BOOKED BY BROWNNESS

I went to this discussion group for the movie "The Kids Are All Right" a few days ago that was hosted by SAG's Affirmative Action and Diversity and The National LGBT Actor's Committee. The panel consisted of two of the main talent for the movie Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo and the co-writer/director Lisa Cholodenko. It was the first time I had ever been to one of these events and SAG really knows how to throw down a party! Food, Beer and Wine? And FREE? I'll make back my $2300 initiation fee soon enough! The discussion was very relaxed and the topics they covered were relating a little more towards being gay in Hollywood and the struggles to make a movie about an openly gay couple raising children and having someone give you money to do it. Somewhere toward the middle of this discussion though, the panel host read a quote from someone (Sorry, I didn't write down the name) and things got really interesting.

The quote had something to do with gay men and women not getting roles for gay parts and also not getting roles for straight parts because they are openly gay. Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play the lesbian married couple in this movie and neither are gay. The writer director was basically asked after she agreed and applauded the quote, "Why not two gay actresses"? She answered that she had written the movie the entire time with Julianne Moore in mind and no one was better for the other part than Annette Bening, gay or not, for the other role. Then Mark Ruffalo added that he had a friend that was in a wheel chair and his friend had shared with him that he wasn't satisfied with there being more roles for people in wheel chairs, his friend wanted to be considered for every role regardless if he was in a wheel chair. Mark then added that he felt that the African American actor had made giant strides at this and that he hoped that every minority would at some point be able to go out for a leading male/female role regardless of their color of skin, sexual orientation or limited mobility. For the case of Annette Bening, she was the best actress for the part, gay or straight, I'd have to say that I believed Lisa when she said that. I also believe that there aren't a whole lot of Lisa Cholodenko's out there.

I sometimes feel that people are envious that I book work because I am brown. I've never heard it first hand, but I have a gut feeling that some people out there would say "If I looked a little more (pick ethnicity) I'd have gotten that part" and I must come to the conclusion that is someone is complaining about NOT getting ethnic roles...they must be white right? So here's the scoop! If I was white, you would seriously have to consider changing career's! For every role I get because I'm brown, I guarantee you that there are 50 roles that I don't get for the same reason. If you don't believe me, click on any daily breakdowns and count how many roles there are for white males compared to everything else. I am the everything else and you're lucky this business isn't ready to consider me as the spokesman for Ford or the guy that sells you Insurance.I take my career very seriously and I work very hard at staying sharp and fresh for every audition I do. I learn my lines before I do my read and prepare mentally in so many ways for every possible direction I may be asked to take. I practice countless minute facial expressions in front of the mirror every day and work on reading and expressing body language. While you sit there with the 50 other guys that look like you to play the "Boyfriend" for a shoe brand and play on your cell phone and think about what you're going to do after your audition, look over to the Mobile Phone casting area and the 20 guys including me going out for the "Taco Truck Guy" and watch what I do. If you think you'd get more parts if you were considered for ethnic roles, then I think you aren't happy with a lot of things and that's really all on you.

I look forward to a time when we can both say that race, gender, sexual orientation, limited mobility and all kinds of other things that make people diverse are no longer factors in booking work. I look forward to auditioning for a police officer alongside a petite woman and a guy with scars and tattoo's. I look forward to having as many opportunities as the guy that is jealous that I book work because I am brown and I look forward to signing an autograph for him some day while he cleans my windows because that kind of thinking will lead you straight to the bottom. Yeah, I said that.