress playing the role, then we should end the debate there. I think there was too much made about this and I do believe that Angelina is a woman of compassion in regards to race. She not only has a family of multi-cultured children, but has spent years working with various races and ethnic backgrounds for UNHCR.
Anyway, I am sure 'A Mighty Heart' is a well acted and tender film, but casting a woman who is as heavy in the spotlight as Angelina ultimately caused the film to fall. People want someone fresh and with Angelina gracing more covers than about anyone else in film or celeb status, people are immediately put off.
51 - oh no
I want to see oceans because of Brad...George looks like an anorexic old man, and Matt Damon's FAT.
52 - Keeping It Real
Bottom line: Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie are MULTI-MILLIONAIRES and have better lives then the LOSERS who hate them.
And remember this, you obsess over them, they don't even know you EXSIST! That's because you're NOBODIES and your opinions are as IRRELEVANT as you are.
53 - BOB
I am happy that they're rich! LOL, why jealous because someone has money? It's funny that some of fans think feel this way. Is this what represent Bragelina fans? Please..this isn't about how wealthy they are. This is about how jolie is too big for her job and how Brad and her have managed to screw it up. Oh no you are quite wrong. You are insane
54 - BOB
The article is spot on and it has managed to bring to light some of the aggressive fans brangelina have. Whoever brought aniston into this debate is also ridiculous. It is not about her, it's about pearl, jolie, and pitt, the people whose intentions have been misplaced altogether. Angie got the job because of Brad, do you honestly he would have said yes to julia roberts playing pearl? I highly doubt it.
55 - Brit
It's an insult to black actors by pearl and pitt to have suggested angie's good understanding of world relations has made her perfect for the job. There are plenty good black actors who read decent newspapers. They understand what's a screwed up world we're living in.
56 - Matt Love
But Angelina Jolie DID successfully emulate Princess Diana - another borderline who created disorder and distruction everywhere she went.
Please don't taint Ishtar through association with this mess. Ishtar is a great movie, and more and more people are coming to realize this. This 20th anniversary year is going to be a great year for Ishtar... There is a documentary film about Ishtar fandom in the works, the manager of the Ishtar fan website is putting together a tribute CD featuring cover versions of songs from the movie, and possibly a US release on DVD (something the heathen in Europe have been enjoying for years). So shake off that square world, get with the countdown, and blast off to Ishtar!
57 - LOLA
If pearl thinks we are beyond race then why she's mentioned it quite often in her book? Obviously we have not moved beyond race. There are a lot of work to be done in this big world on race issues. To have put a white woman to play a mixed race character without auditioning other black actors is screaming discrimination. Yes it's a big insult on other good black actors and black people have a right to be pissed about it.
58 - Julianne
I am a first generation Korean-English-Dutch-French American. I wish people who claim to be open minded would stop focusing on the color of one's skin. Isn't that the exact opposite of how you are supposed to think? I want to be recognized first for my accomplishments and ability, not the color of my skin, period. That is insulting. It was Mariane's choice who she wanted to portray her, period. If you don't like it, that's your choice, just as it was hers.
59 - Paris
Mariane's choice sucks. It sucks because the only way that actress has got the part was because she was sleeping with the producer. If Pearl has asked for kirsten dunst to play her, do you think the producer would have said yes?
60 - A black face
You are asking people to see beyond race, well a lot of people don't see beyond my colour and accent. For one time I want my people to shine, I was hoping it might be good for many black folks to see it, what's happened? A white chick took the part instead! What has made it worse was she got the part straight away without having to audition, never mind other black talents out there. HEll, that's insulting.
61 - Ray Ellis
Doesn't biracial by definition mean )in this case) half-black and half-white? Why does having a white woman portray her insult the black half? A lot of us are multiracial--it's better to embrace all one's ancestry.
62 - Tat
If they can get oprah to endorse this film it will be okay. What do you think oprah? Do you think you might be interested in endorsing this? Jolie should get on her sofa, mind you she might have to apologize to oprah first!
63 - Tat
Ray there are plenty of mixed race actress, why pick white when you are mixed? It could read: she doesn't want to acknowledge her black half? It could go either way.
64 - Ray Ellis
Yes it could, Tat. My point is we have a long way to go in race relations. I'm seeing posts that Jimmy Smits shouldn't play a Cuban (in the upcoming series "Cane" because he's not Cuban. The writer endorsed Andy Garcia ( as if television could afford him) as an "authentic" Cuban. The writer ignored the fact Garcia portrayed an Italian mobster, which could enrage Italians. Jessica Alba is Latina, but portrays a WASP-y blonde in Fantastic Four. I could go on and on, through the history of film. The point is, people need to get over their own racial bias if we're ever going to move forward.
65 - Tat
Sure I understand where you're coming from completely. I think Jolie got the heat because she has created a larger than life circus around her. She does not know when to stop talking about personal matters. I also think she got the part because her lover was the producer, it has backfired on her and Pitt. I think if Mariane was white, it would have been totally cool with many people. At the very least they should have auditioned or at the very least pretend they have thought about other mixed race or black actors for the job. It seems so insensitive to other fine black actors who are struggling to get good roles in hollywood (which don't come by very easily)
66 - Tat
If pitt was not the producer it would have looked a lot better on them.
67 - Got milk?
Pitt and Jolie seem so massive, they are bigger than the world we live in, they should chill for a long while. It's not doing them any favour. They should stop talking about their private lives. The public needs to be weaned off this two. It's a dangerous game playing with the media. They don't have anything that is their. That's depressing.
68 - Mary K. Williams
I do NOT think this article is 'spot on'. I think it's the biased, subjected reporting of someone who has an axe to grind against Jolie.
Of course, he has the right to this opinion, and of course, the ability to pubish it here -
but for clear-eyed observations, I think the comments by Ray Ellis are 'spot on'.
69 - j
How noble to preach on people like a mother teresa, lol
70 - Bryn
Did Marianne actually have script/casting approval? Or did she concur with the fait accompli of Angelina? It is a very unusual clause reserved only for powerhouse authors. There was no attempt to have a casting call, was there? So, the producer chose the actress.
71 - cotton
If that was the case they would not tell us would they! They're getting enough backlash as it is. It's plain obvious why jolie got the job, sleeping with a producer is the fastest way to go after a part. I'm not even sure if that play date thing was a set up by Plan B also. Jolie-pitt are cunning as hell
72 - cotton
Pearl is not innocent either.
73 - Kiera
BRAD is the biggest liar in hollywood (remember what he said prior to being caught in Africa, and before that before they caught him with Aniston?). It would not surprise me if it was he who chose his lover to play a black woman.
74 - Daryl'sAnIdiot
Dude...did Angelina Jolie piss in your Wheaties or something? You're awfully vitriolic about a movie that was never intended to do big bank. The movie made back 25% of it's budget in the first week. It's a freaking INDIE film...so that's doing GOOD bank. The fact that it starred Jolie is irrelevant. In fact one could argue that more people heard about the movie and saw it because she was attached to it.
It's disturblingly sad that you're hung up on the color of Mrs. Pearl's skin. She is a woman of multi-racial descent, not JUST a "black woman". Mrs. Pearl asked Jolie to play her in the movie and that's good enough for me. As a black woman, I would rather have a great white actress playing me in a film than a mediocre "black" actress. Berry herself is bi-racial and will be playing the role of a real-life white woman in a film soon. Is that white woman upset about it? Why don't you go check on that?
Mrs. Pearl herslef recently told Newsweek that this movie isn't about the color of her skin, it's about a horrible event that happened to her husband and has nothing to do with her ethnicity. As she said, "Aren't we past this?" Clearly SHE is, it's merely bigoted blowhards such as yourself who are having a problem with Jolie's casting. Since Ms. Jolie herself is 1/8 Iroquios Indian, doesn't she officially qualify as a "minority" in this country? If you think a Hispanic actor acceptable in the role, then why not a Native American? Oh, right...because Jolie's skin is white, not red. Where do you hide your klan hood? It's probably in the secret bomb shelter you've got in your back yard, right?
Oh yeah...one last thing - Likening the box office performance of AMH to Gigli and Ishtar? Holy moly. I hope to God you don't get paid for your opinion because it's not worth the Benjamins. Dude...you're comparing apples to oranges. Comparing big budget box office disasters like Ishtar and Howard the Duck to low budget indie films is like comparing Marilyn Monroe to Marilyn Manson and asking who's better looking!
75 - Kiera
Thanks for that brangelina fan.