You would actually be surprised at what a producer, director, CEO, lawyer, agent or any other person in Hollywood will say, regardless of whether it is politically correct, sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.

Lol. I am neither naive nor privileged. In fact, I grew up in Detroit and have witnessed first hand that racism is very much alive in America. What I am saying is that the blame for the dearth of black actors/actresses and black movies needs to be laid at the feet of the responsible parties - the audience. Producers…

I understand that it is frustrating but I don't believe that your spouse/friends are being told something that isn't true as an excuse not to make black movies. Producers need to make films that make money. Unless it's a domestic comedy, it has to have a worldwide appeal. Certain films just do not work overseas -…

An ultra low budget picture can be done without stars (although, quite frankly, will not likely get distribution), but anything over $2M and bankability again becomes an issue. If you're spending anything over that amount you will need a theatrical release to recoup, meaning the distributor will need a face to sell…

I have acknowledged that that may be the case. But again, it is more closely related to who audiences will take money out of their pockets to see than a producer's desire to cast the whitest looking actors they can find.

No, I think we address it. We can't ignore reality but we can examine it and try to influence it. There are many instances where a "less talented" actress is cast over a "more talented" actress for a variety of reasons, not the least of which may be conventional beauty. There's always a balance between finding the…

Take half of the box office receipts off the top (that's the theater's share, and likely approached 70%), add in whatever was spent on P&A as well as the cost of the picture, factor the first-dollar gross participations of Oprah and Tyler (on whose names and to whose audiences the film was marketed) and you're not…

I agree with you, but a bigger issue than budget is the cost of marketing a picture. A smaller budgeted picture (less than $15M) still costs $15M - $20M to properly market. As the budget increases, so do the marketing costs. Factor in that the distributor only recoups 50% of the box office (theater owners retain the…

Filmmakers serve the audience. If the audience demanded darker, wider nosed, thicker lipped black actress, filmmakers would trip over themselves to cast them. I love Gabby Sidibe and think she is an amazing actress, but "Precious" did zero business at the box office. The filmmakers cast a dark, wide nosed, fat black…

I acknowledge that there are larger issues here - the question of why light skinned, thin lipped skinny black actresses are more appealing than their darker, fuller lipped, fuller hipped counterparts. However, having worked in this industry for more than 15 years, and having sat in on these meetings, I have heard this…

I doubt that "Hollywood" selected Zoe Saldana because she is more latte than espresso, has a thinner nose, smaller lips and a more streamlined torso than the other actresses. I am 100% certain her selection has more to do with bankability. While there are any number of actresses who are as (or perhaps better) suited…

So, um, when will this van be making its way to Los Angeles? I need to know. For a friend, of course.

Do you people not watch Children's Hospital??!!

Thank you SO much for this. I can turn the oven off now.

Well played! Congrats!

I'll drive the getaway car!

"Show me your Thailand" is my new go-to pickup line...

Agree. Still looks really funny!

It looks like he's trying to keep his artificial arm from falling out of his jacket sleeve. Was there some sort of on-set accident that we didn't hear about?

I love the internet so hard right now.