It’s well known that it’s not easy being a black actor in Hollywood. Between the struggles to find a gig, black actors also have to deal with the onslaught of stereotypical and diminishing roles that are thrust upon them and the constant notion that their faces can never carry a hit movie or a show. Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx recently spoke to Vibe about what it’s like to be black actor, and though it may seem like he and a select few other black actors have transcended those obstacles, he says that he’s forced to become “white” to work.
For the Dec./Jan. issue of the magazine, Foxx sat down for a round-table discussion with his fellow Django Unchained actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kerry Washington. Speaking candidly about race, Foxx talked about dealing with issues of race and stereotypes in the industry.
“As black folks we’re always sensitive,” Foxx said. “As a black person it’s always racial. I come into this place to do a photo shoot and they got Ritz crackers and cheese, I’ll be like, ain’t this a b—-. Y’all didn’t know black people was coming. What’s with all this white s—? By the same token, if there is fried chicken and watermelon I’ll say ain’t this a b—-? So, no matter what we do as black people it’s always gonna be that.”
Foxx also explained that he’s forced to drop his blackness and adopt a “white” mindset to work in Hollywood.
“Every single thing in my life is built around race,” he explained. “I don’t necessarily speak it because you can’t. But the minute I leave my house, I gotta put my other jacket on and say, ‘Hey, Thomas, Julian and Greg.’ And I gotta be a certain person.”
When DiCaprio and Vibe were confused by Foxx’s statement, Foxx explained, “No, some of those are black. But when I get home my other homies are like ‘how was your day?’ Well, I only had to be white for at least eight hours today, [or] I only had to be white for four hours. Everything we do is that.”
Foxx isn’t the only black actor to speak about this topic. Check out some other black actors respond to racism in Hollywood below. – nicholas robinson
