Nia Long believes race played a part in not getting 'Charlie's Angels' role

Nia Long is sharing why she believes she didn't get the role of Alex Munday in the 2000 film "Charlie's Angels."

In an interview with Insider Wednesday, the actress, 49, said her agent told her she didn't get the role, one of the film's leads, because she "looked too old" to play opposite Drew Barrymore.

"I was like, 'What?' " Long said. "I love Drew Barrymore, I think she's amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you're a little too Black. Personally, that's what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin (actors). I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film."

The Alex Munday role went to Lucy Liu, who is two years older than Long.

Long added that her agent's feedback was that she "just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew Barrymore."

"And I'm thinking to myself, it's an actor's choice to walk in the room how they want to look, but it's a director's vision to help create and curate a character," Long said. "So if you couldn't see beyond the fact that I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans then that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I'll keep it moving."

Long is best known for her roles in 1991's "Boyz n the Hood," 1999's "The Best Man" and 2000's "Big Momma's House." She also starred on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" from 1990 to 1996.

Long's interview comes after fellow actress Thandie Newton opened up about her experiences with the same film during an interview with Vulture.

The English actress, 47, recounted a meeting she had with Amy Pascal, a film producer and former Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman.

"I had a meeting with (Pascal), and she said, 'Look, I don’t mean to be politically incorrect, but the character as written and you playing the role, I just feel like we’ve got to make sure that it’s believable.' I was like, 'What do you mean? What changes would you have to make?' " Newton said of Pascal. "She’s like, 'Well, you know, the character, as written, she’s been to university and is educated.' "

She continued, "I’m like, 'I’ve been to university. I went to Cambridge.' She went, 'Yeah, but you’re different.' She’s like, 'Maybe there could be a scene where you’re in a bar and she gets up on a table and starts shaking her booty.' She’s basically reeling off these stereotypes of how to be more convincing as a Black character."

In a statement to the outlet, Pascal said she was “horrified to hear” Newton’s description of the meeting.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nia Long thinks she was too old, Black for 'Charlie's Angels' role