'Harriet' Screenwriter Reveals Studio Exec Once Suggested Julia Roberts to Play Harriet Tubman
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'Harriet' Screenwriter Reveals Studio Exec Once Suggested Julia Roberts to Play Harriet Tubman
In a recent interview, Gregory Allen Howard said that when challenged on the casting, the Hollywood exec who allegedly floated the idea said, "It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference."
(L-R) Julia Roberts and Cynthia Erivo in 'Harriet' ( Tommaso Boddi/FilmMagic; Glen Wilson/Focus Features)
A Hollywood studio executive once suggested the idea of Julia Roberts playing the iconic abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman in a biopic, according to Harriet screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard.
In a recent interview that has gone viral on social media, Howard was asked about the production history of the long-gestating Tubman biopic, which became Harriet. The scribe said it was his first Hollywood assignment and that it had been in development for 26 years. "I wanted to turn Harriet Tubman's life, which I’d studied in college, into an action-adventure movie. The climate in Hollywood, however, was very different back then. I was told how one studio head said in a meeting, "This script is fantastic. Let's get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman.""
Howard adds: "When someone pointed out that Roberts couldn’t be Harriet, the executive responded, "It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference.""
Later in the same passage, Howard says that the production of Harriet was helped by the recent success of films with black themes and black actors. "Two films really changed the climate in Hollywood to allow Harriet to be made. When 12 Years a Slave became a hit and did a couple hundred million dollars worldwide, I told my agent, “You can't say this kind of story won’t make money now.” Then Black Panther r eally blew the doors open," Howard said.
Directed by Kasi Lemmons, Harriet stars British actress Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, the abolitionist and political activist who was born into slavery but escaped and helped rescue 70 people from similar circumstances using what became known as the Underground Railroad. The film also stars Janelle Monae, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, Clarke Peters and Vanessa Bell Calloway.
BUZZ NOTE: There is a video on the movie at the end of the article that I cannot open. So click on the "SEEDED CONTENT" link above in order to go to the original article if you wish to watch the video.
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This article brought to my mind a scene from the movie "Remember the Titans". when a white football player was a patient in the hospital, and his black friend tried to get in to see him - the nurse said that only family was permitted to visit, and the white patient shouted, "He's my brother, can't you see the resemblance?"
He didn't shout it, but it is my favorite scene in the movie.
Okay, he didn't SHOUT it, but he said it with a raised voice. LOL
I can't decide if my favourite scene was when Denzell's neighbours were applauding him and he carried his daughter and danced in the street, when he threw the banana at the opposing coach, or when the police officer sitting in his car said it was the best defence he'd ever seen in 20 years of watching the games.
All in all, it was a great movie, especially the Mama jokes.
They have a lot of good drugs in Hollywood.
What next...Liam Hemsworth in the role of Sidney Portier in his bio pic?
How 'bout Woody Allen as Morgan Freeman?
Burt Lancaster played Jim Thorpe. Peter Lorrie played Charlie Chan. Johnny Debb played Tonto so what's the problem.../s
Whites have a long history of playing minorities in movies.
John Wayne as a Mongolian was a good one
Even my husband who was the ultimate John Wayne fan said the movie sucked hind tit. On top of the worse career move Wayne ever made, due to the location where the movie was shot, both he and Hayward developed cancer which eventually killed them both.
If they had asked Julia to play it in blackface I'm sure she would have refused.
You're right about the history, but I watch a LOT of movies, and that's not the case any longer. For example, Morgan Freeman has played God, American Presidents, brilliant detective, acclaimed novelist, master crook, CEO of a huge corporation, etc etc etc So we need not think of him as only being an imprisoned murderer in Shawshank Pen.
It's goes the other way too, especially in comic book movies.
Zendaya
played Mary Jane 
,
Idris Elba
played Heimdall 
,
Samuel L. Jackson
played Nick Fury 
,
Michael B Jordan
played Johnny Storm 
,
Quvenzhané Wallis
played Lil Orphan Annie 
,
Billy Dee Williams
played Harvey Dent 
There's a lot more actually. For some characters, their race isn't really important to their character. For others, it can be very important. Most of the ones above are pretty interchangeable.
Then again, what do we make of this? Here's an English white woman playing a character that has always been an asian man. Should we be encouraged by the gender fluidity or offended by the whitewashing?
Tilda Swinton
as the Ancient One 
Interesting that the people of color actually played fictional or comic book characters. On the other side, it was whites mostly playing real people.
Tommy Lee Jones took over the role for Billy Dee Williams' portrayal of Harvey Dent in Batman. Joel Schumacher disliked the idea of having Williams play Two-Face.
How about Chappelle as a white guy.
LOL, the poor white guy looks like a nerd with a lil cigarette peter...
How about Diana Ross as Dorothy in the Wiz?
But The Wiz was supposed to be a takeoff with black players. Would you have whites playing Porgy and Bess?
So was Annie, but I see your point.
Swedish actor Warner Oland was the most noted actor to play Chan.
They do it 'cause they're jealous as hell.