In WTF news, Julia Roberts was seriously suggested to play Harriet Tubman by a movie exec
It seems many powerful studio execs are still preferring to whitewash films like Ghost in the Shell, Prince of Persia, and Aloha, among others. However, we hope (fingers crossed) that Hollywood has come further from its truly outlandish and offensive casting choices of yore, at the very least as a way to avoid public backlash. (We’re thinking of John Wayne as Genghis Khan and Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi.) However, just a mere 26 years ago, Hollywood execs were trying hard to put a white leading lady in the role of one of the most iconic Black women ever. Brace yourself, but Harriet Tubman (yes, the Harriet Tubman) almost got whitewashed.
Um…how exactly would that have worked?
In a new interview between Focus Features and Gregory Allen Howard, writer and producer of the new Tubman biopic Harriet, Howard said he was assigned to and fell in love with the Harriet project at Disney in 1994.
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Rocking my Cindy Chao! ✨✨✨ What a night. @cindychao_theartjewel @eliesaabworld
A post shared by Julia Roberts (@juliaroberts) on Feb 25, 2019 at 7:32am PST
We’re sorry. But we just have to laugh. It’s so completely ridiculous. But wait, it gets more ridiculous, if possible.
“When someone pointed out that Roberts couldn’t be Harriet,” Howard continued, “the executive responded, ‘It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference.'” Hoo boy.
Luckily, as Howard said, 2013’s 12 Years a Slave changed the way people of color were perceived by Hollywood bigwigs, and Harriet was able to get the proper green light it needed.
“I told my agent [regarding 12 Years a Slave’s success], ‘You can’t say this kind of story won’t make money now.’ Then Black Panther really blew the doors open,” Howard said.
Twitter, of course, had some things to say about this casting opinion.
Pardon? https://t.co/sDvr3c9nY5
— Sophie Turner (@SophieT) November 20, 2019
Imagine suggesting Julia Roberts play Harriet Tubman when Scarlett Johansson exists. https://t.co/k6cc8rxvGJ
— Elu Thankful 🧝🏻♀️🌻 (@Strangeland_Elf) November 20, 2019
If you’re chasing a Hollywood dream and feel doubtful you’ll ever make it, remember there are executives getting paid shit loads of money to suggest JULIA ROBERTS should play Harriet Tubman. A jar of cockroaches is more qualified than some of these people so DON’T GIVE UP.
— Jordan Crucchiola (@JorCru) November 20, 2019
What I imagine the tension in the room was like in that general meeting when that studio exec suggested to Julia Roberts that she could play Harriet Tubman.
pic.twitter.com/SNm3U8B0z8— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) November 20, 2019
ummmm... i’m guessing julia roberts would very much like to be excluded from this narrative. https://t.co/MnyF1N5bcW
— susie (@banikarim) November 20, 2019
Bwahaha. “This script is fantastic. Let’s get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman.”
I don’t know what’s worse: Such a suggestion or the fact that it took 25 years to finally make the film. https://t.co/f9SsSGXYMi— Sophia Tesfaye (@SophiaTesfaye) November 20, 2019
Cynthia Erivo now plays the titular role in Harriet and knocks it out of the park. You can watch her in the trailer below.
Sorry, Julia Roberts, but something tells us that the role of Harriet Tubman wasn’t meant for you.
