Monday, March 18, 2013

The Bible has a casting problem



The husband and wife team behind History Channel's "The Bible" miniseries issued a statement in response to accusations that the actor cast in the role of Satan was chosen due to his vague resemblance to President Barack Obama:


“The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics – including Satanic characters – long before Barack Obama was elected as our President,” said Burnett and Downey.
“This is utter nonsense.”



Okay, I'm perfectly willing to assume that he was not chosen due to his resemblance to POTUS.  But you know what? You've still got a serious problem with the casting here.
Let's see if we can spot a pattern here:


Moses is played by British actor William Houston

 
You may have to answer him these questions three.



Abraham?



Another Brit, Gary Oliver.

Mary, mother of Jesus?



The very British Roma Downey.
 



Jesus Himself?

 

Portugese actor Diogo Morgado.

But Satan, the embodiment of evil?

 

Black guy!


I don't even care if he bears a resemblance to the President, why are you casting a black guy as Satan? Why would you assume that Satan would be black? Especially when you apparently assume that all of the ancient Hebraic characters would look like lily-white Europeans? You couldn't find anyone whose ancestors came from the Holy Lands?

 
 
A Jewish actor? Now I've heard everything!


So, yeah, maybe it's a coincidence that Mehdi Ouzaani sort of looks like Barack Obama in 20 years, but how are these casting decisions not just a teensy bit, oh, I don't know. . .racist?


Oh, and by the way, if this hand-hole is at all indicitave of your production values. . .

 
. . . I wouldn't be clearing out any space on your Emmy shelf.


Oh, wait, the Emmys are terrible! You'll probably need to add a shelf.

8 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

There's a lot going on here, on many levels. Yikes.

brewella deville said...

You have got to be kidding, that hand hole can't be a real still from the movie? Heck, my manatee/Elvis Microsoft Paint creation was more realistic than that.

Kellie @ Delightfully Ludicrous said...

Oh dear ... someone on that film set needs to learn how to use photoshop if that's the best they can do for a hand hole.

Kim Hambric said...

For the love of white Jesus, I just can't stop slapping my forehead.

jadedj said...

The hole is real! It was caused by a bull shark the actor encountered while filming The Endless Summer.

I for one have no problem with Jesus looking like a California surfer...sort of a surfer of men, you might say.

Unknown said...

I don't know... Portuguese is not really white enough for comfort.

I prefer to think of Jesus with shorter hair, and wearing a tie.

And married to Ann Romney.

Walt.castillo@gmail.com said...

funny why you did not mention the BLACK SANSON on the series.. great acting btw

Professor Chaos said...

I haven't seen the series, and was unaware of Black Samson, or as I like to call him "Blamson!"