So, About That Aaliyah Biopic. #LifetimeBeLike and What The Aaliyah Movie Says About Whitewashing
Hi Guys!\r
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Controversy swirled around the Lifetime biopic on Aaliyah this past weekend, and a thousand hashtags were launched from the moment it aired; the most prominent being #LifetimeBiopics and #LifetimeBeLike. Fans were extremely disappointed by a mediocre story that focused less on the music and more on the drama of the singers relationship with R. Kelly, but what really got the Trending Topics going was a whitewashed and completely unrecognizable cast.\r
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With prominent Black artists Missy, Timbaland, Dame Dash, and Aaliyah herself whitewashed by a lighter skinned and biracial cast, Black Twitter has been having a field day with memes making fun of Lifetimes casting choices.The jokes were hilarious, but the stinging social commentary was even better, shedding light on a bigger picture: colorism in casting. \r
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Zendaya Coleman, the original ress chosen to portray Aaliyah, is biracial, as is the final girl cast, Alexandra Shipp. Although Aaliyah did have white and Native American in her family (as many of us do), she had two Black parents and identified as Black. She was a Black woman known for her beauty, and its a disservice to cast biracials to play her because it implies that Black cant be beautiful (only biracials can be beautiful), as well as that only biracials can be light with long hair. \r
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The f that Timbaland, Missy, and Dame Dash were also whitewashed (the or playing R. Kelly was the only one who somewhat resembled the real person he was portraying) also begs the question: What does it mean when you remove visible Blackness from known Black figures? There is also already a dearth of charers for POC ors, so it is extremely problematic to continue to whitewash brown roles.\r
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Thanks for watching. \r
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P.S. Yes, the thumbnail is my version of Aaliyahs famous hair swoop. Slay.\r
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Links:\r
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Best Memes Pt. 1:\r
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Best Memes Pt. 2:\r
\r
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Lifetimes Aaliyah Movie Gets Ripped by Late Singers Fans, Sets Social Media Ablaze:\r
\r
\r
Timbaland leads the slew of backlash against Lifetimes casting of their Aaliyah biopic. as star Alexandra Shipp comes out in her own defense:\r
\r
\r
Missy Elliott Casting Reignites Uproar Over Lifetimes Aaliyah Biopic:\r
\r
\r
Aaliyah Biopic Gets A New Actress, Wendy Williams To Executive Produce The Film:\r
\r
\r
Anthony Grant Speaks On Playing Dame Dash In Lifetimes Aaliyah: The Princess Of R&B:\r
\r
Controversy swirled around the Lifetime biopic on Aaliyah this past weekend, and a thousand hashtags were launched from the moment it aired; the most prominent being #LifetimeBiopics and #LifetimeBeLike. Fans were extremely disappointed by a mediocre story that focused less on the music and more on the drama of the singers relationship with R. Kelly, but what really got the Trending Topics going was a whitewashed and completely unrecognizable cast.\r
\r
With prominent Black artists Missy, Timbaland, Dame Dash, and Aaliyah herself whitewashed by a lighter skinned and biracial cast, Black Twitter has been having a field day with memes making fun of Lifetimes casting choices.The jokes were hilarious, but the stinging social commentary was even better, shedding light on a bigger picture: colorism in casting. \r
\r
Zendaya Coleman, the original ress chosen to portray Aaliyah, is biracial, as is the final girl cast, Alexandra Shipp. Although Aaliyah did have white and Native American in her family (as many of us do), she had two Black parents and identified as Black. She was a Black woman known for her beauty, and its a disservice to cast biracials to play her because it implies that Black cant be beautiful (only biracials can be beautiful), as well as that only biracials can be light with long hair. \r
\r
The f that Timbaland, Missy, and Dame Dash were also whitewashed (the or playing R. Kelly was the only one who somewhat resembled the real person he was portraying) also begs the question: What does it mean when you remove visible Blackness from known Black figures? There is also already a dearth of charers for POC ors, so it is extremely problematic to continue to whitewash brown roles.\r
\r
Thanks for watching. \r
\r
P.S. Yes, the thumbnail is my version of Aaliyahs famous hair swoop. Slay.\r
\r
Links:\r
\r
Best Memes Pt. 1:\r
\r
\r
Best Memes Pt. 2:\r
\r
\r
Lifetimes Aaliyah Movie Gets Ripped by Late Singers Fans, Sets Social Media Ablaze:\r
\r
\r
Timbaland leads the slew of backlash against Lifetimes casting of their Aaliyah biopic. as star Alexandra Shipp comes out in her own defense:\r
\r
\r
Missy Elliott Casting Reignites Uproar Over Lifetimes Aaliyah Biopic:\r
\r
\r
Aaliyah Biopic Gets A New Actress, Wendy Williams To Executive Produce The Film:\r
\r
\r
Anthony Grant Speaks On Playing Dame Dash In Lifetimes Aaliyah: The Princess Of R&B:\r
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TV