We told Nia Long that she "looked too old" to play in "Charlie's Angels"
The actor thinks, however, that there was no more reason why he was not offered the role.
It is not a secret for anyone that women in Hollywood have to face sexism, ageism and impossible beauty standards - and that women who are not white also deal with racism. To what they look like or what they are or are not willing to do to change their appearance can have an impact, whether they are offered a role. Actor Nia long , now 52, said she was told that she had lost a film that was going to be a success, simply because she "looked too old" next to her co-star. Long was considered for one of the main roles in 2000 The Angels of Charlie , who finally played Drew Barrymore (which was also producer), Lucy Liu , And Cameron Diaz . And while The best man Star thinks that the game went to the right person, she admitted that she thought there was more of her rejection than the powers, which was ready to admit it. Continue reading to learn more.
Read this then: Charlize Theron says that a producer called her at 3 am to say that she was "big and ugly".
She was compared to Barrymore.
In 2023 Interview with Yahoo , Long called a long -standing rumor that she refused the role The Angels of Charlie to play in Great mom's house with Martin Lawrence "The biggest most serious lie." She said she had never offered the game of Alex Munday. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"" The Angels of Charlie I didn't want me because they said I looked too sophisticated and too old next to Drew Barrymore, "said a long." But listen, I thought Lucy Liu was great in this role. When I went back and watched it, I said to myself: "Whoa, she really makes waterfalls." I don't know if I was quite ready for that. I can't, you can't do everything, and every opportunity is not for you. And as much as it would have been fun to play this character, I think Big momma's hous E was probably more fun for me. ""
Barrymore has five years younger than the Friday star. But, for the record, Liu, born in 1968, was two years older than long, born in 1970.
She thinks her race also had something to do with that.
Long does not completely buy the reasoning offered to it. She also believes that she has lost the role because she is black.
"I said to myself," what? 'I love Drew Barrymore, I think she is incredible, but I think it was just a great way to say that you A little too dark "She said in an interview in 2020 with Insider." Personally, that's what I think. Because if you notice, there was no brown skin [actors]. I mean, Honestly, I would have been the darkest thing in the film. "
After his comments to Yahoo renewed the conversation on a long The Angels of Charlie experience, she was actually a Guest in Barrymore's talk show . THE You people The actor said that he was also told that his eyebrows were "too sophisticated", but reiterated her conviction that she was not thrown into action comedy for a much more disturbing reason.
"I think what was going on during this period is that there were all these conversations on diversity, but people did not really fire the trigger," said long, after explaining that she was thinking That his hearing was "very good". "I think it is only the result of the fear of really putting a black woman in a film that never threw anyone in black. It was the first time for them. There was this initiative to throw more Black women, having more black women on the set, but Hollywood did not quite. "
Barrymore was "mortified" by what long has gone through.
Barrymore told her guest that she was "mortified" by what long was told during the hearing process and that she found the comments on her age and her eyebrows "confusing" to hear. The host also said that when she and her producer partner Nancy "nan" juvonen Bought the film around, they focused on manufacturing The Angels of Charlie More inclusive, because all the angels in the series were white women. "When we even went to present ourselves as producers of the film, all our locations for the combination of the trio all had diversity, and it was just something that seemed just in our guts at the time", -she explains. She added that they were "nervous" whenever she and Diaz were both ready for the film, because they knew they didn't want their trio of secret agents to all of the same breed.
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Long does not hold responsible Barrymore.
Long told Barrymore to the decision: "I am 101% positive that it comes from a studio director who has no concept in understanding the importance of diversity, not to mention what you defend , because you have been in this game, Drew, for a very long time. And I know your heart. "She added that even if she did not take the loss of this role" personally ", she was" happy [they ] had the conversation ".
"Because black women and white women, the period of women, we have to speak, we have to stay in communication," she continued. "Because at the end of the day, it's difficult for all women in this industry, I don't care who you are. It is more difficult for us [black women], there are fewer roles, There is less diversity, but if we do not speak to each other, we cannot then create [something] with each other. We must advance the dialogue. "