March 26th, 2012
03:59 PM ET
'Hunger Games' fans tweet displeasure over black actorsYou can't please everyone when adapting a book for the big screen, especially one as beloved as "The Hunger Games," but director Gary Ross and the casting team likely weren't anticipating this. According to Jezebel, there appears to be a group of fans who are displeased that black actors were cast to portray Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), Rue (Amandla Stenberg) and Thresh (Dayo Okeniyi). While Cinna's complexion isn't described in the novel, author Suzanne Collins does describe the latter two characters as both having dark skin. As chronicled on the Tumblr "Hunger Games Tweets," it seems some readers either didn't pick up on the description or didn't read the description as depicting two African-American characters, and as a result have been vocal about their disappointment.
"Why does Rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie," wrote one fan in a tweet posted on the "Hunger Games Tweets" Tumblr. Another described the "Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture," while another said: "I was pumped about the Hunger Games. Until I learned a black girl was playing Rue." On Okeniyi's casting, another Twitter user weighed in: "Naturally Thresh would be a black man. #NotImpressed." In a post, the Tumblr notes that the reactions began cropping up last summer, but since the film's March 23 release, the writer says that "the amount of people who seem to all share these views just increased exponentially." As a result, the blog aims to unveil "'Hunger Games' fans on Twitter who dare to call themselves fans yet don't know a damn thing about the books." The writer adds in a separate entry that all of the tweets collected are from people who've read Collins' trilogy. "Clearly, they all fell in love with and cared about Rue. Though what they really fell in love with was an image of Rue that they'd created in their minds...And then the casting is revealed (or they go see the movie) and they're shocked to see that Rue is black...This is so much more than, 'Oh, she's bigger than I thought.' The reactions are all based on feelings of disgust." The point of collecting these reactions, the Tumblr's author writes, is to draw attention to what the writer sees as "MAJOR TIE-INS to these reactions and the injustices that we see around the world today." That..."and to also point out s****y reading comprehension. LOL."
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classism is the REAL problem in this country,
white black brown yellow CEO's and execs taking bailout money while giving themselves million dollar bonuses
lobbyists lining politicians pockets with campaign contributions to get laws and tax breaks pushed through congress
i dont care what color a politician is,9 times outta 10 they dont care about the masses until election time
racism is just a red herring to keep us(ALL RACES) that dont have much arguing amongst ourselves
but it always seem to be about the color of someone skin dont it?
truth is a**holes come in all shapes sizes and colors.......point blank,period, the end
This is so racist what difference does it make if rue is black, white or hispanic? shame on you if you really cared isn't racism the very think people before us fought for to end? All of this is stupid it isn't like the director changed anyone's name and if Rue,Cinna or Thresh were supposed to be white do you really think the cast would include african americans? you are a bunch of racist snots if you dont like the movie because of some of the characters' races
I already was picturing Rue and Thresh as black, but the first time I saw a commercial, I got kinda peeved about Cinna's actor. I pictured Cinna as a caucasion man with brown hair, and I was grumpy that the actor didn't appear to live up to my standards of the character. So, I spent a few months grumbling about it until the premiere.
But when I went to go see the movie, I found that Lenny Kravitz was not that bad of an actor. The movie didn't match up with every part of the books anyways, so I figured, what the hey? I'll let them have this one. Cinna's still gonna be white whenever I read the books, because that's how I pictured him. But the actor in the movie was just fine. I think he was an okay choice.
To be honest after reading the book i still imagined rue as someone with pale skin, Maybe even the girl from 'Nims island'. But even when i found out rue was black in the movie ( not a surprise since it says so in the book!) I wasn't upset. So people need to chill down. Don't be posting mean comments online, seriously... and I'm black as well. So watch it wise guys 😉
I honestly was a little surprised at Rue and Thresh were black..... but that is because I pictured them as Hispanic.... the book says darker skin. Some of the traditions and customs described for their district sounded more along those lines. However.... I didn't write the books, and the author worked closely with the producers to make the movie.
Black, Hispanic, White or purple....... Who cares? If a race change, or difference ruined the movie for you..... you have bigger issues to deal with! People need to grow up!
Frankly, I've neither read the books or seen the movie which I dont plan on doing til I do read the book but lets start of by saying RACE, similar to religion is the white mans creation. There is no such thing, how can you try to make something white & black when the world is as big as it is? Not every "brown" person is African American. Am I black & PROUD? HELL YES, but I'm not at all shocked by the racism being revealed post "Racism in America".. My ass. Nonetheless, those who stereotype & are willing to put a label on another human shouldnt even be taken seriously. The propaganda that takes place in this country is quite amazing, though. It took one national news story being banged in your heads to realize how alive racism is? Lol, I guess you gotta be walking in my 24 y.o brown lesbian skin in the golf suburbs of Georgia to notice how alive & thriving it is. Leeches
Isnt Katniss described as having olive colored skin anyways?
Yes, these are the same fans that loved Marvel's Daredevil and were quite happy with Kingpin, played by Michael Clarke Duncan, who is African-American but White in the comics, Will Smith in "I am Legend", Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in "The Avengers", all characters from famous publications.
A good movie is a good movie! It doesn't matter if the characters are latino, black, white, or asian. This is just the ignorance of a small pocket of people who were obviously raised by ignorant parents. I say if this ruins the movie for you then don't watch it. I'll go see it three or four times to make of for you. The movie is breaking records without your support!!!
Well said Chopper..... Can we get passed race and enjoy the movie for what it is? We are all Americans, let's support and uplift one another instead of dividing.......
Generally I do not read article on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do it! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice article.
The book says "satiny brown skin" would you want Dakota Fanning playing the role? I'm I white blue eyed blonde girl by the way....
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Oh look!!! another article about how relevant something so irrelevant like skin color is!! Never gets old.
Why don't we just make it a mandate that only avatars can act in movies. that way everyone wins, right? Until you peons realize that the voice actor happens to Jewish, and you so hope he'd be buddist. Then the plot goes to hell and the movie is ruined. smh Oh simple mindedness guess I'll always lose against you.
I actually REALLY REALLY liked Rue. What I took from it was more about love than that she was supposed to resemble Prim. I thought the fact that she was black only added to the depth of Kat's character – she still saw her sister in Rue's innocence. Also – I was pleasantly surprised at how understated Lenny Kravitz was, perfect for Cinna!
I was more upset that the cat was black...
Gees! What a bunch of crying about a bunch of NOTHING! Instead of worrying about whether or not the actor cast for the character exactly matches the book's description, why not look into the meaning of the story. The moral of the story has a far greater impact than just the actor/character aspect. To concentrate on just that, then disrespect the movie and others whom liked the film for what it is, is pretty shallow indeed. I could personally care less about the skin color of the actors. Just as long as they can pull off the charcter portrayed in the book. Bottom line, this is about an elite society taking advantage of the common public. Sound familiar to todays political environment? It should, because that is exactly what this tale of fiction is about. In fact the images were so close to what I have witnessed on Discovery Military/History Channel about Nazi Germany its not funny. It was nothing more than a modified tale of the Roman Coliseum Games. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Chilling! Nuff Said Here!
....so you're saying Rue isn't blonde? 😛 I kid. You are 100% right. I wonder if articles like this keep coming up to distract the main issues or if people are just so blind to not have seen them in the first place.
Twilight fans...This isn't Twilight.
Brown skin does not mean Black. Pacific island people are brown. Blacks as the name implies are Black. Just saying!!!
wasn't interested in the movie at all but now i will make a gigantic effort to see it. 2012 and people are still outraged at blacks being on the big screen? sad, but I reckon it's just one step in taking the country back..
Sounds like the KKK and Neo Nazi party folks aren't happy about a couple of black folks being cast in the Hunger Games.
CherylD, why does this have to be the work of the KKK or new-Nazis? Aren't there plenty of left-wing, non-Dixie bigots in America? I wonder just how many LA or Boston liberals fear and hate Muslims deep inside their hearts? Did you oppose the "Ground Zero Mosque," yet you're sooooooooooooo progressive and freedom-loving?
How could anyone not think they were black... it takes place in america and they were from the south and they were the fruit pickers... cue the banjo. thank God no one wore cotton products.
Try the 'Turner Diaries' if you don't wan't black or African-American characters portrayed in a positive manner.
It all comes down to upbringing, parents today are raising their kids to be this way.
No, their not raising them at all.
Yes thats true Pikapp there are all black movies BUT people are mad a little girls black and they're calling her a b**th and ni**er when she's black in the book to begin with??? WAKE UP AND GET SERIOUS!!! and Frida dark skin doesn't always mean black... ya, i know sooooo many white people with dark skin dark eyes and dark hair... U HAVE TO B KIDDING ME
It's wonderful now that American isn't racist anymore, isn't it?
You should go to Europe- the biggest and most fervent racist m-fers on the Globe.
Such a sad commentary on AMERICA. It's 2012 and AMERICA still suffers from these racist supremacy issues...what it really means is that the intellect of the average AMERICAN has not grown a whole lot in all these years from all the experiences and the suffering. The real sad part is that this ugly legacy is being passed on from the adults to their young offspring which supports and reinforces the stupid racist ideology. Good luck with that in the BOLD NEW WORLD that's about to come to America...SOON AND VERY SOON! THIS TYPE OF THINKING WILL SOON DIE A SUDDEN UGLY DEATH!
Rue is described having dark skin. The only way I can see people thinking she is blond is Katniss comparing her to Prim (who is described as having light hair) on several occasions. When in fact, she is comparing Rue's size and manner to her sister rather than hair and skin color. With this said, it is sad that people can not move on from their preconceived notions and revert to racism because your comprehension of a character is wrong.
To: boo2u
Here we go again with racist comments. Don't watch the movie & stop talking about the 15% (blacks). We have just as much right to play in movies, other than Tyler Perry's or BET.
It is very evident that you are a racist, a bigot & very prejudice. And stop talking about Travyon Martin like you didn't know his name. We have every right to have our stories told on CNN just like you white folks. And one Statistic you forgot: White people are in the minority, so welcome to the club.
Dark doesn't mean African American. Do you realize that many people, not too long ago, were almost milk white? Dark was considered as having a tan.
But this is the problem with visual adaptations of a novel. One is filled in by the imagination, the other is filled in by someone else's imagination. And once the latter is taken in, it becomes difficult to interact with the former without that other person's imagination combating your own.
Oh and the actress that plays Rue looks fantastic.
Except they were African American, the author of the novel confirmed it. And no, people all over the world were not always "milk white".
Look carefully over my previous comment VA29. You will see that I make no such claims as you suggest.
What are these kids going to do when they hear what Jesus REALLY looked like?
i dont understand what the big deal is, the actors couldve been purple and as long as they acted well i wouldnt care. Now if the acting sucked i still wouldnt care what color they were,
You know therefore significantly in relation to this subject, made me in my view consider it from a lot of varied angles. Its like women and men don't seem to be interested unless it's one thing to do with Girl gaga! Your own stuffs great. All the time care for it up!
The nay-sayers re: dark-skinned people portrayed in this literary work, are demonstrating how the disease of racism has already begun to exercise its sinister effects on the minds and souls of so many youth. They are learning, all too well, the wrong-headed messages of the status quo in this country. If the disease progresses unchecked, we are guaranteed to see several more generations "poison" the social atmosphere of the planet.
"Evel Knievel" is bucking hard to become the poster-boy for this movement; a trend that "Jim Crow" would be proud of.
That effect has been hitting kids for longer than that. Back in 1993, a study on how race is portrayed in children's programming (where in multi-racial teams/groups on tv, the leaders are usually primarily a caucasian male with the caucasian female relegated to minority follower status, or 3 caucasians, 2 male, 1 female leading equally, and minorities happily following along with no say in how the group does things) sited an example in a preschool where a black girl was made the group leader in a play exercise, and a caucasian male piped up "Why can't *I* be in charge? I'm white!!"
@boo2u: um, where are you getting your stats from? Please cite the article or journal, I'm genuinely curious. Also, what does this have to do with BET? I'm just trying to figure out how you got from 'seeing a black actor in this role ruined the movie' to 'black people segregate themselves'? Are you saying you want to be exposed to more black people? Are you angry that there weren't more black people in the movie, so you have to go to BET to get your daily fix? It sounds like your real problem is with your cable company. Start with them and then come back and tell us how it went. Help us to help you boo2u!
WOW! NO ONE SAID ANYTHING WHEN "LAST AIR BENDER" CAME OUT... SUPPOSED TO BE ASIAN KID... YEAH?
No one said anything when Prince of Persia came out?
The best thing we can do is just stop paying so much attention to hillbilly tweets, probably someone from deep south.
It's time to wake up and accept people... We're like 1000 years away from having a civil society. MINORITY ALREADY HAVE LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND THESE COMMENTS DON'T HELP.
I HAVE READ THE BOOKS, LOVED THE BOOKS, KNEW FROM READING THE BOOKS THAT RUE AND THRESH WERE BLACK. THE AUTHOR MADE THEM BLACK AND I'M SURE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ADAPTION OF HER STORY TO FILM. THAT SAID, CINNA IMAGINED WOULD BE A GAY, WHITE GUY BUT INSTEAD LENNY WAS CAST AS CINNA AND I COULDN'T CARE LESS. APPARENTLY, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE INSECURE, HATEFUL, RACISTS WHITE FOLKS WHO ARE SOMEHOW WEIRDLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY COULD HAVE COMPASSION FOR A CHARACTER ON A VERY HUMAN LEVEL ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE CHARACTER IS BLACK. MAKES ONE WONDER IF THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE FILM MAKERS OR THEMSELVES..VERY SAD.
If you want to see some real ignorance read pikapp and boo2u comments. You can't make this stuff up.
American are getting dumber and dumber it seems and with stupidity and ignorance comes racism. Not really surprised by these comments at all. There's a lot of losers in this country and the internet gives them a forum to spew it. Thanks Al Gore..LOL
Rue is a famtastic actor and makes this movie as fantastic as she is! I am appalled by the tweets of those people and my friends and I believe the people in this movie, no matter what color! Are fantastic actors and they all deserve to be in this movie, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!
Strange, I think nearly everyone in the book appeared just as I imagined them. I don't know how anyone could not have picked up on what Rue or Thresh looked like, and I always imagined Cinna being, well, kinda cinnamon. The only one who I envisioned differently was Seneca Crane–I expected more of a Nigel Hawthorne in Demolition Man
I love how this article completely ignores/glosses over the fact that these people taking offense to all of the minorities in the film are clearly extremely racist and not too bright to boot.
At least now we know the Hunger Games fan base!
FORGET BASEBALL. America the formerly beautiful has a new favortie pastime (and it's not amerian idol or attacking your president, no not at all) America's favorite new past time is:" Who can be the most offended by the most inoffensive and meaningless things".
He who wins gets to wear their self-victimization on a special edition of Project Runway and it will be sold at H&M the next morning. So don't forget to text in your vote!
Saying Rue should not be black is about as educated as saying an African American should never be allowed to play a character in a shakespeare play/film. I would kill to see Viola Davis play Lady Macbeth just as it was engaging to see Angelina Jolie playing Marianna Pearl. The best person should get the part. How arrogant, infantile and pathetic of the author to assume this was not the case. Insinuating a political correct casting process is more bigoted than the accusation itself. The author is a racist sack o filth who should be buried alive for being so feral minded.
You're missing the point, Mike. This isn't about white people being mad that a black kid beating out white kids in applying for a racially nondescript part in a movie. This is about white people being mad because a black kid was cast to play *gasp* an author-established BLACK kid in a movie.
One's a book. The other's a movie. "Red" in Shawshank Remption was white in the book, black in the movie. Any TWEETS about that?
What a disturbing set of comments! What year is this, anyway? The main miscasting I saw was that the most of the main characters weren't skinny enough! The kids and adults in the outlying districts are supposed to be close to starvation. All looked well fed. And the actress playing Katniss was too old. It could even be argued that the residents of district 12 were TOO WHITE. There skin was supposed to be olive colored, right, like Melungeon's ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melungeon )? My daughter was an extra in the reaping scenes so I was on the set in
Shelby for five days, and many of the extras were well-cast, but not the principles. The most "Hollywood" racial aspect of the movie I detected was that all the darkest characters were all "magical," all saving Katniss at some point or another.
I have just started reading the first book because of how impressed I was by the interaction between Rue and Katniss in the movie, I hate Twilight and Harry Potter and all those dumbdowned stews of hormonal teenager romances with everything the author can steal from any/all mythologies. I went to see the movie because I like science fiction and because a friend who is a librarian recommended the book to me. The movie is good and I hope the books are better, but what I found INCREDIBLE was how much EMOTION tthe death of RUE stirred in me and in the rest of the audience. You could hear people sobbing. I'm a guy so I try to be macho, but when Katniss turned to the camera and raised her hand in salute, in solidarity to the people of Rue's disctrict, I lost it. Did race have anything to do with my reaction? Absolutely. Would that scene have worked for me if Rue was a cute little blond girl? I would have feld emotion and symphathy, I am a human being and not a heartless piece of coal. BUT...I am HIspanic, I have seen and suffered discrimination, I realize many people have too and I know that racist people come in all colors ... seeing the heroine of the story, who I identify with because I am not part of the 1%, feel compassion and pain for the death of a child, a black child, who I can also identify with because I am also a minority, just made me lose it and I cried like a little girl with the rest of the audience.
Isn't Snookie Pregnant??? LMAO..
people are way to funny... hmmmm so where was the outrage when the kingpin in the spiderman movie was played by a black actor or nick furry in iron man was played by a black actor....... it really don,t matter now does it?
What about that statistic that white people are on their way to being the minority? So why are there so many white people in this movie and not more ethnicity?
To "pop": A white guy DOES play Obama. His name is Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live. Obama is, by the way, 'only" half black.
Looks like the beginning of WHITE BACKLASH!
The more we see of the "New Black Panthers" who "don't follow White man's laws" and Spike Lee who posted the suspected address of Zimmerman on Twitter so he could more easily be captured for the "Dead or Alive" $10,000 bounty, the less we will want to see of the Black community. This is Black racism against Whites at it's best – looking to make a racial incident around something that clearly was not; we've had enough of the race-baiters and the phony pseudo-Liberals who are emotionally disturbed and who now claim it's "unconscious racism" that's responsible for all the ills in this world.
It's amazing our "racism" remains unconscious, being the latest news items:
(1) Show a nice picture of another 17-year-old Black "youth" who shot a 44 year old white neighbor dead as he tried to interfere with his carjacking of a female neighbor's car. Or
(2) The young Black man in his early 20's who shot and killed two english male tourists who took a wrong turn and ended up in a "bad" neighborhood. They didn't hand over money fast enough as he attmepted to rob them so he shot both of them dead.
(3) A group of young Blacks who shot and killed a White student in his college dormitory, or
(4) The two young Black children who followed another White child home last week and set him on fire in front of his father, yelling something like "Burn, White Boy, burn."
Please, don't tell me I have "unconscious racism". I am quite capable of separating the good from the bad, and I see an overwhelming number of bad Black children and young adults compared to their white peers. A nice example is the rampaging high school students in North Miami yesterday who broke away from a Trevon demonstration to run through a Walgreen's store, knocking items off the shelves and taking what they wanted. When asked later why they did such a thing, those who admiitted to being in the mob proudly pointed themselves out in the video. They "justified" their actions, stating they were "ANGRY" and were sticking up for Trevon! Please point me to the last group of rampaging young White children so I can see how there are no cultural differences between the races.
As for profiling and wearing "Hoodies", it may be that everybody wears Hoodies, but those people committing crimes in the dark and desiring to remain unidentified wear Hoodies whenever committing crimes. The common factor is the desire to remain unidentified when committing a crime, not the color of the criminal. Witnesses cannot easily identify a criminal seen in action when the criminal of any race has worn a Hoodie.
Those who are instigating a race war will soon have their wishes come true unless someone steps up to stop this now. It's too bad we don't have a president who is capable of doing such a thing but this is what you get with an Affirmative Action president who never had ANY of the qualifications for the job he now holds.
Where is Dr.King when we really need him?
You call out for Martin Luther King to come back in the same breath you criticize Obama for being an "Affirmative Action" president. You are racist, stop trying to act as if you care about minorities. The rest of your rant is you attacking blacks by selectively nitpicking from the news. I could do the same with cases of whites who have committed crimes against minorities.
Where were you when GWB was sending our soldiers to die in Iraq. He was beyond being qualified. Mission accomplished he did. You probably voted for him. He was so very qualified, that now none of the Republican candidates would want his endorsement.
Bet their parents hate Obama.
Directly from the book: "The boy tribute from District 11, Thresh, has the same dark skin as Rue, but the resemblance stops there." From that alone I pictured Rue and Thresh as black. There were several other cultural clues as well. I pictured them as being from a Louisiana type farming area.
This is PC at its WORST!!! Reminds me of how they adapted the Pelican Brief and Rising Sun and felt compelled to cast black actors in major roles. How about some white actors in a Color Purple or Dreamgirls? PC is ruining this country.
all blacks should be banned from the movies
You need to get laid... may that be a black dude with BIG thong! FKN hillbilly!
In the Hungers Games Rue's description is as follows:
"She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin and stands tilted up on her toes with her arms slightly extened to her sides, as if ready to take wing as the slightest sound."
If you thought she was anything other then a little Black girl, then you are a ding bat.
It is simple. Don't buy the books, don't go to the movie or future movies if you don't like the casting. I didn't go to Angels and Demons because actor Tom Hanks does not fill the bill for character Robert Langdon, and Vittoria was not a match either. Made the mistake of reading the book first.
I loved the little girl who played Rue! And I figured they were of African Descent when I read the books and the description of the area and what they did in their district... I thought both were really good and I loved it
Boo2U: blacks don't segregate themselves, we are red zoned, denied decent rents or mortgages, discriminated in the workplace and profiled by police and block watches, this is what gives many the victim mentality. Try being black for a day and visit an all white neighborhood or community. There are far more all white neighborhoods, where blacks are not welcome and made to feel like criminals for just walking. Unfortunately too, there are many all black neighborhoods where it is not safe for a white to walk either. We need to realize what it means to be an "American". We come from all backgrounds and ethinic groups, have a common bond for freedom and justice, and we should love our neighbors. It is past time for all God fearing Americans to acknowledge God in our lives and to start practicing what we preach – "one nation, under God, indivisible with Liberty and Justice For ALL – Not black, white, yellow, or brown, but ALL!
@Socrates. Funny you should mention the 50's. Seems like the idea era for narrow minded gimps such as yourself. 1st of all, there are more whites on welfare than ANY other race, 2ndly This begging for free stuff is based upon what? The last time(s) Ive seen free stuff, as you put it, being cried over was from a group of whites who rightly deserved what they were asking (welfare), 3rd (and I could keep this up all day; but I wont), You mentioned areas that blacks populate as if they're the only ones... I dare you to visit 90% of MS small towns, West Virgina, South carolina, Georgia (and I could go on; but I wont) they are in horrid conditions; third world even and you know what, thats right - They are own and operated by whites for whites. My point? Dont go and get high and mighty until you police your own your moron. Ps I am white.
I pictured both Thresh and Rue to be black or at "brown skinned" like the author states. I do not remember much description on Cinna, but when I saw Lenny Kravitz in the trailer I could not think of anyone better to be Cinna. Who cares though...all that matters is that the actors did the roles justice, and I would say "yes" for all three.
The hullabaloo over race is because it’s so unrealistic to have self-sufficient blacks in the future. They’d be like blacks are now: Squalid miserable hellholes like Congo, Haiti, Detroit, Philadelphia… the list goes on and on. But it’s just a fantasy movie, like Harry Potter. Let your imagination go. Overall it’s a pretty entertaining movie.
Here come the predictable cries of racism. Blacks, don’t blame me for observing the world. You make your own image. For three generations in the US incalculable billions have been wasted on you in cradle to grave welfare, for what? Incarceration rates higher than ever, illegitimacy, dropout rates, 33% unemployment and you keep voting 95% democrat begging for more government free stuff. If you want a better image, fix yourselves. Like Barack Obama spending billions in South Chicago for twenty years and over last St Patrick’s Day weekend 49 shot each other. Every nickel spent on black welfare is a wasted nickel. Did I do that to you?
In the 1950s people could freely say what they saw. Political correctness represses that. People can still see reality, they just can’t say it because it might hurt your feelings. It isn’t ignorance. You’re finally getting a dose of honesty and you don’t like to face it.
I agree that the comments come off as racist. But I too did picture her as white, but based on the characterization in the book. Katniss often referred to Rue as someone who closely resembled her sister Prim. It was commented upon often. Also, Katniss is from the Appalachia region which I believe is around West Virginia so the odds are that she would be white as well based on that and the descriptions. That being said I don't really care who the actor is.
Direct quotes:
"Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin and stands tilted up on her toes"
"The boy tribute from District 11, Thresh, has the same dark skin as Rue, but the resemblance stops there."
I guess it just goes to show that no matter how far we think we've come, there are still many racist a*holes out there who don't even have the good sense to keep their ignorant opinions to themselves,
White racists as usual.
quoted from the book:
"Hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes..."
and
"Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark, eyes and satiny brown skin..."
Thresh:
"Thresh, has the same dark skin as Rue..."
READ, people!
@Leila; well said. You said in very few words what most people would not have been able to convey in pages! Well done!
Shame on all the haters who disliked the movie just because three of the characters were portrayed by black actors. Grow up already. They're people. You're a person. All this racism is hypocritical, in my opinion.
Personally, I thought that all three of the actors did a fine job. Sure, Lenny Kravitz was a bit of an unexpected pick, but only because he is a rock star (whereas Cinna's a modest, simple, laid back designer), and NOT because he's black. (He did a great job as Cinna, which made me happy, considering that Cinna is my favorite character in the series.) Amandla Stenberg deserves an award for her work in this movie; she was a breathtaking actress as Rue, and the fact that she's so young is promising. Okeniyi did a bad ass job as Thresh, and when I saw the movie at midnight, everyone in my theater was cheering his character on–and he very much deserved the praise.
Who honestly cares if Rue and Tresh were black or white? When I read the book I certianly thought that nobody could be smaller than that cute little girl. I think it is racist to be angry that only THREE CHARACTERS in the movie was black. I didn't think that would be something people would be making a fuss over, who cares? The girl who played Rue was great and talented so why should people complain. And what the heck! She isn't big! She's a skinny little thing!
No where in the book does it say the skin colour of any of the characters (Well, it was somewhat obvious for a few) but readers need to realize that how everyone is portrayed in the movie and how they looked in their mind isn't always going to be the same.
so people are still being racist to blacks?
i thought we got past all that
not that i know we didnt or anything...
thats really sad america...
This story is sooooooooo disappointing. Reading these comments I can see why George Zimmerman profiled Tayvon Martin. To read that some of the racists do not believe that they are racist just shows that they are in denial!!!!! I guess you feel that actors of color should only be in a certain type of movie? Please go away!
Boo2u, you make no sense!! You were just speaking off the top of your head. 80% of the jobs? You go to ANY corporate job, MOST of the workers are white or some type of Asian. BET was created in a time where blacks were underrepresented. There are a lot of music artist who are not promoted on channels other than the BET channels and a lot of them are black! There are tv channels programmed for the Asians, tv channels for the Jewish and Hispanics. Boo2u, do your research. Have you been living under a rock for the past fifteen years?!
Some of the comments above surprise and disappoint. I am neither black nor white, and am appalled at the way some minds function, defying the very purpose of the trilogy! Bigotry, racism, divisiveness...all that a rightminded person should disown is creeping up here. Somehow reeks of the Capital!
The actors and actresses were exactly like that described in the book...Rue, particularly was exactly what I imagined her to be. Fabulous job, everyone.
yip, this just goes to show racism is here to say, sorry to say but it is, if people can't even accept a character for their colour and their performance then, they have serious issues!
I have not read the books but I saw the movie with my girlfriend who did read the books. I thought the movie was amazing, strong performances, a great cast, a good plot and an outstanding, perhaps oscar nominated, perfomnace by it's lead actress. It never entered into my mind about the race of the actors playing the characters and it should not be an issue. I think people are missing the point about what the author was saying.
There have been a few cases of white charatcers turning black such has the horrible Will Smith film Wild Wild West. Samuel L. Jackson is playing Nick Fury in the upcomming Avengers film. Fury was orgianlly white but I don't see this as a big deal since Jackson is a great actor.
Rue wasn't described as being black, she was described as having darker than light skin. This would intend the reader to believe that she was of Mexican descent. Cinna wasn't a 50 year old black jew. Those of you who are saying that people commenting on skin color are racist need to realize that we do have color to the skin on our bodies. The characters that we fall in love with should be recognizable on screen and as they are described by the book. Refusing to understand the cultures that come along with skin color is as bad as hating someone with a certain color of skin. Putting a black girl in a role that was obviously intended for a small mexican girl is the racist aspect of this story. Why would the director do that. Seems that we are still trying to make *everyone* feel included. If, as you ignorant ranting people are saying, we no longer live in the dark ages, then shouldn't it be ok to every skin color that a movie was made that didn't include their certain tone or culture?
@Rosea. People of color (POC) are the main people concerned about light and dark skins. White racists don't give a hoot if you're light or dark. What matters to them is that you're black. POC are under the impression that white people prefer light-skin over dark skin. They don't. And the sooner POC realize this, the better off we will be.
even racists use twitter
Check out Jezebel article if you want to know who these FOOLS are. hahahaha. FOOLS.
The sad thing about these fools is that they spew their verbal diarrhea all over the internet for people to record their username, pictures, and/or nonsense into a database that's going to follow them around forever. Do yourselves a favor and punch yourselves in the face for being so foolish. hahahahaha. I hope you have a hard time finding a job in the future. fools.
@Susanr613 – I'm not sure how your son thought Katniss was black and she is not black in the book. The book describes her as having "olive skin", long straight black hair, and grey eyes. Also, her sister (with the same mother and father) is blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes.
I'd love to see any of these spoiled little kids who post that stuff on their 'twitter' accounts say anything like that in person. They have to voice their opinions on twitter- in my book they're automatically not real people. It's coming from white america where discrimination is alive and well. Then again, the people who read the book, and was displeased at the casting should probably try to read again, or just go back to reading Cosmo, or coloring books. Because apparently they don't have any sort of eye for detail or creativity. Geez, i never thought i'd post this much, but i guess i just hate kids.
Yes folks, Racism is alive and well in America. I can't tell where most of these folks are from, but I recognize a LARGE contingent from the southern states here. Don't know what contigent means.....well your stupid too. Which usually goes along with Racist.
You will need to be able to spell correctly and use correct grammar before you are allowed to call people "stupid"...stupid! You recognized a lot of people from the south in your readings? How? Show us how you "recognized" these people. Hilariously, we stupid people here in the south are the only economies in the U.S. that are stable. Yeah, we must be stupid...what with all these Ivy League colleges we have down here and considering this wouldn't be a country without us. You need to watch your mouth before someone from down here shows you how it feels to have it wired closed.
I assumed from Rue's description in the book that she was African-American or possibly Latino. And Amandla Stendberg was perfect in the role. I don't see what the big deal is.
It just seems that some group of people think the world revolves around them
This is a case of a few vocal people saying something stupid and the media blowing it WAY out of proportion. I just don't believe that the "displeasure" people feel over the casting is in any way reflective of the majority of Hunger Games fans. And to those who say that they changed the character of Rue, I say - Are you insane? The characteristics/personality of Rue in the movie are JUST like Rue in the book (whether she be white, brown, black or neon green).
I would categorized white girl with blonde hair as a stupid one. I don't watch or read Hunger Games...However, I keep an open mind! 🙂 Stop being racist children!!
Says the white girl with dark hair :P.
p.s. Hunger Games is not a stupid Jersey Shore show :p btw.
I find it ridiculous that people get so upset if a character in the movie doesn't fit their preconceived notions on what is described in the book. I found all three actors die a superb job in the movie and I cannot imagine anyone else doing as good as a job as they had. We should be congratulating these fine actors on their acting. BTW the book does describe them as brown skinned.
Is this same America we used to know back in the days when people were more educated? Are the new breed of America bring with them inactive or reading-challenged brains? America had better forget her glory if these are the people she is counting on as her future.
Wait a min! nothing is wrong with the country but some unintelligent folks that are narrowly minded and refused to learn. Plus, some hate mongers who are so marinated with defining their fellow human being by their complexion. There is nothing wrong being born with a lighter or darker skin. What matters is the person taht consist of spirit, soul and the body. Insofar everyone is tri-pattern, then whatever is said by any of these people are baseless and irrelevant. They obviously didnt believe a black actor deserves or merit acting in such a great movie.
I respect my lighter skin friends and we often joke around that no one is "white" by complexion just what we were made to belief back in the days.
To address this issue, we should all not forget that huamn beings are created equally and endowed with certain alienable rights by their creator. In it there is freedom, liberty and pursuit of happiness. If that is the true genius of America then why so much hatred to your fellow men. We were born same way and we will all die going into the sand.
I really hope the reader of my piece can ponder on these views.
All the folks yelling about reading comprehension should shutup. She was in an orchard picking fruit all day. Her skin is dark brown. I say she is either a) Mexican or b) really freaking tan from being out in the sun all day. The readers used their imagination because the author did not provide enough information on WHY her skin is dark brown. She doesn't state if it is race, sun light or some weird experiment gone wrong. When readers are left to use their imagination, they tend to imagine people like themselves. Nothing wrong with that.
Though it is stupid to think the whole movie is ruined because she is black. I am surprised the people that thought that could actually read.
@Frida, you're right. Black does not necessarily translate to being African American. But, if that's the case, then the race of the characters should be open to interpretation, making the chosen race of the characters not surprising either way. Regardless, it's no coincidense HOW these so-called fans chose to respond. They didn't get upset solely because the characters "arn't white," they're angry because they "ARE black," making this an attack specifically towards that race. The term Black may be up to interpretation, but that aspect of thier comments is not. It's a statement about who they want to see portrayed in a positive and sympathetic light and who they definitley don't want to see. But even putting race aside, that girl is a child CHOSEN to play that role. It is sick that people have gone this far to express their hatred for her skin color. This whole situation is an insult to the cast and to the author. It's really sad to see.
I don't get why anyone would get upset about a characters race from a book to a movie
This is the life we live. The reality that BLACKS ARE THE MOST HATED of all races across the world. Even in Hollywood.
I've been to over 23 countries and I've experience it and I'm black, educated and 26 yrs old.
I am shocked, but I shouldn't be. If the book did NOT describe these characters as white, then why are these people upset as if something wrong was done? I agree with the article that the probably had a preconceived notion (dominant races tend to visualize hypothetical people in their own race image). However, what really disturbs me is that people complained about this! Do they complain about too many leading roles going to white people? Do they complain about too many gay roles going to straight actors (how many "great" acting roles were straights playing gays compared to famous gay roles in general). Do these people complain about the near absence of plain or ugly people in leading roles, especially the disabled and other minorities (how many Asian romantic leads can you even identify)? This is really disturbing. I know most people are not perfect, but the whiners in question are disgusting disappointments of humanity.
Man, I thought everyone was Asian. I was shocked to see other actors playing the asian parts!!!!
You are thinking of The Last Airbender
Says more about what you the reader picture in your own head than it does about film casting decisions and producers. Maybe people shouldn't be so quick to think of white, blonde characters when they're obviously described by the book as dark skinned.
First of all the author Susan Collins plagiarized the whole story line from a book Stephen King wrote 30 years ago, and it was made into a movie already called Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Look it up!!!! There is nothing original about The Hunger Games!!!!
My son was disappointed that the actress playing Katniss is white (she's black in the book). My son had nothing to say about any other of the characters. For the record, my son is white.
It would have been nice to have the hero be black.
Really??? How about the fact that Cleopatra was played by Elizabeth Taylor!!!! Does she look like she is from the continent of Africa?? Let's start there!
Cleopatra was a part of the Greek Dynasty that ruled Egypt after Alexandrian times.
1. You are stupid if you cannot read such clear descriptions
2. It's sad that this is even an issue for people to be angry about.
This is why we cant move past race. People wont drop it and the media fans it.
i was fine with the casting of rue, and thresh and cinna. i though all three of the actors did a fabulous job. the fact that they were black was an accurate representation (other than cinna) of the characters in the book. the actress who played rue was adorable. yes, rue and thresh could have been another dark skinned ethnicity but no matter. it's frustrating that racism is still raising its ugly head in today's society.
ahem. sidenote. if you want to rant and rave about inaccurate portrayal of book-to-movie characters, how about complaining about the actor playing PEETA being so short and thin and young looking? didn't match the book's description at all!!
Why am I surprised that people are upset? In order to continue worshipping Jesus he had to be turned into a blond, blue-eyed person-despite the fact that biblical times took place in the Middle East and that Jesus was described as Jew with hair wooly like a lamb (not blond and flowing). If a race of people will go that far...will actually re-create Jesus to be more palatable...do you honestly think they wouldn't have a fit because they misread a text where the author herself has said the characters were meant to be black? Come on now.
I wish there was a "Report the stupidity" button, not just one to report abuse!
Laura: a "report the stupidity" button wouldn't work - it would be pressed nearly constantly on boards like this...
Geeze, the girl is light-skinned what would they have thought if she was a really dark skinneded sister??? Cause when I think of dark skinned I think of a complexion more like chocolate! Regadless, people really need to stop being so ignorant. this just creates more hate of those who are of African American descent or other ethnic backgrounds other than caucasian. This views negative and sound racist.
I LOVED the girl that played Rue she is the cutest ever and if pepole can't get grow up and just go along with the movie they are so ignorant. I loved the movie and the books so well done everyone that was involved!
I had not read all the way through before we saw the movie. I will say that Rue did not meet my mental image (dark skinned does not have to mean African American for all those boneheads calling everyone else dumb). I guess I pictured a more dark Latino, but that is just me. Seeing the character played by the young lady that did didn't "bother" me though – I am saddened that it did others though. The young lady did a great job with the part and should be commended.
@Harlon....People make the assumption that just because we imagined her as a tanned skin white girl or a Latina. How does that make us hateful to African-Americans??? Please! Stop with the race card! My two sons are of color, for Pete's sake!!
Harlon: it doesn't really matter what image people had of Rue - whether derived from the literal words in the book or not. Any image of Rue is fine, and yours is probably as reasonable as any (I can't comment, since I haven't even read the book).
What is significant is the number of people who seem upset that she is black. If someone envisioned a pale white girl with blond hair, clearly they were surprised a bit. But they should still have been able to enjoy the movie - why should it matter what skin color the actress has?
Boo2U you are such a dumb as..... Do you even read?? O gosh, no wonder you are prejudiced because you don't read and learn
The Blackification of movies is nothing new. Political correctness and the motion picture executives demand it.
your right Whitification or crakerfication is always the norm these days!
waver: what do you mean "blackification" of movies... do you mean when the author of a book describes a character as black, and is a consultant on a film? Personally, I call that accuracy in casting, but if that's what you mean by your odd term, then we agree.
If, on the other hand, you think using black actors for black roles is inappropriate - that we should use white actors for black roles, because the audience thinks white actors are prettier - then I think we disagree... a lot.
@waver: seriously? So....2 out of the 24 tributes were black. And 3 out of the 40+ characters were black. Blackification? Hardly.
All of this nonsense aside, how do you people seriously look yourselves in the mirror without throwing up? Enjoy your white privilege while you can. The devil doesn't discriminate by color. And there's a probably a reservation in hell for you....to go with all your hate.
Why wouldn't there be the same mix of ethnicities protrayed in the Hunger Games as there are now in that area of the Untied States? I believe the Capitol is supposed to be somewhere in the vicinity of where Colorado is now (correct me if I'm wrong, it's been awhile since I read the first book). I totally pictured Rue as an African American child and was pleased be the casting of this charming little girl. I have to admit I was thinking more Mad-Eye Moody for the Haymitch character, but Woody did a fine job (even if he is way too young to play Haymitch IMO), so who am I to complain? 😉
Im a kitty too: meeeeew
^_^
0 0
=*=
U
Us kitties are friendly. We like everyone and are nice. People should learn from nice kitties and love everyone.
Felt the same way when I found out Lando Calrissian was black.
I felt the same way when that racist Mel Gibson cast that white boy as Jesus in the Passion. I have NEVER seen that movie because of that. I mean Jesus being white that isn't realistic I mean a white men that is color blind, compassinate, loving of all men, not greedy. There is no way possible Jesus was white; he was clearly black even without the bible stating it.
The fans we're talking about are primarily menbers of the species Teenagicus gynoamericanus, so why the surprise at the lack of intelect they exhibit?
The actress playing Rue is half white Danish & half black American. Do you feel just a teensy, tiny, itty bit better now?
Please don't blame white people for reacting this way. We have been conditioned to believe that darkness is unlucky, and a sign of a bad tide from some great force. There is a great deal of healthy "magical thought" in the system conscience of almost every person. The true intellectual might also be the persons who can read every word and apply it to the characters image they construct, but a true intellectual realizes black magic is awesome!!! Yin and Yang!
every person has a mind of their own if they cannot form their own opinions then that's really sad
How could you not know the characters are black? They are killing each other! Of course they are black.
well the majority of the characters committing murders were white so what does that say about them? hmmmmmm
Rue and the inhabitants of her entire district are described as having dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. I guess people just lack basic reading comprehension skills.
American PIGS!!! Hate and prejudice is passed on to you by your parents.
Do you see the irony in starting your post out with American pigs, and then going on to complain about prejudices?
Says the Jamaican. I've never been treated so poorly anywhere (and I am a blue collar easy to please woman) but Jamaica. Sorry.
People need to learn to have patience and explain things. Ignorance does not mean stupid, it means please take the time to understand where I come from, and then use an approach to educate me in a way that I understand. White people do not realize that their race is all over the tv, movies, etc. They don't notice because it doesn't stand out as different then themselves. I hear white people upset because black people have BET. They have BET because almost every other channel is WET. White people have never been exposed to racism towards themselves. They are also afraid to be proud of being white because race is such a touchy subject. Black people need to take the time to explain why/how the issue is racist. It is perfectly fine if the viewer's imagination had pictured something different than the characters. I would even go as far to say, it is perfectly fine to imagine the charcter being your own race if you want. It however, is not fine to post that you are upset because of this. There is no reason to be upset that the film portrayed the book's description. To go along with this issue, white people also don't understand that saying the N word because they hang out with black people who say the N word isn't always okay. Also, just because you hang out with black people who say the N word and they don't mind if you do..that doesn't mean you can say it around EVERY black person. That is racist. On the other hand if a black person hears a white person say the N word jokingly, but you find it offensive, tell them the first time they say it. Do not allow them to say it once and let it slide and then if they say it again you freak out. You are giving them mixed signals. Then they will assume you are "choosing" when to play the "race" card. Nipping the issue in the butt, but patiently explaining the first time that you don't find it appropriate should get throught to them. The only exposure some white people have that affects them negatively is when somebody gets a job before them that is a minority. They feel it is unfair. They do not understand that it takes GENERATIONS of change before people will actually be equally. White people had the chance an education generations ago. People who have more of an eduation typicall get paid more, which means they can afford better housing. Better housing means better schools systems, and thus the cycle continues...most of the white people commenting negatively I almost guarntee are low income and come from poor school districts. The reason I day this is because some of the exposure they get to racism is minority scholarships. When applying to college they feel it is unfair that minorities can get certain scholarships they can't. See how that would make them think minority specific things are unfair? Really these programs are to help equalize the playing ground. I really hope that people take the time to stop fueling the fire, and realize that the people posting are probably uneducated with negative fews of minorities, so why don't we take the time to explain why what they are commenting is wrong instead of insulting them and making them shut down to your reasoning?
not to be negative but I feel like all the responsibility is being place on black people to try and educate white people about the black race. White people are smart and should at least know right from wrong. They are the ones responsible to educate themselves about our countries history and other races.
Really people? Who cares?
I didn't read the book and don't see why the color of the characters matters. I thought Rue did a great job with her character. I thought someone mentioned to me that she was from a district located in the southern region anyway and they were predominately darker skinned.
leila – "Do you recall the allusion to District 12 as being in or near Appalachia? So you see, it wasn't our 'lack of reading comprehension'. Regardless, the actress who plays Rue is adorable!"
What does the location of District 12 have anything to do with the location of District 11? More importantly, what does the location of a completely different district have anything to do with the color of Rue and Thresh, even though that was described directly in the book?
So now you screwed up the color of their skin and their location? It certainly is a lack of comprehension!
There is no need to get so hostile. It is usually people who lack education and social skills that attack others on blogs such as these. Show a little class, please. The Hunger Games is an allegory. I am not going to teach it to you here. However, in American Literature (I don't expect you to get this), location AND geography ARE significant variables. Apparently, you do not read very well.
Am I surprised that inbred bigots imagined everyone in the book to be white? Not at all. I'm more surprised that any people actually like this book. First person present tense garbage. Read Game of Thrones if you want to read a real book. I cannot believe idiots like this tripe. And, it's not even original. It's a blatant rip off of Battle Royale which is a story about a school of kids taken to an island to fight to the death for the entertainment of adults.
I thought they did an extremely good job casting for the Hunger Games. I admit Kravitz as Cinna put me off at first. I kept thinking I'd see him belt out American Woman while talking to Katniss – but he played his role admirably. The actress who played Rue fit my mental image almost perfectly. The one Character my own reading comprehension failed on was Peeta. Somehow I missed the description of him having ashen hair and inserted a tall American Indian in his place. But then Paytah means fire in Sioux so I thought the author was being clever.
I Hate White People!!!I Am Black!
There's books about this Hunger story?
Books? Like, made out of paper, with printed words, that I gotta read?
Oof! If I wanted to read a book I'd go to school.
Ya know?
Weirdly, I actually imagined all of these characters as black when I read the books. Even Cinna. For me, everything in the movie was exactly how I imagined it in the book.
Movies are NOT supposed to be identical to our internal imagery. If they are, why watch them?
I remember seeing the first Harry Potter movie and being disappointed. Everything had was so painstakingly identical to the image I had in my mind - the characters, the set, almost every bit - that I felt I had wasted my money. I could have just re-read the book, for all I got out of the screen version.
The character can't be African-American. There is no more America in the book. Jesse Jackson would say she's African-Panemian.
More and more racists are finally coming out of the closet. Not a shocker at all. We always knew you were in there.
Racists were out and about in the 60's, then it became a thing of shame. Even if someone was a racist, they would not admit it except to their friends. And here we see people not at all ashamed of being racists, vocally disappointed that a FICTIONAL CHARACTER is portrayed by a young black woman.
Well, all you folks who don't like your fictional characters to be black, I am disappointed that you are all a bunch of Mississippi KKK uneducated red-necked buck-toothed swamp-dwellers.
Crawl back under the rock...
Was anyone else upset that Buttercup the yellow cat was played by a black and white cat in the movie? That *totally* ruined it for me. LOL
All the races are being idiots right now. Everyone is to blame. So stop acting like one race is higher and mightier than any other. White people are xenophobes, but so are Blacks. So are Asians, so are Arabs, and so are every other race. The fact that people of all colors are trying to push the blame on each other just proves that the human race as a whole isn't mature enough to progress.
To be a little more even-handed, that "awkward moment" is awkward precisely because you come face-to-face with your subconscious selective-reading of the story, and having pictured Rue as a cute little blonde white girl and then go to the movie seeing her properly-cast and then going back to the book to find out that, no, she wasn't a blonde white girl at all and that was all in your head and...
Well you come face-to-face with something you didn't want to admit to yourself: that you are a little bit racist on some level.
Just turn that awkward moment into a learning experience and become just a little more self-aware and humble, and then work to at least try to make things better. Sometimes the little sins and the little redemptions accu.mulate over time and cause real change to occur, for the better. 🙂
This strikes me kinda funny. I picture all characters in books as being Asian unless specifically described otherwise. I guess it's natural to assume people are what you are, but to be "disgusted" to find out otherwise... tells a lot more about what kind of person you are than you probably meant to give away.
I never read the book(s) nor have I seen the movie but I SWEAR the racist comments are ridiculous. If the young lady Amandla is a awesome actress what difference does it make of her ethnicity or color of her skin? Even the same thing for Lenny Kravitz......
CNN < you're only encouraging the racism by not removing racist comments.
A BUNCH OF BIGOTS!
IDIOTS!
Wow. If I had written this book series and endorsed the movie project I would be elated to know that my work was being portrayed and the message of the book (and you can argue if you want) is how force, fear and dictatorship is wrong and love, freedom and humanity are important – but no – it becomes all about the color of three actors skin. All I can say again is WOW!
Pikapp
You should be ashamed to admit that you're 36 and as stupid as hell!
I'm offended by CNN's use of the word "displeasure" to describe the blatant racism of the "displeased" viewers. Someone tweeted "yuk" in response to finding out that one of the characters is played by a black actress. Disgust over the race of an actress deserves a stronger headline than "Hunger Tweets Focus on Skin Color". For the record, I'm white, and we definitely do not all think like these backward, ignorant morons.
I did think Rue was white when I read the book (I don't remember the part describing her skin color) but I surely did not care that she was black in the movie. Ridiculous! I hope that actress isn't hearing this crap!
Do you recall the allusion to District 12 as being in or near Appalachia? So you see, it wasn't our 'lack of reading comprehension'. Regardless, the actress who plays Rue is adorable!
Well, of course she is!! Then people wonder WHY African Americans feel the way they do in light of recent events in the news!
So, plese remember the SILLY comments you saw in here AND the posts in question the next time someone comes out of their face about how "unnecessary" Affirmative Action programs are and this being a "post-racial" society JUST because we have an African American President.
I am SO FRACKING SICK of hearing about this STUPID FRACKING MOVIE!
And yet....here you are.
Yeah, and when I read the book, I also kept thinking that Snow would look like Morgan Freeman. Wouldn't that be ironic?
I blame Obama's Mama. Wh0re
People complain when minorities are not in movies, now they're complaining that they are? What the...?
Learn how to READ folks! Rue and Thresh were "brown skinned" in the book and "brown skinned" in the movie. Rue was perfectly cast, beautiful, and a brilliant little actress. Now shut up!
Bottom line: READING COMPREHENSION FOR THE WIN!
I I don't think people lack reading comprehension. I think that when people read 'dark skin' , they imagined a tiny little girl with a tan. After all, there are many shades of 'dark', right? I'm dark skinned but I'm an Italian American. I too am guilty of picturing Rue in my mind's eye as a scrawny but tough little girl with long, stringy dirty blond hair and tanned skin tone. Am I racist. No, of course not. I just simply 'imagined' her that way as I read. Also because the book alludes to the Appalachians for District 12, it seemed logical to imagine white people with tans, rather than African-American.
But isn't rue from district 11
For some reason I feel the need to apologize, on behalf of all white people, for the racist tweets of a few total morons.
"Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture"
Are you kidding me?!!! Because she's not blonde but black, she's therefore not innocent, but.. what? A thug? Oh well, at least she wasn't wearing a hoodie and carrying Skittles...
Well said. The world is clearly a mess. A mess.
I wish pictures and addresses came with comments, so we can see who these undercover racists are.
I wish pictures and addresses came with tweets, so we can see who these undercover racists are.
Wait....what? Are we really debating whether or not it is appropriate to feel disappointed on learning one of your favorite characters is black? wait. Really? If so, please feel free to join the Irrationally Discriminatory Club. Do you know who else are members? The taliban....and Hitler. And I guess you. #GetOverIt #BlackPeopleArentGoingAnywhere #ThisIs2012
Of course they can't read well. They're reading "The Hunger Games".
Funny, when I saw the Harry Potter films, I was surprised to see that one of the other Gryffindors was black (Dean Thomas?) – I didn't remember it being mentioned in the books. Then again, I wasn't looking for it. It's not a big deal to me. I believe he was even Ginny Weasley's boyfriend at one point, and no one had a heart attack about interracial dating. Whatever.
I read the book a couple of weeks before the movie came out. The book is quite clear that Thresh is black, but I can understand how a less than careful reader would miss that Rue was also black. To be vocally upset about it is rather strange...like being upset that the Lee Jordan character from Harry Potter was black.
Mew mreeew I'm a cat. Mew 🙂
Otay
^-^
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=•=
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Meow. 🙂
Does this mean I'm gonna STAY this color?
Otay
Hmmm, the book is set in a post-apocalyptic North America, a place where a lot of people of African descent reside. Is it THAT huge a stretch of the imagination that there would be some black people who survived all that went on and had children? If it was Europe or Asia, perhaps, but North America probably has the most people of African descent outside of Africa itself. It's not that difficult to imagine such a thing.
That is disgusting. Their mad because someone has a different skin tone then they thought? Those tweets are disgusting and vile and should have been deleted right away. What's really sick about this is most of those tweets come from young adults. Teens that are someday going to run this country. Great. I hope when all those tweets are compiled they add the Twitter names to each and every post. By the way, this isn't what our forefathers had in mind when they created free speech. And each and every one of them should go back to school and get an education. Susan Collins is right; there is a huge lack of reading comprehension among the readers. There were descriptions of these characters in the books. Everyone that has an education knows that Lenny Kravits is perfect to play Cinna the way he was described in the book.
hey @POP,
you are ignorant – not for the race thing but for comparing a black actor portraying a character described as having dark skin (way to read people) to a white actor playing a black character. Rue was WRITTEN as black.
In summation, you suck at both reading and analogies. Hope that GED is working out for you.
And here we are discussing racism by disappointed bigots over the casting of an African-American girl in a movie. But when we discuss bigger issues in the culture wars, bigots automatically claim reverse racism if minorities dare complain about discrimination. They say racism is dead in America and we need to get over it. And by "they" I don't mean all whites, or just whites. I think most people can agree that the Trayvon Martin incident shows that there is a lot of stereotyping and gun loving people out there and that not all of them are white. These two examples, one somewhat trivial and the other terribly tragic, demonstrate that the disease of racism is still alive in America. So to those in denial that want to silence those of us who complain about discriminatory laws being passed against Hispanics, about the need to defend Affirmative Action, about Arizona's racism in banning Mexican American studies, etc., etc., to those of you in denial, please do something to cure yourself of your disease. Seek help. And if you want another example of racism, here's another one: A Texas State University Hispanic student was shot and killed three times by a white homeowner because he stepped on his driveway at around 3:00 am, asking for help after he had had a car accident. The man who shot the Hispanic college student is a white, gun loving "castle law" user, known to his neighbors for showing off his gun and for his threatening behavior. People like him, people like Zimmerman who pushed an innocent kid and provided a gun into the mix until a kid ended up dead, and people like the ones complaining about Rue being black, show America that the disease is still eating away at our national character.
Well said. It is a sad state of affairs in America when a children's movie turns into a debate because of ignorant mind sets.
Really? Reading is fundamental. And these statements about the characters skin color is fundamentally stupid. For those who are referring to Lenny Kravitz... he is of mixed heritage. His mother was African-American and his father is Caucasian. Let it go and enjoy the movie! Oh I forgot, you can't... boohoo, whine, wimper, wimper, sniff!
Well now – looks like there is a new crop of racist teen fiction readers rearing their ugly heads. Since the book is about children killing children, and since some are loving that theme, it seems that some of these racists have a violent bent. Way to go children where-ever you are. BTW I am a white woman, and I sue the movie with my white niece who also read the books, and the "only" thing my niece and I said about her, was what a sweet story line to have in the book at least it showed the totalitarian government a bit of humanity. Do the teens and half-grown-up adults who read the books and are upset that Rue is black understand that the enemy was not the little black girl but the over-reaching government who forced people to be inhuman? One wonders if these complainers want a Utopian society where they only see people of their own liking and color. Your parents taught you wrong – expand your minds and turn yourself into humans because if you try to pull someone else down, that means you are already low.
Well said-I salute you. As someone growing up as a black person in Jim Crow Mississippi and becoming a Baha'i, its refreshing to read a comment from a person such as yourself. The youth are a key to rehabilitating the mental and spiritual condition of this world; but it would see that there's a whole lot of inertia among the youth that will have to be fought against.
Haven't read the books, haven't seen the movie, have too much on my plate right now...but seriously, what kind of small-minded, bigoted freak is upset over a character "not being an innocent little blond girl?" What the freaking hell?
I thought that they did an amazing job of casting this movie. I have not one single complaint about who played what characters.
I am so tired of the race thing. There is a lot of racism that goes in both directions. Isnt it time to get over things that didnt happen to a single one of us?
The only racism today is the racism created by minorities and sharpton and jackson.
Yo, Hingie! Boy are you confused-minorities creating racism?? Surely, you have not learned about the evolution of racism in this country. Perhaps, you need to get back on "Peabody's WABAC" time-machine and be transported back to the times of the Neanderthal or, perhaps, back to Pluto.
I think YOU have that the other way around, and YOU'VE just proved my POINT!
I think what happened was people focused on her reminding Katniss of her sister, who was white, and blond. I, for one, did notice that she was darker in the book, but I pictured her more like arabic or maybe even of latin descent, instead of black. Didn't bother me tho lol.
Shame on you guys...the little girl did a great job acting as Rue.
I like the character and don't mind if Rue was black, white, asian, indian, etc.
Racism makes ppl ugly on the inside and outside.
Twilight people Twilight...........pick a superior topic to post about.
blame our poor education system...clearly these "fans" have NO reading comprehension skills....also they are a bunch of racist fools...
God Damn, get a life already!
I, for one, am just appalled that a freaking mutant is playing Katniss. Sure, she LOOKS Caucasian, but trust me, she's blue underneath the guise!!!
I was annoyed when they cast Eric in the Twilight movies and made him a gay Asian...that is all
I've read the books. I've always pictured Rue and Thresh as being black because of their description in the book. The only reason people think Rue was supposed to be blonde and fair is because Katniss said that Rue reminded her of her sister Prim, but the resemblance had to do with age and stature, not skin color. I'm surprised that these supposed "fans" didn't comprehend these details. It really makes me wonder if they actually read the book.
1. Nothing says the tweets were from whites. So stop your racist comments about racist "whites".
2. Stupid tweets from kids are NEWS?
More CNN race baiting. Taking the comments of stupid kids on twitter as News to stir up racial animosity. Good job.
You might be surprised how many adults have read these books (obviously, not all read it well) and the anticipated movie. And the number that are willing to tweet their ignorance.
What is wrong with people in this country that this is even an issue?? How do people even notice and why on earth do they care??
Did the actors do a good job? Absolutely. End of story.
Racism stems from ignorance so it is not shocking that the upset parties had trouble comprehending what they read. I feel sorry for those that close their minds to others.
took the words right out of my mouth, P 🙂
Why can't black women grow hair ? Just grow!!!!!! I'm tired of black men skipping out on their kids as soon as they're born.They just jet 5 states over!!! Say out of the rain black people.It will make you look silly.And stop eating fried foods!!!You already go in the ground at 50 from heart trouble.And take some swim lessons.Whitney Houston just proved that black people should be required to wear a life jacket in the tub.That lady drowned in her own tub because she couldn't swim.C'mon.
A perfect example of ignorance, thanks.
Wow. People complaining that black actors were used for two important characters (one of whom lit the flame of rebellion in Katniss)? This is not the race discussion I was expecting. I read the books. Multiple times. It's very clear that the characters Rue & Thresh have dark skin. Doesn't say how dark, and I'm pretty sure it does not matter. They could've been Hispanic. Or Black. Or of mixed race, which is far more likely given that the novel is set 100s of years in the future & the people live in isolated pockets of relatively small population. As for Cinna – he's described as having short, brown hair. Nothing more is offered to illustrate him physically. He could be almost any race, or a mix thereof. I actually like that there was no segregation among the residents of the districts. A person's value was their work ethic, morals, their contribution to society as a whole. Yet we have people with low reading comprehension skills complaining that Rue's resemblance to Prim was not exact but instead was in her build, her age, and her mannerisms.
A direct quote from The Hunger Games book: Kindle location 563-69: "...a twelve year old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes. but other than that, she's very like Prim in size and demeanor."
So if the author describes a person as having "dark brown skin and eyes," the person is obviously not white. Or "blond" as some ignorant poster described Rue. I assumed she was of African descent/black. But I suppose she could have been Indian, since many Indians have dark brown skin as well. The point is, if they had cast a white girl as Rue, that would have been in direct contradiction of who Suzanne Collins described in her book.
Sheesh, can't anyone READ anymore??? IT's no longer one race vs. another, it's illiterate and ignorant vs. people with basic reading and comprehension skills.
If all the parts were cast with just white people then people still would have cried foul.
How can you ruin something that's obviously as bad as the Harry Potter garbage. These books are written for 4 year old comprehension certainly not the thinking persons fare.
Why are you here ? This site is certainly no intellectual garden and cannot possibly offer fodder enough to stimulate your superior thought processes. Oh. Wait. Are you a ... TROLL ?!?!?
Wow – that's weird. I gather that Hunger Games fans tend to be young and they're supposed to be more tolerant generation. It just goes to show that ignorance and rigidity persist. I hope those who have complained about the ethnicity of the characters in the movie are able to evolve intellectually and realize that if a characters ethnicity isn't specified – it really doesn't matter – the problem is the viewer and the viewers negative perceptions. Only if the filmmakers had turned the main character into an African American stereotype would they have been out of line.
I remember when we'd have this argument over Shakespeare – is it OK to cast blacks? It was debated and ultimately – 'tis better to have a fine black Shakespearean actor than a white mush-mouth.
Another poster demands to know if it's OK for a white actor to play Obama – that's a different question buddy – Obaama is a real person, not a fictional character. And actually a case CaN be made that a great actor of another ethnicity could play him – that's what we have make-up for.
The Hunger Games character was unspecified and I'm sure they got a very good actress to play her.
Just be glad they didn't get lindsey Lohan or something.
Unfortunately you cannot count on the HG fans to be young & unevolved. Probably half of the HG fans I know are full-fledged adults – adults with kids/grandkids old enough to read the books, even. I have yet to hear anyone complain aloud about the casting beyond the Peeta/Gale thing a while back (thank goodness for hair dye or there would've been a revolt against the director). I have to wonder who these "fans" are that they aren't paying attention to basic descriptions of the characters.
This story was a piece of sh!.t.Give me my 2 minutes back.This writer should be behind a Subway counter making sandwiches.
Curious I keep reading how people are outraged that Katniss was a little white girl and not about the colour of minor characters.
I didn't realize Tyrion Lannister was a little person until I watched Game of Thrones. It ruined everything for me and I'm going to kill myself.
I remember my first call as an EMT. The sheer terror on the fire victims faces when an all black EMT unit showed up at their estate in Hempstead NY in 1986....LOL We had a good time over drinks that night after our shift...P.S. They didn't refuse assistance...LOL
REALLY?!!! This is what you people choose to argue about?!!! There are bigger fish to fry in this world. A little secret......IT IS ONLY A MOVIE!!!!!! Yep, a movie.
Unfortunately MD this IS a lot of people biggest fish on their daily agenda....skin color.
I was personally offended by the way parents were depicted in the movie.
Where are my people on this?
This is a worthless story written by an even more worthless human with no skill.Basically, a dog who just shat last nights snacks on the floor is worth more.This writer should find a new career.
This is as tragic as when they changed the Troll Twins of Underbridge Academy to Emo vampires.
Are we really that pathetic of a species now that color is an issue for "FICTION" characters?
The Human race has gotten to be ridiculous!
I don't know.I mean, the writer for CNN clearly huffs his cats feces and runs around naked afterward, but we should allow the little dork to write.It's fun to read garbage that has no value.Who cares if he wears his mom's panties on his head after she just came from the gym ? You know ? Let's just accept people for who they are.
How could you have read the books and not know that these actors would be dark-skinned or black for accuracy???!!!LOl Reading Comprehension is surely a lost skill.
People are getting all "they're racist" on here, yet you read stories regularly from minorities complaining that there are not enough "insert color here" actors in certain tv shows or movies. Is that any different?
Stop with the calling everyone a racist just because they have an opinion and it doesn't agree with yours.
Clint, tell us how man y decades have you had your head in the sand??
Cyndi Lauper needs to re-release True Colors. The World in 2012 really needs it.
Couldn't agree more. Great song... great message. Those that think this is worth being upset about – I'm sad for you. Racism only denies you some amazing life long friends.
I feel that the writer of this piece eats his mothers hole and sodomizes his dog.I also feel he pokes his dad in the bum and his cat has been in hiding for the last year for fear of having it's rear poked.This writer is a worthless stooge who gobbles goo in his giant trapper.
I felt the same way about Vivian Leigh after reading Gone with the Wind. You expect something different. In the end, Vivian Leigh was great in the movie.
In my opinion, the book and movie were great. Anyone who read the book would have already known it says that Rue and Thresh are dark skinned. More importantly, who cares what the actors skin colors are? This doesn't change how the story translates from the book to the screen at all. I am so tired of racism and continue to wonder when our society will finally evolve.
Why do they have to be white?
I loved the books! well – I didn't like the ending of book 3 but that's for another blog. I haven't seen the movie yet but I can't believe people are complaining about this. I am sad that people would even be bothered by this let alone post it to propel negatiivity. Over what? I book / movie character? ! For the love of god! it's 2012, not 1912! Color should not matter!
Now that I know Lenny Kravitz is Cinna, I think that's actually pretty close to what I had pictured in my mind when reading. The Peeta actor is not at all how I pictured him....
The guy who plays Peeta actually does a good job convincing you that he is the right guy for the job. I wasn't sure either until I saw the movie.
These idiots probably don't realize that the guy playing Edward in the Twilight flicks isn't a real vampire!
He is too ! I'm telling on you, storyteller !
Stunned. Has anyone checked whether these comments are being broadcast from trailers parks below the Mason-Dixon line? Because if that's the case, the lack of reading comprehension shouldn't come as a surprise, the fact that they can read at all should.
I find inner city gang bangers to be the worst readers.Most can barely speak sentences.I also feel that inner city thug trash should be put to seep.They offer nothing and are worthless trash garbage.The end.
Having grown up below the M-D line & also having lived long enough in many other places to get to know the people there ... might I say that folks in the South are not all racist, not even mostly racist. And those Southerners who are racist are far from having a corner on the market. It's just more subtle in some regions than in others.
Seriously, it's just a movie. I'd be more upset that Haymitch didn't fall of the stage drunk at the reaping, I was looking forward to that. When you turn a book into a movie sometimes things don't look exactly the way you thought they would (I can't be the only one who pictured Hogwarts a bit differently than how it was in the movie). If seeing black people in the movies bothers you that much go watch a movie about the Tudors, they didn't have any black people hanging around England then. Not gonna lie, given the constant comparrison of Rue to Prim I forgot she was black, but if the girl cast as Rue was supposed to remind you of Prim then they did great, they don't look alike but their demeanor was very similar
ahhh – I think you are right! That must be the reason why I pictured her as white as well. In my mind, I had Prim and Rue as practically twins.
So incredibly sad that people would be bothered by this. 🙁 I haven't seen the film but from the picture above, Rue looks adorable and very sweet. Just as in the book.
While some whites might be reported to be upset over this, it sure beats blacks when they shoot people at the theatre.Just saying.
@avoiceinmyhead – My best friend Ho Tu Fat takes offense to your comment.
I loved the Rue Character. it was done so well with what I imagined. Completely gained my sympathy, I thought it was one of the better acting in the movie.
When I first came on CNN, I envisioned a neutral media outlet giving voice to all.Boy was I wrong.CNN is anti white and will run any story that depicts whites as bigots or backward.They never run real stories about thousands of blacks murdering each other, committing violent crimes against whites, or the poverty that saturates thir communities.No.Instead they run stories about a fewpeoples reaction to an imaginary character.CNN has as much credibility these days as F ing High Tims.You people are clown shoes.
Dark Skin = Low Intelligence
Aren't they all supposed to be Asians?
This is good trolling weather. We can type made up nonsense and everyone believes it! Honestly, I pretty much like and possibly even love everyone. People are people. We are all ok. May everyone be happy.
Turns out, no matter what anyone says, people care about skin color. We should probably discuss this in open society and not simply try to drown out discussion with threats and hate. Which both sides are guilty of, by the way.
We don't really. It's just fun trolling trying to stir people up. Everyone is basically the same, regardless of what we look like. We is all cool ! Each and every one of us !
And to think you people consider yourselves to be the light of the World. Acting in this fashion rather confirms the opposite.
PEOPLE!!! GET REAL!!!! This movie is not worth this much discussion. It is not worth spending your hard earned money on!!
The thought of kids killing other kids is horrific, And I for one will never read the books or see the movies. My family will not be allowed to read the books or see the movie.
I will wait until November,,,,,,,,to see the conclusion of a Saga that actually means something and does not perpetrate bullying or violence.
TWILIGHT – BREAKING DAWN PART 2
That is the movie you should be spending your money on.
This has got to be a joke. Twilight is about a needy teenager with a controlling boyfriend. A horrible message for our youth!
Really? You'd rather have your children view a woman stalking, blood sucking, over nearing psychic vampire as their role model? Ugh.
Well, I have seen the media get very racist especially comics from Chelsea Lately to Tosh.0 even some black comics.
They all tend to reinforce bigotry and racial stereotypes. If you are black and you and are educated you want to be white. I have noticed this since I started VH1 with best week ever. I decided to stop watching this negative commentary.
Blacks (Some) are to be blamed to; we try to reinforce negative stereotypes, so their kids won’t become sissies
"Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin and stands tilted up on her toes...(98)"
I guess some people skipped that part...
The crap that people report on nowadays, no wonder america's education is one of the worst in the civilized world!!
What blows me away is how some idiot at CNN can take a couple of tweets from a few morons and turn them into front page news.
Are they serious? A report about some tweets? Talk about LOOKING for a story. For the love of God, find something that is acutally NEWSWORTHY !!!!
Actually a number of media channels have picked this story up.
All of this race talk is making me nervous. And when that happens, I cut horrible farts.
I don't recall all of this fuss when Morgan Freeman played "Red" in the Shawshank Redemption..
Sounds like some people are picturing Rue as Prim's description...Rue and the male tribute were black in the book (in fact, I took it to be indicative that some of the areas in the Hunger Games world were racially dominated by blacks based on those descriptions). Anyone who gets their experience "ruined" because the actors cast were black is a small-minded, uneducated moron who's a little too inbred to be taken seriously. C'mon kids, just enjoy the movie.
Come on people. Blacks comprise 13% of the US population, so naturally they should portray 50% of the roles on TV and in the movies. It's simple liberal math!
You sound like one of the Squid billies. Dude there aren't very many Black people on television period unless they are running from the cops getting locked up by the cops playing horrible stereotypes or athletes and rappers. What television do you watch? WOW Everything is Political since a Black President was elected. As long as we had the illiterate republican who declared war and victory over weapons of mass distruction everything was fine now ya'll trying to take the country back WELL THIS FORUM IS NOT FOR THAT> READ A BOOK!!! OH YEAH WAIT GOING TO SCHOOL IS FOR SNOBS. Read on babies and see no color.
Lets hope these people never go see a production of Othello or they will be well p*issed.
RACISM.
OMG – the people who posted those tweets are apparently the most ignorant idiots ever!
Besides that, they are 100% wrong! If a person has read the books and paid any attention whatsoever to the character descriptions, they would clearly see that the characters were cast accordingly.
And how bigotted do you have to be to make a statement that having an african-american actor or actress cast in a role "ruined the movie" for them? Unbelievable! I think these people need to learn how to read before making rude comments about something they are obviously too dim to comprehend.
Who cares!!!!! The characters were never given a skin color in the book. So what!!! who cares what you imagined them to be!!
try reading the story again. Some characters had brown, olive, or light skin. As directly described in the book
enough violence glorifying white or black
uhhh is it just me or are these people being blatantly racist? Some of those tweets are rather offensive...
"Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture,"
Are only little blonde girls capable of being innocent?? The death of Rue's character in the movie and the book was rather sad. If any young child dies, I would hope people would find that a tragedy regardless of what color her skin was.
And, not to mention the following comment:
Messed up.
I pictured Rue as black due to her description in the book. However, because Rue reminded Katniss so much of Prim in terms of her innocence, and the way she held her body (almost as if at times she was ready to take flight) I could see how people could conjure up an idea of Rue looking like Prim. Still- she was a character who's physical attributes were described as being dark.
As for Cinna, i definitely pictured him as being white, since he was described with brown hair, no decoration except for a little gold eye liner, and being rather nondescript in appearance. I wasn't thrilled with casting a black man, but more so because I wanted the integrity and persona of Cinna to come through in the movie. If Lenny does him justice, then awesome. I'll withdraw my hesitancy. Also, just FYI, I'm not seeing the movie until this Thursday.
”And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she’s very like Prim in size and demeanor.“ – so there you go.
Im not taking my kids to see these dirty black folk.
How come no one complained about the rioters in District 11 being portrayed by black actors?
Racism is SO yesterday and SO boring, no matter who practices it...
It is finally official white people are evil to the core. This has become apparent from the comments the movie receive. Only white people would care or say something like that. There is no wonder why America is still filled with hate and ignorance when people like this walking around. I am pretty sure black people are tired of seeing only white people on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, UPN and etc...I am sure black people are tired of hearing or seeing Amber Alerts of only little white girls that are missing.
These actors are half white isn't that enough? Always complaining and never satisfied, just stfu. Besides, the girl playing Rue is super talented, she was amazing in Colombiana.
http://www.Hear-The-Truth.com
OK – SO NOW ITS OUT!!! AMERICA, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A REAL TALK ABOUT RACE??????? Racism, prejudice and bigotry are not dead and we ALL need to realize this and do SOMETHING about it! How sad. . .
That's always the deal isn't it? We always read these books and create our own mental images and the movie can't keep up with all of us. I mean, Emma Watson wasn't how I mentally pictured Hermione Granger, and who can say they saw Elijah Wood as Frodo originally? But at the end of the day, both did a fine job and should be recognized for their acting skill as the character – not their looks. As long as the acting is good, who cares what color she is?
that's crazy!!! clearly people can't read. Page 98 last paragraph {She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin} um to me that can describe an african american. the girl that portrayed Rue was a good choice. How people can dispute the fact is far beyone my understanding. Simple minded i guess.
"Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture," – this should win an award for most racist tweet. Why can't a black girl be innocent? These people are twisted.
Since this is a movie about the future, it is appropriate that the characters have indiscernible genetic orgin. Like our historic first illegitimate moo lat too president, Barack Obama!
Are the dark skinned characters of the future still on welfare? Food stamps?
What difference does it make what color the characters in this movie are? Oh, I expected everyone to be one color, and I'm disappointed... uh huh, yeah right.
On related news, Jesus was certainly not a white guy but yet Hollywood movies portrayed him as a white guy. BFD.
Regardless of color, I'm sure actors still have to go through some form of audition. Who's to say they weren't looking to cast an all white cast, the actors chosen obviously passed the test. I have not read the books, so had no pre-disposition regarding characters before seeing the movie, and I thought the film was cast well.
The race of the actor or actress shouldn't matter as long as the essence of the character is captured. The only time this kind of thing bothers me is in comic book-based movies where they take a long-standing character who was illustrated as caucasian and then decide to make him or her black. It takes me right out of it. A while back, there was talk of a Wonder Woman movie with Beyonce in the lead role. That would have immediately guaranteed that I would never see it.
And it backfires too. The 1990 Tim Burton Batman featured Billy Dee Williams as District Attorney Harvey Dent. Anyone who knows Batman knows that Dent later became Two Face. Two movies later, Dent resurfaced as Two Face... and was played by Tommy Lee Jones!! That was one hell of a transformation.
All of you that are mad about Rue and Cinna DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE DON'T BUY THE BOOKS.
You can just sit at home all day and watch your Furher kills milllions of those other people you don't like on the Military Channel
I'm an old white dude who loved the book and thought ALL the actors were very well cast, even though some of them were different than I'd imagined in the book. The movie's an INTERPRETATION, no? And it would pretty inaccurate if every tribute from all these poor districts were white, wouldn't it?
Well, people these racists don't know how to read. Most racists don't have anything between their ears.
"Awkward moment when Rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture" All I can say is WOW!. I can't believe the prejudice of this person. So a Black girl can't be "innocent" but all blonde girls are?!?!? Unbelievable.
Remember also that the Hunger Games is supposed to be "future America." Last time I checked, we here in America are a melting pot of various ethnicities and cultures from around the world. Wouldn't it seem a little off if there were no black people in this film?
That's what happens when you have multi-culturalism shoved down your throat.
The politically correct police demand that every aspect of the media look like a Benneton advert.
So, when this movie was "shoved down your throat" did you swallow?
Haha, the fact that this is even a conversation is reedick! Only a simpleton would make this an issue!
Wow...
All this talk makes me want to read the book and see the movie ;}
I also enjoy how some people are calling them African-Americans. America was destroyed in this book haha if anything they are African-Panemians lol
Why even report this? My guess is all the fans complaining about it are like 14 year old rednecks. Rue and Thresh are described. Well, Cinna, not being described it was still easy to picture him as dark skinned....I did....but okay there Hunger Games fans. I'm still going to see this. I love that they incorporated all sorts of different people into it. If everyone was white, wouldn't that seem....off?
Lenny was PERFECT as Cinna...not just in looks, but his acting was spot on. He really was able to capture the unspoken relationship between him and Katniss.
The actors that played Rue and Thresh were also great. I am sorry, but I don't know how people did not pick up that Thresh and Rue were black from their descriptions in the books. This is one of the subtle messages in the novel that was so powerful...and it translated well onscreen.
Finally, I just wanted to say...who cares??? The lines between races in our country become more blurred everyday. I myself am a green-eyed, blond-haired "white man" that cooks easily in the sun, but I know for a fact I am at least 1/16th full-blooded American Native (my one of my great-grandmothers was a member of the Eastern Wampanoag tribe).
Really if you go back even 5 or so generations, there are VERY few black people, Asians, hispanics or white people that do not have mixed ancestry somewhere along the line. What I am trying to say is, classification by predominant race or skin color (in any form) is pretty silly if you think about it. Yes, I am primarily caucasian, but I proudly own my Native American blood and heritage. One of my best friends is half-black and half-white. Another of my friends is half-white, one-fourth black and one-fourth Asian. My best cousin married an immigrant from Mexico and all his kids are half-hispanic and half-white.
The sooner you learn and embrace ever-increasing human diversity in ancestry and heritage, the happier you will be.
The only reason I thought Rue was supposed to be white is because there was so much in the book about how Rue was supposed to remind Katniss of her sister, who is white and has blonde hair.
And Cinna-I had no expectation of him beyond that I thought he would good. I was pleasantly surprised.
Thresh-I alternated picturing him as black and white-again because of the whole sister thing-he acted like Rue's brother, who was supposed to be like Katniss' sister, who was white. The rest of the book I pictured him as black.
From page 45 of the book:
"...And most hauntingly, a twelve-year old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that she's very like Prim in size and demeanor..."
Rue reminding Katniss of Prim has nothing to do with the color of her skin, but in her size, age and personality.
People who are making this about race need to find something better to do with their time. The books are great, the movie is very well done and the actors were fantastic.
Can we please get past the color of someone's skin?!
this is crazy. and kind of funny. i read the books. yes, the books describe the characters as they were portrayed.. maybe not even so. this girl and lenny are both mixed, not black – i don't know about the other character. honestly? lenny kravitz and the girl pictured above don't even have dark skin. you folks are silly. just deal with it. suzanne collins had a lot of creative input – isn't she the one whose vision of the characters matters most?? get a life.
What a bunch of whiners... I needed major therapy when I learned that all the Glorfindel's action from LOTR book were given to Arwen in the movies. That's some kinda evil gender-bending... And these kids nowdays are complaining about skin color?!
Tell you what, children: just pick one thing, and stick with it – either you reads dem books, or you goes to the movies. Never ever try to go and see an adaptation of your favorite book on the screen. Major disappointment and probably multiple personalities disorder awaits you every time you try to pull off smth. like that.
BTW, what's the "Hungry Games"?
I think everyone who feels betrayed should stick to watching Adam Sandler movies and Kardashian garbage on TV.
If you are reading these characters according to their region then you understand that it makes sense for the people in District 11 to be black. You can clearly see where Collins drew lines to associate a history with a region – white coal miners, black farmers – it's a nod to the history of this country. When you read in book two about the trip to District 11 Collins is very clearly showing it as the South and the description is very much reflective of slavery. She writes about the crumbling buildings covered with ivy, armed guards every "x" feet. It's a very "plantation" styled description.
Makes me sick how people are allowed to openly propagate racism. These racists need to be held accountable for their hatred and bigotry.
It's free speech unfortunately.
Yeah. These black people just make me sick. Or maybe it's just their terrible body odor.
I just read the books in preparation to see the movie and there was no doubt in my mind that the characters in question were black. This is what I visualized when reading the book and sorry racists, but this did not detach me from emotions applied to said characters.
Ugh...White People...we have GOT to do better than this.
There's no rage quite like Nerd Rage. "That ruined the movie for me...." What a loser.
If any of the racist complainers had actually comprehended what they had read (if they indeed had read the book), they'd remember that Rue & Thresh were described in the book as having dark skin and brown hair. What about that isn't clear? I don't think Cinna's skin color was described, but what does it matter? The acting was superb, no matter what the skin color. Get over your racist selves!
So basically what I'm getting out of this story is.. Racists are unintelligent and have a hard time with reading comprehension. If this series of teen books were too hard for you to understand you need to go back to some board books.
This is really, really wierd. The books do clearly describe Rue and Thresh as being black (okay, darker skinned), with Katniss noting that difference while she felt more affinity for them than for the other Tributes. It went along with the theme of District 12 as Appalachian, and District 11, where Rue and Thresh are from, as being like the old South (it's described more in Book 2 as being focused on plantation style industrial farming).
As a few others have said, clearly those who are reacting oddly to the casting either didn't read the books, or chose to build mental pictures of the characters as looking like themselves. Sort of like paintings you see of Jesus around the world where he's tall and blonde in one place and darker haired with swarthy skin in another. We tend to liken characters we relate to to ourselves and those around us.
What is hunger games? and why do people care what actors are cast??
It be this movie bouts the footure wheres they is no mo chickens o menthols o watamelons o malt liquor an we alls is hungry like in Somalia.
It's depressing to see the number of people commenting and making the exact same racist statement because they were too lazy/stupid to even READ THIS ARTICLE. Oh America. You depress me...and I'm American.
Go back to Africa you dirty Somalian.
To the people who were angered by this, I wouldn' t blame you for being a racist as much as I would for just be stupid. The characters were literally described this way in the book. Case closed. Let's bash the filmmakers for taking such artistic leeway of picking actors that actually resemble the charcters as they are described in the book. In the words of Billy Madison, "You can't even read!"
The reason why you see more racist white teens is because everything is becoming more white....Go watch Disney and Nickelodeon right now....What do you see? Sitcoms with 99% white casts....These kids are being brought up to be racist....There are barely any "black" shows on major network TV anymore...And the only films we ever see now are the crappy Tyler Perry or the sort of "ghetto obstacle" type films....The films, tv, magazines, video games, EVERYTHING kids are seeing these days is white....Why shouldn't they feel superior to blacks? They're constantly being shown that blacks are meant to be either ghetto, sidekicks, comic relief or afterthoughts....They aren't portrayed to be important characters or even people.
no way. Its just that blacks are such animals. They act like they are straight out of the jungle. Every day you hear about them robbing or raping good white people. Blacks are just animals.
LOL, I grew up in the 50's and 60's, and if you think things are white now you should have seen TV and movies back then. I don't believe that even domestics (to use an old term) were black back then...think Hazel. And yet somehow even without these media role models people were able to latch onto real role models such as Martin Luther King, teachers and Viet Nam vets.The black role models in 2012 are far more visible than they were in 1967, Some are excellent, some less so. But they are there as they have never been before.
That is only because white people know deep down they are inferior to black people. That is not a racist statement it's a known fact. I won't include the fact that every human being got their start in African and migrated to the cooler climate that caused their skin to get lighter (that is why white people burn in the sun and the only people that can be destroyed i.e. skin cancer by nature). The African race is the only pure race on the face of this earth. It would take 3-4 generation of race mixing in order to dilute or extinguish the race, but it would take only 1-2 generation of mixing to completely destroy the Anglo race. The Pyramids is the only remaining wonder of the world still standing that was built by African people. The fact that black people especially women age way more gracefully than a white women. Or the body shape is more athletic even when they are fat more than a white women. I can go on but won't.
I thought the actors in the movie were perfectly cast. They actually exceeded what I imagined from the character descriptions in the book. I am not a Kravitz fan, and now I'm sold on him. The actress who portrayed Rue was stunning. Thresh was also well cast. I just can't believe that this is even an issue.
All the crazy ish going on in the world and this is what people are complaining about?? Seriously people it's a friggin book/movie (and a stupid one at that). Grow up.
Subtle and not so subtle bigotry rears it's ugly head yet again. I'm white by the way. Fan's of the Thor movie were making the same comments about the Asgard characters..."oh god how could Asgardians be Asian and Black"
WHY does everything have to be about RACE????!!!! READ THE BOOK, their descriptions were given!!!!! Every actor did a phenomenal job portraying their characters.
District 12 is stated in the book as being Appalachia, and District 11 is south of it. They grow fruit trees. So, Florida, Georgia, perhaps Alabama. Why are people surprised that people in those areas that survived the wars and rising seas might be black?
Someone who actually read - Nd comprehended - the book!!!! Good for you, Olderbutwiser!
I second this comment!
Christine
I do not see what the big deal is. I am white and I don't care. I loved the actress that played Rue, I thought she was adorable. And as far as Lenny Kravitz goes, he is a Rockstar, I'd let him style me anyday.
Too all the racist .... CHEER UP! Don't be upset don't be upset with the Lions Gate family. After all, you still have Mad Men!
LOL!!!
LIghten up people.
People are two lazy or impatient to read thoroughly these days. They skim, skip chapters, or read part of the book and pretend they read it in order to be part of the trend. It may be the fault of the author, as well (I haven't read these kids' books), in providing inadequate or inconsistent description. This fracas interests me because I just finished a much-lauded book that was turned into a film, and it bothered me that there was no description of the main characters. did the author write it knowing that he would sell (or had already sold) the film rights? Or was it a literary device to make the novel more universal?
The only novel I can think of that had a spot-on film version made (although it was made for tv) was _Brideshead Revisited_. I do my best to read books before seeing the film version so the director's vision doesn't interfere with my own.
Has anyone considered the fact that the author was involved in the casting process and approved all the casting decisions? "Dark brown skin and eyes" can encompass a wide variety of ethnicities. The character is also described as being "very like Prim in size and demeanor" MAYBE the best actor that fit the second set of characteristics (size and demeanor) just happened to be black. If the woman who wrote the book cast her in the movie about her book, why do you have a problem with it? Who knows...either way, she did an amazing job and should be commended for her performance. Grow up people.
@Hello, it would be extraordinarily unusual if the author had anything to do with casting. That's not how Hollywood works. The director and producer(s) try to get as many big-box-office names on the film as they can, then the casting director fills out the cast with actors chosen to appeal to a wide demographic. It's all about money, not being true to the book.
really, who cares. Did you miss the irony that all the capitol people (shallow and ignorant) were so obsessed with their looks and the 'real' peiple did not care. I
And people have the nerve to say racism is no longer an issue in the U.S.? Give me a breakkk. Some of the comments made about this young lady were not only shameful, but absolutely evil. What a nasty set of inbreds.
White racists can't read.
I don't think this discussion is about racism. It's about the image of characters in the books. When I read the books, I thought of Cinna as Black, and I think he was cast well in the movie (although I think he wore more makeup in the books). Rue and Thresh were dark-skinned in the books. They could have been played by dark-skinned actors in the movie – and guess what – they were. Rue's performance was especially moving. I pictured Peeta in the book as bigger and fatter because he was the baker's son and one of the few people to have enough to eat in his society – so the only character that didn't live up to my expectations in the movie was Peeta.
There should have been no black characters in the movie. I have not read the books, but Lindsey Lohan or hot white girls are always better.
I guess not reading the books has its advantages. I didn't preconceive what the characters were supposed to look like and thought that all of the actors did a great job. Rue's character was endearing and precocious. Great portrayal. Get over yourselves.
How could it possibly matter what the actors' ethnicity is? Grow up people and get beyond skin color!
Why can't we just have one all white movie or channel! Liberal forced crap.
I agree. We have BET, why can't you all have your own station?? GOSH!!!
What time is the cross-burning Klansman Tim?
Can we move on and focus on the fact that Cato was badly miscast and not convincing? bothered me far more than Rue and Thresh – who I thought were spot on.
Yes, I read the books.
There's black people in the future? 🙁
Gosh I hope not. They have those noses with the giant nostril holes. They use them to breath up all the good air while eating on their watermelons.
I thought the fans were upset because they chose a skinny black girl instead of a fat black girl with big breasts and big hip.
If your first reaction is wondering if they felt overly compelled to cast black actors, then blame the effects of affirmative action. If it wasn't for that, you would not be questioning whether it was based on merit or not.
Or you could blame your poor reading comprehension skills and ignorance. Your choice.
Maybe instead of looking at a person's skin color, they should be looking at the actor that played the part. She could have been purple... who cares.. she was good. An innocent little girl that helped, and needed help... and died... her blood was just as red as it would have been if she had been a little white, blonde haired, blue eyed girl. Until people start looking BEYOND the color of ones skin, then this world isn't going to get any better.
Hey! They could have gotten Morgan Freeman to play the little girl? I mean, since we are dispensing with all pretense at reality.
Hollywood is SUCH a propaganda factory. Did anyone else notice that EVERY black was good, and kind and wise while the villains as usual, were all whites? It was good thing this was fantasy scifi because it sure doesn't mirror the real world.
Maybe because art immates life. Black people are kind, forgiving and understand otherwise they would have killed a lot of whites people in the south when slavery and Jim Crow ended. I can assure you that if white people experience what black people experienced in the past. American would be a more evil and different place to live. That is because God know is people they have forgiveness in their heart. I am sorry but can't say the same thing for white people and that's the truth.
well aren't racists usually the ones who can't read good anyway...
DRN, do mean "read well"?
Who really cares ... people are people ... disgusting ... What is the situation were reversed ... would there be any outrage .. so many things to become angered about ... this is not one of them
Well when I first saw Jennifer Lawrence was to play Katniss, I thought what the hell???? Isn't she supposed to have olive skin, straight black hair and gray eyes?? But they did a good dye job, and she is a great actress.
I read the books and I knew that Rue and Thresh would be black in the movie. Even if they weren't described as such in the books, who cares? The actors did a fabulous job bringing the characters to life on the big screen and Lenny Kravitz was awesome as Cinna. It's 2012 and this kind of lame, backwards, nonsensical bigotry has no place in our society.
I won't lie, I did not notice the description of Rue and Thresh in the book. I did have an image of Rue in my mind that was different than what the book described. That was my fault. So, when I saw Amandla portraying Rue it did throw me off. I was thinking why did they have to change someone just for the movie? Now that I realize that my image of Rue was not accurate according to the book, I have no issue with Amandla portraying Rue. If that is how the book reads, that is how it should be. FYI – I wasn't upset that the movie portrayed Rue as black before I realized the book's description simply because she was black, I was upset because I thought the movie took the liberty to change the appearance of Rue from that of the book. I want things as true to the book as possible. Now that I am aware of my having overlooked this fact, I am perfectly fine with the choice.
By CNN posting this story, they are legitimizing the opinions of these backwards morons. Quit giving them airtime!
I assumed Cinna was black. Weirdly, because of the description of his gold eyeliner. I figured it wouldn't show up or look all that good on a white person, so he must be black. And I was right! Gold eyeliner looks great on black skin!
To the person who asked, what if a White guy played Obama? Well, Obama is a real person unlike the characters in Hunger game. Secondly, please read the books.
The movie and the books were excellent. I don't really care what color the actors are/were.
I think everyone is missing the point. I don't believe it is white people that are upset the characters were black. I think it is black people upset that it is always the black characters that get killed in movies. This has been a long standing complaint for many years.
Also, to you uber intelligent people that are writing comments about how stupid everyone else is you should probably use spell check before you post. You make yourself look just as stupid and you lose any credibility your comment might have had. Duh!!
I think the people who said this should be exposed and see if they say the same thing in person. I have a feeling many of these internet tough guys are a bunch of cowards when they're confronted.
wow what a bunch of losers. They should get up off the couch and get a friggin' life. If the casting of a movie upsets them this much they are really hurtin' raciast goofs.
The radical liberal media drums this race card to upset everyone. It's an election year.You don't think they will play this for all it's worth. It's the same thing with Trayvon's murderer being called a "White" hispanic.....the Soros funded groups are doing everything they can to divide this country.
I agree that the "white" in the description of Zimmerman as a "white Hispanic" is unnecessary. He is Hispanic. If he had been a Hispanic of African descent like many Cubans or Latin Americans are, and it was relevant to the case, they I could see the point of being so specific about his skin color. I agree that this is about racism, the racism of one man, Zimmerman, who happens to be Hispanic, but not about all whites or all Hispanics being racist. In many Latin American countries, being white usually indicates that you are a member of the upper class (not always, but the more ethnic and the less European you look, the more likely you are to suffer discrimination, this is true, I am not white but my father is of French ancestry and I was called a racial slur once by a rich Mexican classmate because his skin was lighter than mine). To me the bottom line is that many of our kids are picking up their racism from us. We need to watch how we treat each other if we want to avoid our kids becoming the next Zimmerman or Trayvon. Oh, and I loved the young actresses performance as Rue and I even though I am not in love with how the actress who played Katniss did her part, the scene where Rue dies and Katniss shows solidarity to her district made the movie for me. Thas scene was so powerful that it has stayed in my mind all week, and it would not have caused so much emotion to be stirred if the actresses had not been black and white.
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After Reading the Bible , I was shocked to see the charters cast as WHITE!!!!!!!!!
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Wait, that Jesus guy ISN'T white?!?! Impossible!!!
They dont let black people into normal heaven. They all go to the jungle heaven where everyone smokes menthols and eats fried chicken and whatsmellon.
I read all three books. It is simple as this: The districts from 1-13 were racially segmented. One was asian (9 or 10) One was african american (11) That is how i read it... it seems to make sense because of the draconian system of the districts.
Who give a sh1t what color they are?! They are human aren't they? I suppose if they had been all white actors someone would complain that the film makers were suppressing blacks or vice versa. Do us all a favor you fake loser fans...SHUT UP AND EAT SH/T!!
I was delighted by the girl who played "RUE" although they didn't focus enough on the budding friendship as did the book. I wasn't impressed with their choice of actresses for "Katniss" I think Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) would have been the better choice. Also Peeta was poorly casted.
My guess is that the overwhelming majority of movie-goers don't care, but some reporter decided to find the few morons out there and ask them. So what is the story, really? That there are stupid racist fools in America? That is not a story. But CNN is hardly known for its journalistic practices.
So these people weren't upset while reading the book that Rue and Thresh had dark skin, but when the movie came out they got upset that they had dark skin?
WHO CARES! The books are awesome and the movie was great! All the actors did a fantastic job. Gosh- I was hoping we were past this stupid black/ white thing. Get a life people who see color!
Perhaps (we would hope) if there comes a future apocalyptic, apocalyptic teen novels will be rigorously banned.
@pop, your comment is lame. Obama is obviously black, but you have an all white imagination. shame.
I think this issue is being a little overblown... I've not heard a single person have any comment on these casting choices. Everyone I talked to loved the movie and it's characters (with the exception of a few guys who thought there was insufficient blood and gore). This does include several people who have read the books and took issues with other things that didn't match the book.
Yeah, there are always going to be a few idiots out there who complain about imaginary problems, and yes, there are idiot racists out there. Why are we giving their delusions and self-importance a forum on CNN?
Seriously? I would expect the exact OPPOSITE reaction if there were not enough black actors in the movie.
This is ASININE!
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Yet no one was SHOCKED to see BATMAN"S King Tut cast as a Fat White Guy.
Are these people idiots or something? I read the books, and Rue and Thresh were clearly described has having dark skin. So I knew that they were black and I expected that black actors would be cast to play them. My first language is not even English and I got that. I don't understand why some American readers did not pick up on that. If a caracter is described has having dark skin and in your mind you imagine a little blond girl with blue eyes, maybe you should brush up on your reading skills.
Well, I for one will not take my daughters to see it. I don't want them to be broken hearted seeing their beloved characters are kneegroids.
Why worry about the color of the characters skin? Just say congatulation to actor on a job well done.
So disgusted by people's reaction. I have to re-read the books to see what Collins exact description was of certain characters. Honestly though it doesn't matter, Lenny Kravitz was not the way I pictured Cinna, but he was AWESOME in that role. I didn't picture Seneca Crane as being a young guy, I pictured him older but again Wes Bently was great in this role. I am sad that people are so willfully ignorant and uneducated. The little girl who played Rue was fantastic I hope she doesn't let a few ignorant people ruin her moment. Not that it matters but for the record I am mixed(white/hispanic).
After reading your hate filled post I am shocked. This isn't the 1950s. Racist like you need to grow up.
I agree with Latricia. Ignorance and intolerance like that spouted by Jessica should not be tolerated. I say pro-create not hate.
As the saying goes, "The darker the berry, the sweeter the juice!!!"
Oh, if it is not what 'I' want – hmmm, so freedom is only for a few? Expression usually shows what is inside one's soul – love never fails, unless one doesn't have a clue or relationship with love.
Wow! With everything that is going on in the U.S. especially right now (Trayvon Martin) this is a sad discussion. The same issue of African American actors being cast came up with the MARVEL movie THOR. There was a group of Arian Brotherhood fools that had beef because Idris Elba was cast as a character. So, it doesn't matter that these movies are NOT REALITY, It only matters that they have black people where you thought white actors should be? SMH
You sound like a bigot to me. All wrapped up in your little hate filled world. Spouting this and that nonsense about stuff that don't make any sense.
🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Since Everybody in the Bible was born in Africa and GOD was stated to have Wooly Hair and Bronzed skin ,I was shocked to see them ALL cast as WHITE!!!!!!!!🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴
The fact that this is a news story, let alone the content of this story, makes me embarrassed for this country. That poor girl is only 13; leave her alone. She did an amazing job and now people are attacking her not for her talent, but for her skin color. People disgust me. And the other guy? Isn't he a brand new foreign actor? Way to welcome him to the U.S.
Get me out of here.
Wait a minute...Jesus is not black??
He's Arabian
He is secretly Russian.
Wait a minute..Jesus is not black?
Not gonna lie... I was a bit dissapointed when will smith played the roll in 'i am legend'.... And the movie wasn't set in Los Angeles in the 70s or even 80s, and he saves the world.... And...It's usually how it goes. At least get the storyline somewhat close to the book and itll be fine. Most of the time its a disappointment to go from book to big screen but to blame it on solely on the color of ones skin is ridiculous.
I think sites should start displaying IP addresses and real names and email addresses. I get tired of people hiding behind screen names. I wonder what percentage of time comments are made for the purpose of sitrring a debate? The amount of bigotry is sickening.
No one wants to see some nasty I P address. We don't want to see people's P. That is disgusting.
I likes to see me some P.
@RB: seriously man! although not too surprised to read the tweets in the article :\
It seems everything anymore is couched in race. Imagine the uproar if non of the characters were black. This book is based on a country consisting of the remnants of the US. Did all the Black people die in the war?
you americans are so tacky...self loathing....no wonder there is little progress in your country...race must be an issue ...for everything...so lame and tacky. why dont you all just work together....god man its sickening.
This is funny! There's actually another book with a beloved character who's description has been overlook... It's called The BIBLE! The Book of Revelation 1:14-15 (...his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; AND HIS FEET LIKE UNTO FINE BRASS, AS IF THEY BURNED IN A FURNACE... aka Dark Skin not pale).
Re pop: Perhaps the author should've have drawn some illustrations for you instead of discriptive writing wish you clearly do not grasp.Because the discriptions of the tributes from district 11 were discribed as having brown skin.
So sad that a book and movie that was geared to the youth has to revert to race.
Seeing all this..... Im glad "Wimpy Kid" wasn't black... Cause that there is a white stick figure if I ever seen one...
CNN is right to post this, there are so many racist people out there and it shouldn't just be swept under the rug. I am ashamed of these tweeter's ignorance.
Im sure glad I read more about this movie before taking my children to see it. They are young and impressionable. I don't think they need to be exposed to the ways of the colored people just yet.
The ways of the colored people? ? ?
When you say colored people you mean white people right. Because black people are one color brown and dark brown. White people are actually the color people: they turn red in the sun, black & blue when you beat them, purple or all the colors in the rainbow when they are suffocating or chocking. I could go on but you get the point. Please don't talk about black people being animal either because white people are the ones who smell like wet dogs coming in from the rain. Where I get my racist view from are white people, that's the reason why there is so much racism in America because American is majority white.
Wow, really? People are upset because Rue is black? This article made me sad, basically people are saying that they can't mourn the death of a black girl but if she was white then its easier to mourn. These people make me sick.
. . . but I really thought Richard Fore was a collored guy.
read the books. i thought the casting for this movie was pretty spot on. they all did an amazing job with protraying the characters.
I knew Rue and Thresh were black. She makes it VERY obvious in the books. Always talking about their dark skin. If anything, Rue isn't dark enough...but it's hard to cast the PERFECT description of a charachter. Just look at Harry Potter. In the book, it's always about his GREEN EYES...but Daniel Radcliff has BLUE EYES. I didn;t hear people complaining about THAT. I don't remember Cinna being black, so I'll have to re-read that...but who cares?? He's a frickin cool stylist, and Lenny Kravitz Rocks!
I just think it is a shame that neither Paris nor LiLo are in this movie. Both are talented actresses and would have made this movie great.
LMAO! Thank you for the laugh!
Shame on CNN for even reporting on this topic and giving credence to a few ignorant people. There are far more important news stories than this.
I agree 100 percent. This is using up valuable time we should be using to focus on Kim Kardashian or Lindsay Lohan. I wonder what they are doing right now? I bet it is something glamourous and interesting. WE LOVE U KK. HUGS.
Im deep dark creamy caramel chocolate and you white republicans all be jealous of my buttery deliciousness.
Again cnn you have allowed some of the most hateful words that can be said about a race of people that hasn't been read in decades are you serious? I'm beginig to think these are your views.(cnn) To the person who controls what is posted and not posted, why are the hatemungers and "nygger" callers allowed to be post? Seriously why? As I read your "post policy" "redeemed appropriate to post".. Im sure this post will be found inappropriate being that im not being a racicst or bigot..
It be just trolls tryin to gets attentions.
Again cnn you have allowed some of the most hateful words that can be said about a race of people that hasn't been read in decades are you serious? I'm beginig to think these are your views.(cnn) To the person who controls what is posted and not posted, why are the hatemungers and "nygger" callers allowed to be post? Seriously why? As I read your "post policy"
Again cnn you have allowed some of the most hateful words that can be said about a race of people that hasn't been read in decades are you serious? I'm beginig to think these are your views.(cnn) To the person who controls what is posted and not posted, why are the hatemungers and "nygger" callers allowed to be post? Seriously why?
Being black seems like a natural disadvantage one must work hard to overcome. Not to bring a negative view to all of the positive comments, but the comments show that it's not that she played the character well, it is that she played the character well despite being black. Its really sad. But it is a no win situation, and
The people who claim racism doesn't exist are usually not black. They have never had a cop stop them because they "fit the description", and they have never had to change who they are to "fit into society". They have never had to excel at a sport, or academic with the sole purpose of being seen as a worthy person.
Life is not easy for any person, or any race.
W O R D.
Clearly these idiots have reading comprehension issues.
Yeah. You white peoples be making me all sick. Comin on here with your prejudicialments. You shouldn't be judgin peoples of our community.
In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-Ol-OTLl1s
Harry Potter should have been black.
Such Ignorance. So, so sad that there are individuals like this.
This has to be the most disgusting thing i have ever read. What day in age do we live in people? Collins clearly described Rue and Thresh as being darker complexion (working in the argricultural district under the sun). regardless this blog is racist! So what if Lenny Kravitz was cast as Cinna, in my opinion, he did an amazing job. i am truely a fan of these books and i believe that the casting done for this movie was brilliant. all parts were cast beautifully.
Its a sad day when this insignificant fact of black actors protraying characters in a movie is addressed. Those who are fans of this blog should be ashamed of themselves. I fully support all of the actors cast in this movie!!
@ pop, you apparently, like the readers of this story, have ZERO reading comprehension.. The characters were not changed at ALL.. You are as ignorant and racists as these teenagers.
Even though being dark skinned doesn't necessarily mean they are African-American, they're still "dark skinned".
First, the people that are complaining about the race of the characters are apparently complete morons and have no reading comprehension skills whatsoever. And second, are you frakkin serious??!! Of all the things to be upset about. Perhaps they should focus on the actual message of the books and film. But I'm betting they couldn't figure that out either.
This makes me so very sad. What is wrong with these people???
When is this racism going to end , this is not the 1960's anymore. Who cares what color the girl's skin is,she is a very good up and coming actor and that's all that people should see .GROW UP PEOPLE and realize that actors get the roles for how they audition, if Lenny Kravitz, Amandlia Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi did not impress the casting director they would not have gotten the role and probably would have gone to hispanic or indian actors. Dayo Okeniyi is not even fully black, read her last name people that is an Asian name, it just goes to show that unless white people get everything this world is in an uproar. You people suck and should be ashamed of even being an American.
This is really no different than fans being upset that Lestat had brown hair in "Queen of the Damned" than the blonde Anne Rice's books say time and time again that Lestat has. Just move on people!
If aint WHITE it aint RIGhT
you are beyond ignorant
Im am not one bit racist or bigoted. I am even married to a Chineese lady. I just do not like jiggs or coloreds.
I would like to arrange a date for you with Lorena Bobbit. No worries if she does not like you. She "cuts" right to the chase. Assuming that she can still get a grip with a pair of tweezers.
Never expect what you have imagined while reading a book, to appear in a movie. Common sense kiddos
It’s pretty obvious these individuals that are ranting about the black actors didn’t read the book. I only recently read the books and the author does describe Rue and thresh as having dark skin. Katniss compares Rue to her sister because of their age not color. If they had actually took the time to READ and COMPREHEND what they were reading they would have known that. In addition, Katniss describes herself and Gale as having “darker skin and hair, like most people in the seam”. It’s really disgusting to hear of people being so ignorant and sounding so stupid.
Seems this is just an open forum for the racists to spew their ignorance and hate. I pray for another Civil War every day so you sub-humans can be eradicated from society like the cancer you are.
I have not met one person that was upset about "black actors" in the movie. Thanks CNN, for trying to make people look racist for your awful story.
When I took my daughter and her friends to see the movie, everyone booed when they saw Rue was a little colored gal. These are girls from good families. They were broken hearted when they found out Rue was black. It is just a shame we have to include them in everything or they will cry racism. They are ruining our good country.
Of course they aren't going to say it out loud in public. But on the internet, you're protected. Or so they thought.
MarcSK sounds like a gay name. Are you one of those little white gay boys? I think that's why y'all are so upset.
You clearly have not read the other posts here. I am really shocked and disgusted at what people say when they think knows who they are.
I am disgusted and you should be ashamed or yourselves if you had any shame.
Skin color should not matter. There is no way it could change the story and you are just racist. Also it is clearly indicated in the book the character could be black.
Ridiculous that anyone would be bothered by Rue being black. These are very ignorant people. I didn't read the book, but if Rue was supposed to be an innocent and pure young child, the girl in the movie was spot on. Idiots.
All these people who are surprised and disgusted that Rue is black are just a bunch of haters who want and expect her to be white!
Calling all "Hunger Games" fans:
Ready for something 'new and different'...already?
Go to: http://www.scottstales.com
Click on: "Storm Chasers". Enjoy!
You are just jealous because we are white. Why don't you go back to Africa? No one wants to hear your black racist comments.
Black people should be upset and question why ABC has never featured a black bachelor/bachelorette. Maybe CNN should do an article on that.
Wow! It's 2012 and people are upset over the color of someone's skin. Not sure what year the movie takes place, but maybe their more tolerant in the future.
I wish CNN would let me publish my expletives with respect to the racist _______ who've made such comments. It hardly seems fair that they are allowed to publish their hatred and yet I cannot express my rage over their stupidity.
I've got a question for everyone what does it matter? This is the producer's take on the book. I have not read the book or seen the movie, but if you enjoyed the movie then really what does the race of the actor or actress matter?
And we wonder why minorities call foul all the time. Are black actors/actresses not worthy of roles deemed to be played by white actors/actresses? Did those black faces lessen the importance, the value, or the meaning of that role or position because they were not white? Who makes that rule a standard? Are white people the only people in America? Did you ever consider Amanda's (Rue) feelings with all of these racist comments? This country and suffice it to say this world, has a problem with accepting dark skin, especially in positions of authority and prestige, but more importantly when white skin is seemingly passed over to fill that position. Learn to love and accept people beyond what you see and think. America and this world is not one color. Get over yourselves.
When people see me they think I'm white,my dad is German and Italian my mom's mother is black ,her dad is Irish.They have always taught us to embrace all of our ethnicity,so when I tell people about myself most of them are shocked.I have had people tell me to say i'm white.I know who I am and a lot of them don't.I embraced the the African American,biracial,as well as the white actors of The Hunger Games ,The books and the movie are amazing and so are they.
You sound like a racist to me. Do you fear people that have different opinions than you? It sure sounds like it. Stop Prejudicement.
Thats hot. 😀
You have got to be kidding me. Did the readers even pay attention to the book, which explicitly describes them as African American? Even then, does it matter what ethnicity the tributes are in the 21st Century? Embarrassing, really.
Whatchoo talkin bout, Willis?
Really, who wants to watch black people? I certainly don't and surely don't want to pay for it.
You are a pathetic poor excuse of a human being.
Take your insecurities and buzz off
Welcome to the U.S. of B. United States of Bigots!
Ha
well spoken friends.
This country is so full of racism.
What are you people? On dope?
@Jessie
you are not black....you are just some trailer trash white , pretending to be black and from Canada.
Im reality, every movie version of a book is going to disappoint in some way. Movies cannot ever match whats in our imagination. So Im going to give these girls the benefit of the doubt as far as racism goes. As for tweets.. good gawd must every tiny bit of mind drivel that comes out of people be posted online?
Why isn't suzanne cOllins coming out in disgust of these racist jerks.
She collects the paydays but does nothing when people advocate racism on her behalf.
Collins = disgust.
Well I pictured everyone turquoise like Skeeter from the cartoon "Doug", totally ruined movies for me. I'll never watch a movie again.
Black canadians! All come to america! Your employers love to hire us here for quota purposes and thanks to your failed welfare system your "african-americans" can't read, write, or speak. Unless marching is a job...
I find it interesting that "dark brown skin and eyes" to many readers can only be interpreted as Africa descent. While I think the young acress playing Rue was excellent, as I was reading the book I pictured as Indian or Pakistani in Appearance. It amazing to me how strongly people feel that "dark brown skin and eyes" can only be interpreted as African American. It's a book. When details are limited people minds fill in the gaps.
I can see how you might think that,but in an interview Suzanne Collins ( author) said Rue, Thresh and a majority of district 11 are African american. I think district 11 (agriculture district) is meant to draw parallels to slavery . The people work the field all day, the electric fences are always on, it is one of the poorest districts and workers are regularly beaten. In later descriptions of district 11 we can conclude its the deep south as well. These characters are not explicitly referred to as African American because those places do not exist in The Hunger Games so that description holds no meaning.
Oh, and since I can read and write it should be obvious that I am a canadian who happens to be black...and not a public school drop out who is african-american.
Where is the firemen from fahrenheit 451 when you need them... *piles all the hunger games books up* worst book series ever... too bad in the future we dont burn movies... *all the firemen pull out flamethrowers and make a bonfire*
Both movie and book was terriable it was as good as watching jar jar binks fumble all over himself again. There is definitly no need to make this pointless fuss over a worthless book series being transfered to a movie. To this degree its rather sad to see people argue over a character's skin color. Plus how do we know some people did not think they were indian? or an islander? or people with a very good tan?
African-american? Uh, there is no america in the book. I an black and from canada. Don't label me african-american. You american liberals crack me up. No wonder you will all be speaking chinese soon. You obviously can't read english.
you are not black, you are just some trailer trash white from Mississippi pretending to be black and from Canada.
GOD DAMN IT....BLACKS NEED TO FOCKING WAKE UP......THIS COUNTRY IS MORE RACIST THAN EVER, A NEW REVOLUTION IS NEEDED.
Anger and Hate leads to fear and suffering...fear and suffering lead away from the light...become enlightened and travel with the truth of love and forgiveness...
Why care what those racists think? The movie happened; Amandla Stenberg, Lenny Kravitz, etc are doing better than them and will continue to; the film is a mega hit.... Lol whine all you want you little pukes... It already happened & your opinion is inconsequential! =)
First, stop feeding the trolls. Second, I worry about our educational system when "fans" can't even remember reading the very clear character descriptions. Rue and Thresh were both quite clearly described in the books as having dark brown skin.
Yes I was more displeased with the casting of the two male leads, but hey maybe they'll convince me in the next film. Peta tossing heavy things was unbelievable due to the actors size..but I had warmed to the actor by movies end..not fully liking..but warmed..they may grow into the role..
I be a smelly, fugly jig-a-booooo!!
You are an ass
That is so stupid. This shows people really do care about the apperance of the actors so much. Rue is played by an awesome beautiful actress and they need to get over themselves. I bet they are twilight fans too.
I read the book, and it was clear in my mind rue was a young girl of color.
Although I didn't like kravitz in the role, it had nothing to do with skin color. I pictured him as a flaming queen! He didn't have much of a personality in the film. The actress playing rue was so enduring, I was sad she didn't play a bigger part!
I didn't like them casting a black actor as nick fury in the marvel films. That was only due to the fact he was an established charactor for years-and white.
They do have to hire so many minority actors/staff in hollywood. Instead of complaining about the casting, complain about the writers simply not writing more characters(or good ones) for minorities..kravitz casting wasn't that big, didn't affect the film. I think many kids were looking for another harry potter:an almost all white cast.
I give kudos to the author for making the story realistic and including charactors of color! Harry potter was not a fantasy due to magic , it was fantasy that they lived in a pasty all white world. And yes I'm white, and enjoy seeing a good mix of ethnic backgrounds..because that's the world that I live in.
Well said.
Why did someone have to put Obama in this one too? The man is black AND white to clear up things...
Regarding the characters and their colors- move on. No one is going to cast anyone without considering the book. If you were looking for someone else of a different color, then this movie wasn't for you. The actors who are black were professional and extraordinary. Finally, they're with feelings too- including a child. Respect their skills if nothing else and get a life. If you are so heated over a movie's characters, then your life must've been in chronic mental disarray before you walked into the movie theatre.
It is amazing that people get so upset about stupid things like this. There are much more important things in this world to worry about besides this nonsense.
This is just stupid. these ******* "readers" are just... uncaring people. This is what Suzanne Collins wrote in Katniss' character. No kids. Took from actual book. "And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she's very like Prim in size and demeanor." In your face, stupid racist people! I'm asian! i don't have the heck to care!! though I'm sure someone will make a big racist fuss and comment about our skin colour. ... I think tumblr is just... a hangout place for a bunch of nosy, idiotic, racist bullies.
a lot of people imagined rue, thresh like that. if I ever meet the very unconsiderate "so called i luv hunger games fans", so long to their racist life.
I think that everyone in the hunger games were casted perfectly <3 #donthate
Bunch of closet racists. Its a fricking movie, and you are a little obsessed.
Those who hate racists become racists. Think about it, you are hating a group for having differing opinions to yours. That's it. I raise my middle finger to all races and say, sarcastically, "may the odds be ever in your favor"(as long as your goals match mine)
Bigoted SOBs. This is a damn movie. Not a part of ur life. Better yet, maybe you need to GET a life if he you can't handle black folks being a part of the movie. Hell...it wasn't but a few in there anyway...ya fools
Who. The. F. Cares. Get. A. F. Ing. Life.
You know what drives racism? ENVY!
I will admit I did picture Rue as being a little blonde girl, but that said I couldnt care less that she wasnt! She was the sweet innocent little girl that was depicted in the books, and I think that character integrity like that would count for more than the colour of her skin! Its a character, its bringing the authors vsion to life, and of course that will differ from what some people pictured. I thought Lenny Kravitz was a perfect Cinna, and off topic but I thought STanley Tucci was perfectly cast as well. I thought the movie was so true to the book, and having a diverse cast only made it that more interestng and relateable. I loved it!
And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that's she's very like Prim in size and demeanor…
Later, she sees Thresh:
The boy tribute from District 11, Thresh, has the same dark skin as Rue, but the resemblance stops there. He's one of the giants, probably six and half feet tall and built like an ox.
These ignorant people are so stupid!!! who cares what their skin color is? In the book Rue and Thresh are described to have dark skin.....after reading that how can you be dissapointed when she is not white with blonde hair? As for Cinna, his skin color was never really mentioned (not that I remember).
Wow, didn't realize being born black is a sin. Last I checked, our blood is the same color regardless of race. The movie is Awesome nd everyone placed their part well. So, what seems to be the problem!
Cnn, why even post this?? There's racist, ignorant people in th world....wow big shock. Congrats on giving the racist idiots a voice
Well to all you racists inbreds: If you even bother to read the rest of the trilogy 'Catching Fire' and "Mockingjay" or for you illiterates who opt to wait for the movie, the characters Rue and Thresh are dead just like most blacks in hollywood roles the characters die. But at least they lasted through half the movie instead of the very beginning. Azzholes ! BTW the actors chosen were EXCELLENT choices.
Well. . . Well. . . Well you are in bread like peanut butter in an peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
They should be more upset that they cast Liam Hemsworth as Gale.
I like the "black Rue", even though she isn't what I had envisioned.
Stupid that this is even an issue.
Of course Rue and Thresh were black. They worked out in fields. White people don't work the fields, they hire minorities to do it for them. I suppose Rue could've been a Mexican, too. That would've fit.
Pick that cotton. I'm gonna drink me a mint julip.
@Heidi: FYI- just to make sure you make it to the right town, it's spelled "Calabasas". Don't you realize by protesting at their store in Calabasas, you and your well-meaning group will be accomplishing one thing: giving them the publicity and attention they crave and need! Just like a drug addict craves and needs drugs. And you and your group will be like their drug dealer.
Lol @ white guy play'n Obama....
Yeah that totally ruined the movie for me when I saw that there were black people in it, I like my movies white and plain... :bonk:
why do you have to think like that? it is mentioned that there are dark skinned people....if you knew then you shouldn't have wasted your time and money....then you wouldn't be complaining like a racist jerk
You no what ruined life for me, ignorant and insecure bastrdz like you. If people like you died, nobody would miss them because you're the reason of everyones misery. Why did you even go watch the movie if you're racist @$$ was gonna complain about it afterwards? I could sh!t a better person than you. I would be embarrassed to be even slightly related to you. Gtfo of this tolerant country if all you want is white supremacy.
People are so damn ignorant!!! F***ing repulsive SMDH
i agree. White peoples be the worst. All biggotted and evil.
Chantal is a fugly tranny!! Time to lay off the knob slobbin!!
Voldemort definitely should have had more hair. They had no business giving him a skin top, it lacked virility.
Can't believe these hicks got national attention for some racist tweets. Way to go.
I read the book. Quite honestly, I was so engrossed in it that the race of the characters didn't even enter my head. Really don't think it matters. This whole white/black mess is redundant. Ignorance is everywhere and the fact that people do not have a problem stating their ignorance so publicly is quite disturbing to me. I mean with our soldiers dying on foreign soil, our children being gunned down because of their skin color, the recession, and the numerous other problems families are facing everyday......people wanna argue about a book and the characters in it? No wonder our country is a big mess.
Dont be calling us black people's ignorant. We is a proud people's. Our culture and our heritage be strong.
And you sounds like a big mess. Our community be strong and proud.
Did the racially objective contributor Roland Martin actually write this article? BTW, the article is not race baiting, because Roland said it's not.
It really made me sick too when I saw all the jiigabos in this movie. It is just gross.
It's past the time to end these race baiting "news articles."
Are you kidding me? This is so ignorant, I can't even believe I'm reading this. In the book they describe them as dark skinned. Obviously the people complaining either haven't read the book or are absolutely idiotic. What is wrong with them being black? There are black people in every movie. Like I said, they were described as dark skinned, dark haired people. What the hell is wrong with the world?
1- A character didn't turn out to look the way you envisioned in your head.......... :/ Really??? Theres no way the person who you envisioned is going to appear on screen exactly as you dreamt them so that right there is just smdh
2- I could see if the actress who played the character didn't pull the total emotions of the character off or if it was some nonsense character thrown in for filler space but to complain, not on her credibility or talent, but simply how her skin looked??? WOW, some people in this world really do still think out of their asses. And then add on the fact that the character was described to have "dark skin" in the book just makes each of these people look ignorant and unintelligent.
You sound like a racist to me. Spewing all that hatred on the Internet. You whites make me nauseous.
Chantal be a box lickin lez-bo freak!! Keep on poundin da poopers with your strap-on meat stix!!
I have a strong feeling that this "issue" is an exagerated issue by CNN to get ratings. Most people in this room don't feel the way the supposed twitter rants claim.
I went to see the movie. I didn't read the book although the movie made me interested in reading the books. You gotta love Ms. Stenberg portrayal of Rue. She is a star with a bright future as far as I can tell. Mr. Kravitz a solid character. Mr. Okeniyi could have used some more screen time to get a better feel for his character. I liked them all.
If you didn't like those casting choices based on race, you are going to be seriously disappointed over the choice of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury in the upcoming "Avengers" film.
Truthfully, I didn't read the books, but I did cry when rue died, the little girl who played her was sweet and innocent and did a good job. Thresh was good too, seriously don't get what the fuss is about.
That was the best part of the movie. Everyone in our theater.actually applauded.
@ritzchip. i cried when rue died as well. she was so sweetly and innocently portrayed. i didn't read the book and have no plans to read the others. i will say that i thought the movie's inclusion of black/darker skinned (which to me says latin or black) actors in general made the movie more realistic. to me, the ratio of minority to white was pretty much accurate and beliveable given the current make up of the country. it really saddens me that people have issues with the casting of cinna, rue, and thresh. we may want to belive that we live in a country free of prejudice and racism, but it's truly articles like these that remind me that those feelings are still present and continue to divide our country.
They could have made any character any color and as long as they could act, it would be okay with me. I enjoyed the movie and the books. The acting was great.
I don't see what the fuss is all about, I get hungry gaming too but I don't cry about it.
Knave no problem with the choice of actors at all. One of the great things about books is that we all filter and imagine characters through our own experiences. Just because one individual pictures Rue as a blonde innocent, it is ridiculous for that person to expect that everyone would picture Rue exactly like they would. I thought the actress captured the spirit of Rue quite nicely.
Pardon me Essie but do i know you? Are you a nygger or a fly?
@RICK DA RULA...NO SWEETIE, that will be you!!! Sounds like you know alot about flies... Try cleaning & spraying your home, and you won't have that many flying around! ~All I gotta say to you is...."Shoe, fly...shoe!!!!!
That's crazy. You want to critique actors in "Hunger Games" why don't you think about who played Peeta, or maybe Katniss? Neither were exactly as I pictured them, but they did a fantastic job in playing their parts. I pictured Rue just as the girl that plays her looks. We all have different perceptions on characters. People need to chill out.
Nyggers and flies i do despise. But the more i see nyggers...the more i love flies.
@RICK RA "COWARD"....The smallest, weakest coward seems REALLY big & strong behind a computer screen!!!
@RICK DA "COWARD"....The smallest, weakest coward seems REALLY big & strong behind a computer screen!!!
you people need to learn how to read. Suzanne Collins described the characters Rue and Thresh as being black. GROW A BRAIN YOU IDIOTS.
Us African Americans got bigger brains than you will ever have you racist.
For some reason I remember Rue as being Asian.
Cinna kinda threw me at first, but it worked.
Don't see what the big deal with the other contestants is, their job was to get dead–and they got dead.
Who even thinks of complaining about this crap?
This is a non-story that someone has made into a big deal. That's a small contingent of ignorant "fans" who apparently skimmed the book, missing key descriptors that clearly showed that Rue & Thrush were black. Indeed, Katniss was supposed to have "olive skin" and dark hair. She's pretty much the only one that they didn't follow although the actress did a wonderful job portraying her.
This post just makes angry because it highlights a small faction of the populace's opinion and further creates a race divide. There are still some stupid people out there, and we're not going to change their opinion by giving them credit for having these racist opinions. Lets focus on the good, or at least a REAL story that deserves to be highlighted this way in the media.
I feel sorry for your mothers
So sad! I thought the did did a fantastic job portraying their characters! Loved the movie, loved the books! No complaints at all, except that I have to wait so long for the next movie ... Oh well 🙂
They actually twisted a lot of what was in the books or did not put it in–the cornucopia was a golden horn not a black space age tunnel thing. Katniss wore yellow in her interview because yellow symbolized hope which was a subtle resistant signal from Cinna. Katniss NEVER removes the spear from Rue's body because the spear has to leave the arena and it cannot leave if it is in the body nor can they show the body and what killed Rue if the spear was removed (in the book it is deliberately left in the body) Woody harrelson was supposed to be like a Columbo coach–pretending to be so drunk but ultimately being a master manipulator–he should have been shown to fall off the stage during the lottery. Katniss was not supposed to have any tears in her eyes during the lottery and indeed said she looked like she was bored–in this movie she looked like she was tense and holding back tears. Peeta was supposed to be drugged and we were to see Katniss misleading him by acting one way then double crossing him to drug him–to plant the idea of duplicity in our minds AND in Peeta's mind. The dissension in district 11 never happened–the rebellion was supposed to start as a whisper with bread given to Katniss from the other district not a riot AND the cornucopia was to be yellow or golden because cornucopias are ancient representations of bounty in food and peace and growth –when this one was the opposite with violence while the districts starved–the very idea of the cornucopia in the book was brilliant because it showed contempt for the people while it forced them to deliver tributes. Too much adlib–this movie should have been like Tombstone with certain parts narrated to explain what was happening and why and how she got the pin was stupid in the movie. All in all, it could have been done better–certain parts seemed like the movie was on a 100K budget. Tacky. And oh yeah Rue was black–thought she'd be even blacker (darker) not a biracial girl.
I just saw the movie, I think they did an awesome job with the casing.. If anything, just a tad disappointed about how she got the pin.. But really people, enough race talk.. this is what my dad told me long ago.. if our skin had a zipper and we all simultaneously took it off, no one will know what color or skin is, we are all the same inside, where it counts.. ONE RACE... HUMAN RACE..
Obama must be proud of his work. Bringing racism back from the dead
I do believe you mean the Tea Party regurgitated it in their feeble-hearted attempts to remove a man of color from the highest office of the land by attempting to reinstate the previous cultural hegemony that existed in the nation fifty years ago. If it wasn't for the Tea Party spreading a false sense of fear about a black man in the White House our nation never would have gotten this divided. The only thing Obama did to bring this on was to be elected as the first (half) black President. Its really just too bad that you're so wrapped up in your self-contained thoughts of utopian one race world to realize how you're being led down a primrose path of failure so the Republicans can ensure their fuedal system of wealth control and dominance over you. So just keep on voting because they say Jesus, while you stay poor and uneducated.
Nah Phil. Obamas a racist. Derrick bell, Jeremiah wright. Look at the evidence, it's right in front of our eyes. Actually maybe not cause CNN won't report it
JL – maybe you're the one who is racist. You along with a certain percentage of this country was not ready for a man of color to be elected President.
Black actors are so powerful they have you wasting your breath to get your garbage comments out your throat but guess what they made money off of what they did and you just made nothing but a fool of yourself you racist ignorant people!!
To Stan and the other coward that didn't put their name up, a black man is running our country, PRESIDENT OBAMA! Every time you stop at a stop light, turn on an air conditioner, use a clothes dryer, put food in the refrigerator and check your mailbox, you are using inventions from a Black Man and thats just to name a few! Go back to whatever rock you crawled from under and kick a few while you're at it!
Deborah, Regarding your last line – SO FUNNY! Again, for Douglas McDade. FANTASTIC and THANK YOU. I hope to carry the image of your comment with me throughout my day. Thanks!
Also wrong about the refrigerator. Refrigeration was invented in 1748 by William Cullen of Glasgow (white), first practical refrigerator designed in 1805 by Oliver Evans (white), first refrigerator built in 1844 by physician John Gorrie (white).
As for the mailbox, the first public mailbox and used in 1858 by George E. Beckett (white). A 4-legged home mailbox was invented but never adopted in 1891 by P.B. Downing (black), The popular mailbox as we know it was invented in 1892 by Albert Potts (white).
Finally, the clothes dryer. First manual version invented in 1799 in France by Pochan (white). VERY similar design patented by George T. Sampson in US in 1892 (black). Sound familiar? The modern day dryer was invented in 1930 by J. Ross Moore (white).
So, out of all your claims, all successful inventions were invented by white men, with two of their inventions PATENTED later by a black man for profit, succeeding in the case of the light and failing with the dryer.
The one actual invention by an african-american on your list (mailbox) was a variation of an existing item and a poor design never adopted.
Some may call me racist for this post. I'd consider myself a realist. I can see why a minority would try and stretch the truth to gain pride for their race. There's plenty of website online that try and claim any black man associated in ANY way with various devices is the "Father of" said device. But really it's just sad.
Minorities in this country already have a stigma of being uneducated. You are just perpetuating that by making inaccurate claims like this.
you forgot to mention peanut butter! A lot of kids, regardless of race, would have gone hungry if not for George Washington Carver's (a black man!) invention of peanut butter!
checkyourfacts: according to science, and the human genome project–ALL humans of ALL RACES owe their existence to the black African female–had she not created and nurtured what eventually turned out to be white, asian, Indian and black babies there would be no whites to invent anything and THAT is why whites hate and fear blacks so much–because no matter what you claim to have achieved–at the root of it, you will ALWAYS and FOREVER owe your very existence to the BLACK AFRICAN FEMALE--that has really got to tick many whites off.
Can't believe I just read that. It is 2012 right??
Much like the books its all make beleve...just like right now I'm gonna close my eyes and make beleve that people don't really act this way.
Fantastic!
But, it is a silly, mindless film created for pimply-faced 14 year old boys. Why is everyone making such a big fat hairy deal over it?
Having not read the books before seeing the movie I did not have any preconceived perceptions of the characters colour. I really don't think it matters, does it? The people who played the characters in the movie did a wonderful job. I really don't understand this focus on colour that people have. Can't people just enjoy the story without resorting to a colour issue? We all bleed red people!!!!
The only problem with the black actors is that their characters didn't have enough screen time! They seemed to just be tokens.
There are some really odd people in the world. I have not read the books, but just seeing the names, my immediate thought is that these are names of black people. Apparently, some of the readers of this series need to get out of their homes more and explore the real world.
I would have come to the same immediate conclusion if the characters names were Shanaynay, Shaniqua, LaDarius, DeJuan, but Cinna, and Rue are just too ambiguous.
i saw the movie and it was great . regardless of the skin color . just be happy the movie was made . no need to hate . rue was sooooooo cute loved her .
Many of these people are a bunch of RACISTS!
Not racist, necessarily, but clearly ignorant of the culture of names.
When will the world grow up!!! So what if the casting of Rue and Thresh are black. ITS HOW THE AUTHOR WROTE IT!!!! I think where people are getting confused is in how much Katniss saw her sister in this little girl, THEREFORE they subconsciously attributed her with Prim's description. But you so called "true fans" need to reread Hunger Games. I am so appualed at this. Really. I thought we were so passed racial discrimination and battering but I guess I've been wrong this entire time. I guess some people will never know what the word "maturity" means.
what these people should really be complaining about is how there are no caucasian / asian / latin, actors in any of Tyler Perry's movies! not that anyone would know because all of his movies are crap and no one watches them!
@Ryan...LOL, LOL!!! I am laughing because you are so full of it! For you to say that "Tyler Perry has no mixed races in his movies, but then again who watches them.". That statement makes you sound so illiterate & uninformed! You would have to be secretly watching his movies to make that judgement! BTW, He does have a mixture of races play in his movies, and people LOVE them!!! That's why he's a billionaire!! ...JEALOUS are you?!?!!!
As as african-american movie-goer, I have to say.... you're right. All Tyler Perry movies suck 😉
There ARE white and latino actors in Tyler Perry's movies! You obviously don't watch them, idiot! Currently in theaters, Tyler Perry's Good Deeds, stars Rebecca Romaijn , and Eddie Cibrian. Previously films include Adam Rodriguez, Kathy Bates, Cole Hauser, and several white and Latino actors.
I read the books last week after all the hoopla had been going on for awhile. Lenny Kravitz is terrific; I pictured Rue as Latina, but does it really matter?...
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GROW THE HELL UP AND STOP THIS RACIAL NONSENSE, THIS IS 2012 IT ISN'T A WHITE MANS WORLD, WHEN ARE YOU IMMATURE PEOPLE GONNA GET THROUGH YOUR DAMN HEADS, GET OVER IT!!!
exactly – this world is the yellow-man's world, afterall there are 5 billion of them.
Now! Now!! Now!! all that yelling you are doing isnt doing you or anyone else any good. If I want to be racist that is my choice as long I dont hurt anyone or discriminate I can dislike blacks, hispanics, whites etc. I can feel how I want to feel as long as in my dealings i am respectful but if I choose to dislikes blacks and not hang out with them that is my choice!!
this whole "Rue isn't supposed to be black" thing, etc is ridiculous! it's a movie people! does it really matter if some actors who got cast aren't exactly what you dummies envisioned nor have the color skin/hair as described in the book? cmon people – get over yourselves and just be pleased that the book was turned into a movie for pete-sake! geez... sometimes i think this world is full of idiots and the comments you people have made only prove that and that you all fit in that 'idiot' category.
Racists bigots – get on sink or loose out !
Big deal
I was most worried about Cinna's actor. Before they cast that character I seriously couldn't imagine anyone so utterly effortless and smooth to play that vital role. Then they announced Lenny Kravitz and my reaction was "DUH!" It seems such a perfectly obvious fit. As for Rue, she looks exactly as I imagined her so I am happy. I think the other non-District 12 tributes all seemed like the members of the football and volleyball teams of my high school years, indistinguishable non-personality jocks. Knock one down and another springs up to take the place.
Aung was white if u know what I meant
No, explain it to us all.
Obviously those morons didn't actually READ the books, because both Rue and Thresh are clearly described as having dark skin. Those facts aside, do people not realize how RACIST they sound making those types of comments?! Did they really expect the entire cast to be white?
THANK YOU D ! At least you actually READ the book. I read exactly the same thing ! Illiterate folks on this blog. Jay-walking.
sometimes i'm really embarrassed to be a part of the human race. With all of the problems in the world it's such a shame that people STILL continue to argue about something as trivial as skin color.
who in their right mind would be upset over this? I thought the little girl who played Rue was outstanding in the film...and I appreciated a little diversity in the cast as a whole. What is wrong with people?
....boobytrapped watermelon or Moon Pie.
Enough said.
Wha a load, you need to check out the fact that EVERY RACE eat the foods you tried to pin point towards one race, shows your education level and hatered. Good luck, I feel sorry for you and those that think this way, very sorry.
Really it's the best way to knock off your white mama biach!
WOW. How sad. I hope you don't have any children around you. Hopefully you are in a dark room with your hooked on phonics literature to keep you company instead of a human/ I would HATE to see you influencing another human. sad
You are so stupid. I despise racists and I hope you get r@ped by a wild turkey, two boars, a sewer rat, and a pack of penguins.
Really CNN??? Is Geraldo or Jerry Springer over there running CNN?? These idiots comprise what percentage of tweets about this movie? Maybe .00000000001 percent???? and Trayvon was suspended for having an empty weed bag and your using Zimmermans prom pictures now??? Some angry racist over there is through with all the Black sympathizers and want to make sure that everyone understands that Black folk are evil. And for all of you idiots in agreement with the ignorant dogs on that tweet Im sure your grandparents are proud of you. idiots
Did they get the memo?? Black actors are only suppose to be given evil roles. Remember how they embraced the black actor who portrayed Judas in "Jesus Chris, Superstar".
I totally agree!! Can you imagine the uproar if Jesus was portrayed by a black actor. But Judas was just fine to be played by a black actor.
Marie,
I believe you need to read Kris's post again, sounds like you skimmed it and didn't really read it
This fear of dark skin reminds me of Ed Young's dedication at the beginning of his book, Lon Po Po; "To all the wolves of the world for lending their good name as a tangible symbol for our darkness." Xenophobia exists everywhere, especially in the fearful darkness of our hearts and minds.
I often enjoy books more than movies.
You know who is really xenophobic? Foreigners.
Heh. Nice try trolls. Nobody could really be that idiotically bigoted. Unless they are just too stupid for words. In which case, whatever they wouldn't understand anyway. We can only hope they don't breed.
Don't be talking that hate speach about us African Americans you republican.
Damn guys thats just reckless, the author described the appearance of Rue, and why does it even matter??? Or rather why is it so big a deal? does that make the character less likable?
They definitely miscast Rue. I always pictured her as a young African American girl.
Me too. When I read the book I just knew she be from the hood. R E S P E C T.
I actually think they played it safe and casted a "mix race" girl for Rue. I expected Rue to be more brown, but was happy with the casting!
Which one is the girl with the bow and arrow? She sure seems dumb to me. I saw this movie 2 weeks ago and I thought that she was the dumbest character in the movie.
Two weeks ago, eh? Didn't this movie just come out?
Weird. You saw it two weeks ago? It wasn't even out yet, idiot.
Its very while possible Elaine saw the movie before a nationwide release. I saw Batman and Robin before its major release and the new Mission Impossible.
I wasnt going to comment on this post because I am an old man and I went to this movie and I thought all the actors and actresses were outstanding but this Mor__ made me comment. Obviously you need to go crawl back under the rock you came out from. If there is anyone that is totally stupid on this post it is you. What a disgrace you are. I promise you idiot!!! that this role has just made Jennifer Lawrence 10 times the person U would ever be. I am also quite sure you look like you have been run over by 3 trucks GO AWAY AND DONT COME BACK SK___
Is this Running Man 2 with pretty prizes at the end?? more Hollywood crap about the same regurgitated story lines...
I think it is racist they always give the good parts to blacks. If I wanted to see them I'd turn on basketball or BET channel.
In what reality are you living in. Please name 5 good movie roles that have been give to blacks in Hollywood over whites. Anyway color is not the issue. If someone has the talent and portrays the character well then they deserve that role.
Or watch them at a press conference at the Oval office, or watch football, golf, listen to their music, use the inventions we've created. FOH
@Stan.. If you think black people get all the good parts then spend your money supporting white movies you racist mule. You really that dum. clothes you wear or anything you touch if by blacks and whites duh.. if you think blacks get all the good movies Hollywood would be flooded by now.. Man why can't people be happy for others oh yeah that's right some just are born to be racist or some are just made because they let their minds run off to la la land thinking it's all white movie. and not black and white. And let me guess you have a black friend too huh.. if so double check ya words
That's cuz we're better then you Stan. Except for hatin'. You do that pretty good.
Dude, if your gonna use a phrase like "you really that dum" and "double check ya words" do you expect to be taken seriously?
Are you as stupid as you wrote?
Stan if you have a problem watching black people on television, maybe you should purchase a one way ticket to Jupiter and never come back to this country, or better yet planet earth in general.
@Stan....your comment is not worth the white sand I walk on...(you're under my feet!!)
As a white person, I'm sick and tired of people like you making the rest of us look bad. White people are not the only people in North America. Stop trying to white-wash the world around you. It's immoral.
Ali....don't waste your time on ignorance, that what ignorance wants, don't give it to them, nothing they say will EVER make sense!
Stan yr are not the smartest cookie in the jar.
@ Stan and Menicy:
You are both meat heads, so shut the kcuf up!!
Rue is nearly exactly as I had pictured her in my minds' eye.
I thought Rue looked EXACTLY as described! Thought she suited her role perfectly. Lenny Kravitz was GREAT as Cinna. They gave two of my favorite performances in the film. I had more trouble accepting Peeta. He was supposed to be big and brawny, not a pita pocket!!!
Plus my cuzin saw that movie and he said it was a white stink festival.
Get a life !
People's are just so unfair to be not liking us good black folk. Just because a few of our yung men be in gangs and doin drive byes and stuff y'all be thinkin we all bees from the hood. We aint goin to see your white movie no how. Last good movie was Big Mamas House.
Tell dem Tyree! Just like peeple be mad at me cuz i dun married my cuzin and sellin my daughter for meth! Geesh, win i gets my teefs back in my mof, going to the walmart barefoot and find a nice yungin under 12. PWT foeva!
Please stop being ignorant. No one believes you're a black person. (Your Ebonics is all wrong, you can't just stick in "bes" everywhere).
LOL, observer!
I am more upset that Katniss is white...I never pictured that AT ALL.
I'm still mad at you for on purposely spilling that buttry popcorn in my lap. You embarrassed me when you licked up that mess from my balls daddy. I told you no more when you told me you were my daddy.
Richard has been doing some ball-sac lickin himself. The fudge packin is getting out of control!
Agreed! I was really surprised at the relative lack of diversity when you hear repeated descriptions of "olive skin, brown eyes, brown hair etc..." in the books. I really have no idea why there is an uproar about this. obviously the people didn't actually read the books or try to get a sense of the world before watching the movie. These ignorant, racist individuals will use any opportunity to spew their hatred and venom upon anyone they find.
I completely agree! I'm sorry but although Jennifer Lawrence was great she is definitely not olive skinned and her hair was not dark enough. So why aren't people ranting about that? Because they're to busy being racist and ignorant against African Americans.
Kriss
I think what you said is perfect
Those 4 people who apparently can't read. Or even understand your point
Shows us that people don't really pay
Or notice what some do or write
I mean at the end you said it you are mixed and thinking on continue the love between race color because you fiancé is Asian with a kick of Italian
Well said Kris
I agree with you. I pictured Katniss as hispanic or maybe Italian.
hehe, you are just looking to start something up.
Funny, when I pictured Rue, based on the author's description in the novel, I pictured the little girl from Columbiana WAY before I knew the casting. Apparently people's displeasure is "Selective reading" for if they read the novel verbatum and didn't interject their own idea of the character they would have realized the author's intent. Suzanne Collins wrote the script and stayed on as a consultant for the film, and was heard saying she was PLEASED with ALL of the casting decisions. However, I did picture Stanly Tooluchi (SP) as Cinna, and Johnny Depp as Ceaser Flickerman. Lol, but I was just as pleased with Lenny as Cinna and felt all the actors did a wonderful job. SO what if Rue, Thresh and Cinna are African American? It made the film more realistic considering the world is NOT made of skin the color of liquid paper. People need to get over their backwards thinking of rasism and what should or shouldn't be and realize we are NOT in the 1940's. There is not more apartheids or segregation. All people are created equal, and THIS IS LIFE NOW! We are moving forward towards a better human race where skin is just a shade. Stop stepping back and buying into your parent's racial bull crap. I might glow in a black light, but my family is more mixed than a global meeting with half my sibblings being half hispanic, my youngest being half African American, quarter hispanic and quarter caucasian, and I have a Korean fiance who has an italian last name! This is the new world people. Get used to it.
You sound like an intollerant hater to me. Such hate speech is just deplorable.
Kris. I'm sorry but there is just no place in today's society for your type of bigotry. Everyone, regardless of race, religion, etc, deserves equal rights. I think you need to go back to Archie Bunker land.
Marie, and Jamal. WOW, once again ignorant idiots proving my point. Re-read what I said. I was CLEARLY stating the fact that people need to get over THEIR racist ideas and moronic 1940's views that black people shouldn't play parts in movies because it isn't what they (the stupid people) pictured which was a white character. I'm standing against these idiots and you assume wrongly because YOU didn't care to pay attention to what was actually said. Thanks for prooving my point about people selectively reading and not understanding. Lol. Great job
@ Kris Clearly they are selective readers. I understood exactly what u said.... and agree.
@Kris....RIGHT ON!!! You summed all that in a nutshell! I am so tired of people thinking everything & everyone must be WHITE!!! It's a dull color anyway...the black actors definitely gave the movie more "flavor" anyway! This mess has to STOP with racist individuals thinking they are the ultimate race....PLEASE!! You're NOT!!!!!!!!!!!
Well said!
No one is the color of liquid paper! I prefer my daughter's (and most of the kids in K-2) description of people: brown people and peach people. 🙂 Also, for the record, when testing marker colors with friends in high school, I was 'golden ochre.' oh my
Jamal and Marie are clearly trolling for indignant retorts (I hope, or our educational system let a few more ignorant readers slip through).
Kris well written and I totally understood you...
Kris's racist rants should not be tolerated on this or any blog. Clearly bigoted, his racist views against people who are different are intolerable and unjustified.
It is time we educate those like Kris to learn to tolerate, not hate. Learn to love our fellow man, not live in fear of the african. Brothers in peace we live together, not being a bigot like Kris and his mother. WORD.
Thanks for those comments Kris. If only the world thought like us. It's saddening that there ae people who feel an amazing series and movie have been ruined because characters are black. Very very sad.
Abraham Einstine and Educator (love how the names IMPLY intelligence but clearly fall short in their remarks) try to re-read my original statement. There is NO bigotry involved. I'm about as racist as an atheist is a Christian (Translation for those who are about as bright as a broken bulb: NOT AT ALL RACIST)
@Tew2010, while most caucasians are "peach" many of us from Irish or scandinavian decents are less fortunate. I'm about as close to liquid paper as you can get unless you put me in the sun. Then I look like an over ripe tomato. It sucks and would much rather have my half sibbling's genes for the nice tan tones. I meant what I said about glowing in a blacklight!
Everyone else, thank you for posting that you understood what I meant. I realize people will read something and take it different ways, but Marie, Jamal, A. Einstine, and Educator simply failed to read it for the meaning and assumed I was going for misintent or were simply trolling. Also, for anyone who may have taken the "I always pictured the little girl from Columbiana" as meaning a racial dig, you're misunderstanding. Columbiana was a film that released last year (good film even with it's low budget) and the little girl in it was who I'd pictured as Rue. Turns out that was who they had actually cast.
Well said Kris!
I guess they were expecting white actresses with tans.... I agree with everything you are saying this country needs to get used to the fact that ALL races are coming together so why not embrace it. Then again back in the day when they needed a Cleopatra they hired elizabeth taylor.
Loved your comment. well put. It's not about the skin color, but that the actor captured the essence of the character. and i think the actor who played Rue (Amandla Stenberg) did a magnificent job. We need to judge actors on their acting, why are we still having bigotry in 2012?
Well said... 🙂
It's a damn shame that in 2012, some people lack reading comprehension. At no time was Kris being racist in her post! What the hell are schools and parents teaching these kids?!
Kris,
Excellent post.
Although am I the only one who finds it funny that in a story involving reading comprehension failure we have so many people failing to comprehend what Kris actually wrote? lol!
Nicely said. Some of the replys you've gotten are really weird huh? Some people do not read at all or at the very least, have limited comprehension skills.
In reading the books many came to identify with and love Rue–many whites are disgusted because they prefer to disassociate and NOT identify with blacks as even people and having already invested in Rue (as a book character) they feel misled and duped. After all, they liked Rue and saw her as a person, if they had known she was black maybe her death would never have counted or meant anything at all....
don't see what the big deal is. The girl who played Rue was so likeable I didn't care if she was purple. She made the character believable,relatable and likeable! I thought they were perfect for their roles!
This may be the dumbest story ever. Who cares? This is what we are now posting about? Move on!
Agree. Did not matter what she looked like to me. Casting was great. This is just blown up from a small number of "fans" making such stupid comments.
Do you blame them?
Yes, yes you can blame them. Rue & Thresh's description was given in the book. Clearly these "readers" can't read all that well or they simply do not pay enough attention to what is written down on paper.
When reading the books I pictured everyone as brown so I surprised when the characters were white.
please take your ignorance and go jump off a building, thanks.
Are you kidding me? I was mesmerized by the actor portraying Rue. She did an excellent job of capturing the character created by Collins. It truly saddens me to think we have people in this world that cannot get beyond skin color. Shame on them.
So if a white guy played Obama, are you all saying you'd be ok with this?,
This is not a racism thing,
They changed the character,
WOW....way to go young white racist America teens.... CAN YOU EVEN READ//
Thanks for show us educated and enlightened people your true ignorance! How could you NOT know Rue was black? She makes it VERY CLEAR in the book! DUMMIES! As I was reading the book, I kept thinking a lot of the people I was reading about were "minorities"...I even have a feeling we'll see a few Asians/Hispanics in the next two!?! I was surprised how much of the fan art paints Rue as white, but thought they were just taking poetic justice, not actually being dumb!
II thought this was 2012 not 1950? I guess some people are just habitual complainers; when if they were fans of the novels and the movie they would understand those characters being portrayed by those 3 talented actors/actresses. Stop finding stuff to complain about and enjoy the movie for its sole purpose of entertainment not some function for you to show how truly racist you actually are.
Dark skinned people are not always African American.
Justs shows us how some feel inferior to black people......
I do not see what the big deal is. I am white and I don't care. I loved the actress that played Rue, I thought she was adorable. And as far as Lenny Kravitz goes, he is a Rockstar, I'd let him style me anyday.
Yes, because these readers are either small minded or can't read.... I am an African American and I wasn't offended by the movie in anyway.
I also assumed Cinna was black from the reading because of his personality and the way he came across in the book so when I saw the movie I wasn't at all surprised.
But a lot of people are just taking this too far... I guess they didn't expect black people to be in the movie... its 2012 people get it together!
If you have a problem with black people playing in this movie how about you dont watch it. Because apparently your too iggnorant as well not to read the book right because she like the color of the actors be known!!!just plain STUPID!!!!
Seriously Pop, did you read the books? Those characters weren't changed. They had "dark skin" to begin with! Reading comprehension people!
For being bigots? Sure can.
Blame them for being bigots? Sure can.
Never met an adult fan of the Hunger Games, Twilight or Harry Potter that did not have a screw loose.
These books are fine for children...adults, however, should definitely not be developing a codependent relationship with these fictional characters.
Since Rue is described in the book as having dark skin and brown hair...yes, yes I can blame them. If they read "dark skin and brown hair" and changed that in their own heads to "blonde Caucasian," then that speaks more to their own prejudices and it's their problem.
I do NOT blame them at all. I went to go see the movie and I'm 36. I've never read a single line of any of the books, but immediately thought: "Good nite!, here we go again, someone somewhere is what, setting a requirement that Blacks have to be included in everything or it's, racist or something????????? to NOT include them???" I mean, I could even tell that those characters were most likely not portrayed in the books as being black and dang it, if I wasn't totally right – it's freaking STUPID. They have all black character movies ALL the time...Tyler Perry anyone???
Yes.
Blame them for being racist? Heck yeah I blame them. Blame them for not being able to read and comprehend? Yeah, I blame them. How about they grow up and recognize the great story without being so bigoted?
Well, they are all racists so you should get along just fine! Sad to see how racism is is being condoned here.
this is about the characters and not about the color of their skin. I could care less what color the people were playing the characters as long as they did a good job. if any one is upset about race or skin color you need to grow up you stupid bigot!
It's funny how the black person is always the "victim" in these situations. Its black people who segregate themselves form everyone else not the other way around. First off they represent 15% of america but want 80%of the jobs otherwise your company is being racist. Not the same for sports though where everyone is black or mixed ethnicity or any casino where everyone is white or asian. Can it be black people don't like math? or would rather rely more on their bronze then brain. Who has their own television channel? is it WET or is BET? hmm....Just like the Killing of Travis or whatever his name is... Cnn shows pictures of the black guy when he was 11, hahaha 11!!!!! but show a mug shot of the guy who shot the 17 year old. thanks cnn for enraging the enitre 15% thank you
I thought everyone would be green,,,,kinda disappointed. Avatar was all blue...I was very happy.
Rue and Thresh could be purple. What the heck difference does it make? And I certainly will look forward to seeing Lenny as Cinna. I actually pictured some of the characters as asian or latin american because of their dark straight hair. Get over yourselves and your ridiculous prejudices. You need to look at yourselves in the mirror and embrace your racism - then let it go.
@CNN:
I'm curious why CNN would give voice to such a petty, prejudiced pathetic group of narrow-minded outliers. Must we highlight every pocket racially divisive pinheads with computer accounts? This is like a Harry Potter casting debate. Find bigger fish to fry, please.
i wish these racist losers couldn't post anonymously.
If you read a book and a skin color is not described. If you default that image to any race, it is your choice.
PIkapp you are a total moron, the movie is based on the books, learn how to read and read a damn book, in the book these characters are black. Need I say more, idiot.
So, reading comprehension not high among racists. I'm shocked. Rue being black "ruined the movie" for you? You can go reflexively procreate.
Incidentally, the first time I saw Noomi Rapace playing Lisbeth in the Swedish version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I thought, "That's not how I pictured her." Within five minutes, I forgot all about my mental image. She had captured the essence of the character and she WAS Lisbeth.
I am still in shock after reading this! I never imagined Rue as some blonde porcelain doll and the young actress who prtrayed her did a wonderful job! If all you could focus on was the color of her skin you have some serious issues.
Let me know when you "fans" get to book 2 and they describe IN DETAIL the rebellin that began in district 11 and the people of district 11 and tell me they arent black. They are REPEATEDLY referred to as dark skinned. you dont refer to any other race as dark skinned. European- olive, Spanish- tanned, Asian- olive/tanned, Africans/African Americans- DARK SKINNED! ALWAYS!
So, I have my Kindle, and this is the description of Rue:
"....She's the twelve-year old, the one who reminded me so of Prim in stature. Up close she looks about ten. She has bright, dark eyes and satiny brown skin"
So anyone who thought she was blonde and blue-eyed as noted in the article is either illiterate, or needs picture books as an imagination aid. I'm just sayin...
You dont refer to any other race as dark skinned. European- olive, Spanish- tanned, Asian- olive/tanned, Africans/African Americans- DARK SKINNED! ALWAYS!
Um...yeah. I blame them for not being able to read character descriptions. Retard.
Why do stupid people read books? It doesn't help them read much....
Sorry, Evel was not a r@cist.
Also, he wouldn't watch movies adapted from 'Young Adult' books.
That is all.
I guess Jackson and Sharpton have extended their opinions now to the Big screen to get some more Racist mess started.
You know, if you cater to people screaming Racist, it remains a vicious cycle. I am so tired of this BS about race in the news. Between the New Black Panthers putting out contracts in the same media we all read, to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton breeding Racism. The 1st Amendment is really going to have some changes coming in the foreseeable future I am sure if all the media can do is report speculation and the ranting's of "IGNORANT" troublemakers that create riots and spread lies.
The Movie was not that great to me, but the book was great. I don't care if Bugs Bunny played the Character, it's just a movie, for sakes ... grow up
No. I blame their parents for raising ignorant children. Who cares what color they are!
Well, yes. If Rue is described in the book as having dark skin, then it is sensible to cast her as such. Even if she isn't, the skin color shouldn't be a major problem. I understand they had an image in their minds, but come on. Some things don't translate from mind image to movie screen perfectly.
Who cares if she is an eskimo, just so long as the kid knows how to act.
Why is it news that people on the internet are upset at something meaningless and trivial. It is after all a day that ends in 'y'? Second of all, why are people getting upset at this small aspect of an otherwise terrible movie. The directing, and screenplay 'ruined the movie' not seeing Rue as a black girl.
And finally they were all black in the book. Cinna was especially obvious. Next time read with feeling.
Yes.
Think of it this way, if there weren't any black actors/actresses in the movie, then people would be complaining about that. It's just the way our society is today (which is incredibly sad). I for one agree with what many people have stated, get over the color of people's skin and just enjoy the movie. There was no racism in the movie and if you truly felt wronged or uncomfortable with who was playing the characters, I suggest you write a letter to Lionsgate.
Yep, the Rue in the movie was pretty much EXACTLY how I pictured her from the book. Only thing I thought was wrong was Thresh didn't seem big enough, Kato looked even bigger than him.
Ok, these tweets are ridiculous and mean and these people obviously were not paying attention when reading the book. Especially the one who said Rue should have been blonde!!! I have no idea where they got those from.
I personally imagined Rue as more Indian/brown complexion as opposed to african american, but I loved the actor they chose in for the movie and fell in love with her, she was so cute, I would have been disappointed however if she was white, as she was not described as such in the book.
As for the tweet "Naturally Thresh would be a black man. #NotImpressed." I think this tweeter was referring the fact that in the book Thresh is described as big and strong but stupid essentially if I remember correctly. So this tweeter it seems was more not impressed that this type of character was portrayed as black (strong but stupid) and was offended not angry that the character was black.
YES I BLAME THEM, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, NEITHER CHARACTER HAS SKIN COLOR MENTIONED AND SINCE WHITE FOLKS GET TO PICTURE A CREAMY WHITE SKINNED, BLONDE HAIR BLUE EYED GIRL TO FILL THE VOID, A AFRICAN AMERICAN GETS THE PART AND THAT CRUSHES THE RACISTS DREAMS, TOO DAMN FUNNY!
I don't always blame people for disliking the casting of a character but, when I do, it's because they're racist.
Pikapp: I know it may come as a surprise to you but Black People are people too. For every 1 movie or TV show that have a majority Black cast there are 150 where there is an all White cast based in metropolitan cities where you don't even see Black folks walking in the background. Are you kidding me? Please Read the Book!!! Then look at movies Like The Ten Commandments or Jesus of Nazareth or anything else supposedly historic. You will see how Black folks can still only play maids, crooks, athletes, entertainers or stupid character stereotypes. It's sad. The rest of the world look at US and laugh and it's not even funny anymore.
I thought the movie sucked but not as much as you, Evel Knievel.
I blame your Momma for not being on the pill a few years ago. Look at the result now, YOU
Yes, I do. They have a problem if they interpret "dark-skinned" as meaning "a blue-eyed white person with a suntan." They may not agree with the choice of characters but the fans who've made "Hunger Games" the top movie at the box office beg to differ.
It is so strange to me that this is even an issue... as I was reading the book I pictured a younger version of "Asterid" (from Fringe). That's pretty much exactly what was provided in the movie... the descriptions throughout the book of her appearance and demeanor are very clear... why does she have to be a little white blonde girl to be sweet and innocent and likeable??
I HAVE READ THE BOOKS, LOVED THE BOOKS, KNEW FROM READING THE BOOKS THAT RUE AND THRESH WERE BLACK. THE AUTHOR MADE THEM BLACK AND I'M SURE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ADAPTION OF HER STORY TO FILM. THAT SAID, CINNA IMAGINED WOULD BE A GAY, WHITE GUY BUT INSTEAD LENNY WAS CAST AS CINNA AND I COULDN'T CARE LESS. APPARENTLY, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE INSECURE, HATEFUL, RACISTS WHITE FOLKS WHO ARE SOMEHOW WEIRDLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY COULD HAVE COMPASSION FOR A CHARACTER ON A VERY HUMAN LEVEL ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE CHARACTER IS BLACK. MAKES ONE WONDER IF THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE FILM MAKERS OR THEMSELVES....HMMM
I HAVE READ THE BOOKS, LOVED THE BOOKS, KNEW FROM READING THE BOOKS THAT RUE AND THRESH WERE BLACK. THE AUTHOR MADE THEM BLACK AND I'M SURE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN THE ADAPTION OF HER STORY TO FILM. THAT SAID, CINNA I IMAGINED WOULD BE A GAY, WHITE GUY BUT INSTEAD LENNY WAS CAST AS CINNA AND I COULDN'T CARE LESS. APPARENTLY, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE INSECURE, HATEFUL, RACISTS WHITE FOLKS WHO ARE SOMEHOW WEIRDLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY COULD HAVE COMPASSION FOR A CHARACTER ON A VERY HUMAN LEVEL ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE CHARACTER IS BLACK. MAKES ONE WONDER IF THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE FILM MAKERS OR THEMSELVES....PATHETIC.
Yes I can blame them, their descriptions were in the book. How about instead of complaining what color their skin is we talk about their acting? Of better yet what mood/feelings were supposed to be conveyed.
I loved the portrayal of Cinna's affection for Katniss because it is a major factor in the books. In the movie you see the bond that Katniss and Rue have. You see the shock and awe or Rue's death and the heart ache and disguist that overwhelms Katniss. That's what matters. Not whether or not their skin is white, black, blue, green, or whatever damn color you want it to be.
Instead of looking at one's color look at them, maybe it'll open your eyes.
tell us again why people are so racist against all blacks (even though none of us know or have experience with all blacks.
No, just you.
Rue and Thresh were fine, Rue was actually cute, but Cinna was very poorly CAST. I hope he will be removed from future movies. Did not like him at all.
Actually, I thought Rue and Cinna were great casting. I did not care for Katniss and Petah. I felt they were aloof, and detached. No deep, intense emotion there.