Music
NWA's biopic has a pretty racist and sexist casting call
by Mark Teo
July 21, 2014
NWA’s Straight Out of Compton promises to be an illuminating movie—that is, of course, if it achieves it potential. There’s an variety of ways the film can go: It could, potentially, speak to the ascension of a generation’s most dominant hip-hop luminaries. It could address the simmering racial and class tensions in L.A. during the late ’80s and early ’90s. It could document the evolution of hip-hop itself, right as the genre was shifting towards gangsta fare. Whichever direction it takes, it promises to be fascinating.
Still, the F. Gary Gray-directed film—about Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella and, of course, Eazy motherfucking E—isn’t off to a great start. Late last week, Sande Allesi, the agency responsible for recruiting actors for the film, posted a casting call on Facebook that was… troubling. (Or, should we go there, problematic.)
With Beyonce set as the pinnacle of beauty—in their own words, she’s an “A Girl”—their standards of beauty eventually cascade by skin colour, body type, and whether or not their actresses have natural hair. While “A Girls,” for example, can be of any race; “D girls,” meanwhile, are “African American girls” and who are “poor, not in good shape.”
It seems, at first glance, to be an explicit example of light-skinned privilege. That, of course, adds to the already troubling ranking of women by body type.
A GIRLS: These are the hottest of the hottest. Models. MUST have real hair – no extensions, very classy looking, great bodies. You can be black, white, asian, hispanic, mid eastern, or mixed race too. Age 18-30. Please email a current color photo, your name, Union status, height/weight, age, city in which you live and phone number to: SandeAlessiCasting@gmail.com subject line should read: A GIRLS
.
B GIRLS: These are fine girls, long natural hair, really nice bodies. Small waists, nice hips. You should be light-skinned. Beyonce is a prototype here. Age 18-30. Please email a current color photo, your name, Union status, height/weight, age, city in which you live and phone number to: SandeAlessiCasting@gmail.com subject line should read: B GIRLS
.
C GIRLS: These are African American girls, medium to light skinned with a weave. Age 18-30. Please email a current color photo, your name, Union status, height/weight, age, city in which you live and phone number to: SandeAlessiCasting@gmail.com subject line should read: C GIRLS
.
D GIRLS: These are African American girls. Poor, not in good shape. Medium to dark skin tone. Character types. Age 18-30. Please email a current color photo, your name, Union status, height/weight, age, city in which you live and phone number to: SandeAlessiCasting@gmail.com subject line should read: D GIRLS”
Shameful? You bet. It’s a pretty cut-and-dry situation, made especially appalling because the film, it stands to reason, could have systemic racism as a major theme. Of course, Universal reacted quickly to the rightful outrage, quickly shifting the blame to the casting agency itself.
“The filmmakers … did not approve and do not condone the information in this casting notice,” they said in a statement. “We regret and sincerely apologize for being in any way associated with the offensive descriptions it contained.”
Sande Allessi, the casting agency, told TMZ that it was an innocent mistake—and that they’re seeking women of all sizes, ethnic backgrounds, and skin tones. Even if they’re being genuine, though, it doesn’t excuse this terrible casting call.
