In a recent interview, Homeland actor David Harewood made comments saying he thinks white actors can “black up” for roles and that “anyone should be able to do anything” in acting.
However, in a statement released after the interview, Harewood clarified that he does not support blackface after his comments received negative online attention.
Harewood’s Interview Comments
In an interview with The Guardian, Harewood, known for his role in the TV series ‘Homeland,’ talked about his concern regarding how roles in the entrainment industry are becoming more restrictive.
“We’re at this strange point in the progression where people go, ‘Oh you can’t play that role because you’re not disabled, or you can’t play that because you’re not really from there,” Harwood said.
Defending Othello
Harewood was interviewed on a wide range of different topics. At one point he defended the use of blackface in Othello, which generated discussion online.
“Yes, we’ve got to be representative, but I do think we have to be careful … That even extends to Othello in blackface. I say, if you want to black up, have at it, man. It’d better be f-g good, or else you’re gonna get laughed off the stage. But knock yourself out! Anybody should be able to do anything,” said Harewood.
Othello Context
The “Othello” that Harewood was referring to is a 1965 movie adaptation of the original Shakespeare play. In that movie, Laurence Olivier dyed his skin darker to portray the movie’s titular character.
Olivier had naturally lighter skin and was of French Huguenot descent, with much of his ancestry also being English.
Disagreement Online
Many commenters online reacted with negativity to the interview Harewood did, citing his specific comments around blackface as a major reason. One X user complained that blackface takes away roles from black and brown actors who already face issues getting hired.
“Authenticity and the sparsity of roles for black and brown actors are the issues at stake when it comes to “blackface.” Why hire a white guy in blackface when you can hire an actual black actor? Whatever happened to authenticity?,” X user Suspiria451 said.
Harewood’s Documentary
Some commenters found Harewood’s view particularly strange given that Harewood was part of a recent BBC documentary on the history of blackface.
“Surprising considering Harewood recently made an hour-long documentary about the history of blackface,” wrote X user Oliver Graves.
Support Online
While there were many people critical of Harewood’s comments, some users expressed support for them. One comment pointed out a double standard around actors playing different roles in the industry.
“Finally a man with sense and not just pandering to the woke lefties. Just remember, we can watch “White Chicks” the film as it’s constantly on TV. Where the Wayan brothers, use white face,” said one X user.
Walking it Back
In the wake of criticism for his comments, Harewood released a statement clarifying his position on blackface given the confusion people may have at him expressing seemingly contradictory views.
“I don’t support or condone Blackface. My own documentary on the subject can be found on the BBC website. It is a grotesque distortion of race and should always be condemned,” said Harewood.
Harewood’s Past Roles
While Harewood is seemingly against the use of blackface for white actors in his recent statement, he has played the role of a white conservative in the production “Best of Enemies.”
Harewood played William F Buckley, an American conservative responsible for founding the National Review in 1955. Buckley was a major influencer of the Republican party at that time.
Thoughts On Playing Buckley
Harewood asserted that the audience who saw him playing Buckley was skeptical at first, but that he was able to win them over.
“I knew the minute I walked on stage, 99 per cent of the audience was thinking: ‘Why is he playing that?’ But by the end of it, everybody was going, F*** me, that worked really well!’” said Harewood.
Similar Comments
Just earlier this month, Billy Dee Williams, famous for his role as “Lando” in Star Wars, came out in support of blackface too. Williams also made reference to Othello in his comments.
When asked by Bill Maher about blackface, Williams answered “Why not? You should do it. If you’re an actor, you should do anything you want to do … As an actor, whatever you think you can do, you should be able to do it”.
Racial Division in British Drama
Harewood’s comments came during a background of ongoing racial issues and division in the British drama scene.
A London theater in February said it would be hosting “Black Out Nights” for a production about slavery where it would restrict audiences based on race. This would allow “all-black-identifying audiences” to attend without other racial groups present.
