Quvenzhané Wallis stole America’s hearts in her Academy Award-nominated leading role of a family trying to survive in the isolated bayou community south of New Orleans in Beasts of the Southern Wild. Now, it seems that this same precious Wallis, the youngest actor to be nominated for an Oscar award at 9 years, is repelling many of those same hearts because someone had the audacity to cast the adorable teenager in the reboot of the orphan Annie.
The first trailer released for the highly anticipated movie, which hits theaters on Christmas Day, shows Wallis singing and dancing as her bright personality embraces her young life’s circumstances.
The overall story line is closely similar to the 1982 film, based on the Broadway musical, except its set in a modern era as opposed to the Depression era. Cameron Diaz, who plays the infamously grumpy Miss Hannigan, even refers to Facebook in the film.
Another glaring difference is the replacement of Daddy Warbucks with Benjamin Stacks, a wealthy politician played by Jamie Foxx, who initially needs Annie to boast his career but ends up becoming emotionally attached.
Yesterday, Matthew Eliot cataloged Twitter responses to the trailer for the remake of Annie, which features Oscar-nominated actress Quvenzhané Wallis in the titular role and Jamie Foxx as “Benjamin Stacks.”
But some of these white critics deny they are racists, they just don’t want a black girl playing their beloved Annie, according to Raw Story:
“They turned Annie black. I have no problems with black people. I have a problem with a non-ginger Annie” — Sheryl (@shamy_feels) March 6, 2014
“Black Annie…? No… Annie always will be and always should be a ginger! #notracist just traditional” — Sara Campos (@SaraCamposXD) March 6, 2014
“They’re redoing the Annie movie and making the little girl black. The f–k gonna be going on next? A black snow white????” — CFamulari (@CFamulari) March 6, 2014
“A black Annie- really? should we now have a white Aunt Jemima?” — Donna Latella (@logriffin) March 6, 2014
But it looks like Wallis has a strong fanbase who clapped back at her haters so that they young teen actress wouldn’t have to dirty her hands. Take a look at what Wallis supporters have to say:
