Historical dramas 'limit UK black actors'

[EC]

Actress Thandie Newton has said she "can't work" in the UK because there are no roles for black and minority ethnic actors in historical dramas.

London-born Newton said the number of costume dramas had led to "slim pickings for people of colour".

Her criticism comes after British Film Institute research found that 59% of UK films since 2006 had no black actors in any role.

Newton's next UK TV role will see her appear in BBC One's Line of Duty.

Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, the mother-of-three said: "I love being here, but I can't work, because I can't do Downton Abbey, can't be in Victoria, can't be in Call The Midwife - well, I could, but I don't want to play someone who's being racially abused."

"I'm not interested in that, don't want to do it... there just seems to be a desire for stuff about the Royal Family, stuff from the past, which is understandable, but it just makes it slim pickings for people of colour."

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-39319503

Um ... which aspect of "historical drama" covering a nation that has less native skin colour than your average vampire is proving the stumbling block here?

[geronl]

Not all shows are historical dramas. This is dumb.

[truth_seeker]

I loved the series "Luther."

In the 1970s my company had a London based Controller, who was a native of India--great fellow, Chartered Accountant, Zoroastrian.

I had the impression that the UK was more open to ethnic minorities, that the US of that time.

[sneakypete]

Maybe she can star in a historical film about 15th Century Africa,where they all wear animal skins and sit around picking fleas off of each other and eating them?

[sneakypete]

I loved the series "Luther."

No kidding. Idris Elba is one HELL of an actor. He plays John Luther with the perfect balance of tightly controlled aggression and intelligence. As big and scary as he looks though,it is Alice (Ruth Wilson) that scared the hell out of me and ate up every scene she appeared in. Alice seemed to scare John Luther a little bit,too.

I liked Luther so much I recorded and watched it twice,and will probably watch it the next time it airs.  It's always enjoyable to watch Masters of their crafts at work,and that title pretty much applies to everyone associated with Luther.

[EC]

I had the impression that the UK was more open to ethnic minorities, that the US of that time.

Tends to be. Of course, people are still people so there's some friction, but nowhere near as much as it seems there is in the US (or there is in France). Most of the time ethnicity is a non factor - your class and subculture (eg. which team you support) are far more important.

Having said that - we make a lot of historical dramas because:

a/ we like them
b/ they sell well abroad
c/ every english speaker has the cultural and social referents needed to understand them.

What we don't tend to do is make ones that look at the pointy end of Imperial Britannia - because as a nation we're ruthless sods and who wants to be reminded of that? 

[sneakypete]

What we don't tend to do is make ones that look at the pointy end of Imperial Britannia - because as a nation we're ruthless sods and who wants to be reminded of that? 

@EC

Dunno about who WANTS to be reminded of that,but there can be no doubt that some people NEED to be reminded of that occasionally because people continue to underestimate the will of the English when they get pissed.

[Suppressed]

I haven't seen the latest Star Trek...are there any Muslims in that series?

[Free Vulcan]

Well the heresy of it all. I guess Anglo Brits should just flog themselves over their very existence, do away with all their history, and only make productions that have a sufficient roles for their new dark skinned overlords.

History is history. It can't be changed, and it shouldn't be forgotten to cater to racial leftist politics.

[sneakypete]

Well the heresy of it all. I guess Anglo Brits should just flog themselves over their very existence, do away with all their history, and only make productions that have a sufficient roles for their new dark skinned overlords.

History is history. It can't be changed, and it shouldn't be forgotten to cater to racial leftist politics.

@Free Vulcan

Of course it can be changed! Didn't you know that Alexander Hamilton was a black man?