Black Hollywood stars front block-busters

Although Tinsel town is by definition more than a little whacky, particularly when it comes to nurturing superstars who, for one reason or another live very strange lives-Martin Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Micky O’Rouke-turning a buck has never been a failing. Moreover, ensuring huge amounts of money are made has in many ways driven the big film companies to play it safe: ‘Johnny in Oaklaoma must get this’.

It is a testimony, therefore, to their acting capabilities and just how far the USA has moved that two Black Oscar winning actors are fronting Hollywood block busters: ‘Django’, starring Jamie Foxx and ‘Flight’, starring Denzel Washington.

Quinten Tarantino never shies away from controversy, but his latest film led by Foxx is not only his most financially successful film to date, it also has had audiences in the American deep South standing up and applauding the revengeful deeds of former slave-Foxx- as he tracks down and mercilessly slaughters the bad guys.

Denzel Washington’s deep character led performance of a troubled airline pilot has been critically acclaimed with another Oscar nomination to his already impressive array of accolades.

It seems as though America might be becoming more comfortable with itself around race. After all, 2011/12 witnessed the most vitriolic, mean spirited, frankly, racist attack on President Barak Obama by the Right-wing Tea Party. Interestingly their ideas and hatred of Obama were spectacularly rejected. The likes of Sarah Palin and Donald Trump threw the kitchen sink at Obama, even questioning his legitimacy to be American. Both are largely ridiculed for their views. Most Americans today are more comfortable than ever with a Black President, who brings Black actors, singers and activists to White House centre stage. Dr Martin Luther King must be looking down smiling, perhaps saying: ‘ So many Black people in the White House…’

Now in the most revered US institution -Hollywood- brilliant actors, who just happen to be Black, are now very much centre stage. Before, however, we get too carried away, we're not there yet. Black Directors such as Spike Lee, barely get a shout, and the great Director Steven Spielberg shockingly omitted Black people from any key roles in his epic story –Lincoln-which is essentially about the President and Black people.

Finally, I myself have not yet seen either ‘Django’ or ‘Flight’, but I will. And I won’t be surprised if, come Oscar night, Denzel pips the red-hot favorite Daniel Day Lewis, who plays Lincoln-for the Best Actor gong.

Simon Woolley