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The Internet and a few black film industry experts are in an uproar over Vanity Fair's "New Hollywood" cover, which doesn't feature a single woman of color.
Black Voices previously reported that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz shot the nine young women, which include Abbie Cornish, Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Hall, Mia Wasikowska, Anna Kendrick, Emma Stone, and Evan Rachel Wood. Only Kendrick and Mulligan garnered 2010 Oscar nominees out of the bunch.
So who was missing?
'Avatar' star Zoe Saldana, who made the cut in 2008, was perhaps the greatest breakout star of the year -- starring in two of the biggest blockbusters ("Star Trek' and 'Avatar').
Best actress Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe of 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire' delivered one of the most critically acclaimed performances of the year. And her co-star Paula Patton was no slouch either.
Forgotten 'American Violet' actress Nicole Beharie is worthy of note, and so is last year's beautiful newcomer Freida Pinto (of 'Slumdog Millionire' ).
But they were obviously persona non grata when it came to Leibovitz's camera lens.
In response to the widespread criticism, Vanity Fair issued a statement. Vanity Fair's Hollywood cover has always been a reflection of Hollywood and the industry. Generally, as is the case this year, it¹s made up of young actresses who already have a few films to their credit and will be appearing in more movies in the coming months."
Still, some are unconvinced that there's not some wide-spread discrimination at play.
Former 'Extra' host Tanika Ray, who is gearing up to host the hour-long TV Guide Network special ''Precious: The Story Behind the Movie,' is one of those people.
She told BV Buzz, "There is a lack of diversity in Hollywood. Just look at the cover of Vanity Fair this month celebrating the fresh hot new talent of Hollywood. There isn't a trace of melanin on the entire three-page fold-out cover. It's insulting in 2010, which makes shows like the TV Guide Network special even more important to help break down that wall of exclusion and film segregation."
Now, Sidibe is commenting on not making the cover.
The 26-year-old told Shaun Robinson of 'Access Hollywood' at Monday's Oscar nominee luncheon that she initially was taken aback by not getting a call to participate in the now-controversial photo shoot.
"At first I thought, 'hmm, should I be there?'" she said. "Then, I very quickly got over it. I think if I were a part of that shoot I would have felt a little left out anyway," perhaps hinting at the lack of color and diversity in body size of the women who did make the cover.
Sidibe was, however, featured inside the magazine. And she's just as grateful for the recognition.
"I mean, I come from a world where I'm not on covers and I'm not in magazines at all and so I was happy to be in the magazine."
She is taking it all in stride, and added, "I wasn't on it, and I'm excited to be mentioned anywhere, and it doesn't matter to me where I'm not mentioned."
Sidibe is gracing the cover of the March edition of the black-owned Ebony magazine.
Comments: (11)
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By: Dianne on 3/17/2010 5:45PM
David and Sir,
Gabourey Sidibe stunned me some time back when the film was first getting publicity. I was standing in a supermarket in front of the magazine rack, trying to find the danged horoscopes when: There she was.
Not for an article doing publicity. But in something quite well reminiscient of the well-known pose that is best known for being acutely balanced on one toe by a renowned sculptor. I think he did it in black basalt or black marble or something and at this late date in my life, I can no longer recall off-hand who he was and that is a shame.
It was pretty obvious to me that the photographer
was intent on emulating this work of art in every way feasible, which did not involve one toe or taking her clothes off. It was a fantastic photograph.
If it wasn't done by Annie Leibovitz, too bad for Annie(but frankly it more resembled the wind-swept advertisements of a well known British designer, a woman, who uses a very similar image for her fragrance advertising.
So forget about the nine newbies who go through this sorority routine like Luncheon on the Grass, at a prep school! They have yet to prove they can be a proven commodity convincing the box office public that they can act time after time to get that public to come back.
I think it is painfully obvious that there is not enough differentiation in that pose for the guys who like "young things" to decide which of the pick of the litter they like best. I recall when Johnny Depp was going through the selection of who's your daddy between Kate Moss and Winona Rider in those long ago years before he got married and actually became a father. In the business, these thin as a rail for the weight which the camera adds, these gals can well afford to accompany a handsome young star where ever the set of the movie will be. What I recall was the starlet of the moment being obnoxious as hell about the presence of the young thing playing opposite Depp in that film. I'm convinced this caused her to lose out in the priority of "owning" him after which she commenced to take up another habit of over-anxious possession. I've only seen her make the grade and stand out and have my sympathy in exactly one film because she is type cast most often negatively.
At the moment, I am waiting for my sister-in-law sending me a dvd before I pass judgement on the acting of Gabourey Sidibe since, to my knowledge, the Daniel's film was not yet available in my neighborhood. I think that they do this area by area, suspecting they will not get the audience to make Box Office weekend count to compete. To my knowledge, the film that got the build up weekend after weekend of trailers was The Blind Side but since I am lucky if I can get to the theater twice a month in a heavily freighted Republican holding pattern where movies more often have nothing but the adolescent mentality in mind, I can only let you know after I've not been blind-sided.
But, yes, I did hear the Jamie Foxx rendition and all I want to know is He Out of His Mind? Which is sometimes the rep concerning the talented Mr.J.F which is often not funny in the inimitable Snoop Dog style.
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