Why are so many well-known Black British actresses biracial?

[tszuj]

Dec 19, 2014 10:00:33 GMT -4 Neurochick said:

Interesting observation. Are there more interracial marriages in the UK than the USA? If so maybe that's the reason?

In my experience, massively more. One of the things that shocked me when I (briefly) moved from London to the US was the relative lack of mixed-race couples and how much more segregated society still seemed to be. Doctor Who, one of my favourite shows, caused a bit of fuss in the US because it has so many mixed-race couples - not complaining exactly, just feeling like it was the showrunner making a pointed statement and was unrealistic. But in the UK people barely even noticed because it's so commonplace.

Having said that, the UK industry definitely does have a problem with racism and representation; a major campaign was started this year which I was involved with, to increase opportunities and visibility for BAME actors in the UK. It's complicated and it's different (not necessarily better or worse, but different) than in the US because the histories are so different. But God knows plenty of BAME British actors have spoken about how they have to go to the USA because there are just too few roles for BAME actors. There are also reasons (specific to acting) that have nothing to do with attitudes towards race specifically, but archaic (well, imo) attitudes towards acting itself that exclude people not from a very specific background. Things are changing slowly, though.

[chonies]

The statistics for interracial coupling overall are about the same in US and the UK--about one in 10 couples are mixed in some way. There are some data problems because the US doesn't have a civil registry, and I haven't looked into this, but I'd expect racial categories are differently described (is there a UK equivalent of 'Hispanic of any race', for example? And what about indigenous people of different geographical origins?). Also, the statistics vary across groups--white people generally have a much lower rate of interracial marriage than nonwhite people, who are far more likely to have interracial couplings. Freema Agyeman is an example because her father is Ghanian and her mother is from Iran. I don't know if Iran is counted as white or nonwhite in the UK, but I'm pretty sure it's currently "Asian" in US Census regulations.

My only real conclusion is a hypothesis: the seemingly large number of biracial folks in UK media (and Ireland, I'll add Samantha Mumba and Phil Lynott to this list) is because that's the reality for many people. There are a lot of first generation biracial people in media because there are a lot of first generation biracial people at large.

ETA: The first black Briton I was aware of is Downtown Julie Brown, and I learned just now that she's biracial, too. (Also, various band members in The Specials and Big Country were the next few black Britons on my list, but I didn't know anything about them until ages later).

[baileydash]

A high percentage of mixed-race marriages may explain why there are more mixed-race children in London, but it doesn't explain why most of the well-known black actresses and pop singers seem to be mixed-race.

Britain of course, is NOT the U.S. But if most of the celebrated black actresses and pop stars in the U.S. were biracial, people from all walks of life would be raising hell.

Why? Because actresses and music stars set the standard for beauty, talent and sex appeal.

If practically all of those who reach a level of stardom are biracial, what does that say about women who are "just" black?

A system that has room for Thandie Newton but NOT someone like Viola Davis is effed up.

Don't get me wrong. We in the African American community still have problems with colorism. But at least it's gotten to the point where nobody openly worships fair-skinned black women just because they have fair skin. People have the good taste to at least hide such fetishes.

But I sometimes get the feeling that many people in Britain feel that they are more evolved when it comes to racial issues than us dumb American when aspects of your popular culture say otherwise. There seems to be a caste system for black women performers in the UK.

[tszuj]

Hmm, I don't know if I agree with that. I'd argue that America/the American industry has a bigger problem with that kind of caste system, and has a higher proportion of lighter skinned/biracial performers becoming really successful and high profile than in the UK. I know I've read quite a few articles and one books about that very issue. Not being in the US I might be getting an unfair picture, but nearly all the really big non-white movie or pop stars appear to be lighter skinned, and to come under pressure to look 'more Caucasian' (e.g. straightening and lightening their hair, or some of the controversies over magazines lightening celebs' skin tones). The few darker skinned black performers like Viola Davis appear to be pretty marginalised and have far fewer big opportunities and press coverage than lighter skinned/biracial performers with less impressive bodies of work.

I'm not defending Britain, because we definitely have major racial problems, and certainly the industry here is behind the US in some ways when it comes to race. But there are a fair number of black British performers (though not enough) - maybe they just aren't known in the US?

[chonies]

I would definitely agree that the U.S. has a serious problem with caste and race issues, going all the way back to the beginning of the motion picture industry, and of course continuing through Viola Davis and others.

Another thing that comes to mind is generic exotica--I remember when Kate Beckinsale was newish, there was a bit about her being 1/8th Burmese, which is mildly interesting, but wears thin as a talking point. In addition to the colorist problems, I think the exotica factor should be looked at. I don't know anything about modern British race relations, so I might be massively wrong, but I've read that in the US, recent African immigrants have an easier time moving around because they're exotic and international, in a charming way, and not necessarily burdened by generations of economic and social inequalities. These are also the people who might be in a better position to pursue a risky profession like acting, rather than something more stable.

I really like thinking about this topic and I wonder if it would be helpful to reframe somehow.

[tszuj]

I agree, it's really interesting - and important - to talk about.

One thing that might be relevant - in the US the whole concept of heritage and ancestry, and of identifying one's and other people's ancestry, seems to be much, much more important than in the UK. For example Brits are baffled when we meet Americans who are like, "I'm half Irish, a quarter Dutch, an eighth English, etc. etc." - or people who ID as Italian or Irish when they mean that's where their grandparents came from. It's too complex really to reduce to such generalities, but we sort of don't do that. Maybe because Britain is so much older? So I think - and other Brits may disagree - that the way we think about and conceptualize being mixed, is different from in the US.

And in my experience America is just far more aware and sensitive to racial backgrounds and the complexities involved, whereas in the UK people tend to get labelled more according to appearance. For example someone upthread mentioned Freema Agyman - in the UK she would just be considered black, and I don't think I've ever heard her described as anything other than black or black British. The same goes for quite a few dark-skinned actresses who are actually biracial. I mean, I'm mixed, but I'm aware that because of my skin tone I'm considered as white.

Eta - if you haven't seen it, the movie Belle is a must-see for anyone interested in race and the UK.

[chonies]

I think Freema would also be considered black in the U.S. and the fact that she is half Persian would be a novelty or curiosity that does not really change anything about her blackness. Zoe Saldana has discussed her perception of her own heritage many times, but I don't think the U.S. media really cares about the complexities of Caribbean or black heritage. Does Nicki Minaj discuss this at all?

In contrast, I suppose someone like Alexa Chung would be considered white; Hispanic actors of various descent would almost definitely be described by their nation of origin, which would mean they are kind of white, maybe. What I'm trying to avoid saying is that in the U.S. for nearly everyone of any origin except African, their heritage becomes an ethnicity once it mixes with whiteness. It's the law of hypodescent.

As to why the U.S. is obsessed with European ancestry percentages, there are several ideas. One big explanation is that part of the U.S. was settled in chunks of ethnic groups, and this has lasting effects, in both the rural and urban areas. The immigrants also found their tribes and established churches and schools, so belonging was important. The local character of many regions is also a direct line to places in Europe, and in parts of the country it's pretty common to have family disagreements about how to celebrate a holiday based on ethnicity, which is also tied to food and religion, etc. My Italian American friends' families are fractured along things of Sicilian v. Neopolitan. There is also the role of history in which being, say, French meant access to things that other people did not. Fwiw, I think most Americans are interested in it from a curiosity pov but it doesn't really matter, other than as a vague explanation.

[baileydash]

Dec 22, 2014 23:12:16 GMT -4 tszuj said:

Hmm, I don't know if I agree with that. I'd argue that America/the American industry has a bigger problem with that kind of caste system, and has a higher proportion of lighter skinned/biracial performers becoming really successful and high profile than in the UK. I know I've read quite a few articles and one books about that very issue. Not being in the US I might be getting an unfair picture, but nearly all the really big non-white movie or pop stars appear to be lighter skinned, and to come under pressure to look 'more Caucasian' (e.g. straightening and lightening their hair, or some of the controversies over magazines lightening celebs' skin tones). The few darker skinned black performers like Viola Davis appear to be pretty marginalised and have far fewer big opportunities and press coverage than lighter skinned/biracial performers with less impressive bodies of work.

I'm not defending Britain, because we definitely have major racial problems, and certainly the industry here is behind the US in some ways when it comes to race. But there are a fair number of black British performers (though not enough) - maybe they just aren't known in the US?

Maybe that is the case. It's not that there are no black British performers who happen to be women. It's just that they haven't crossed over to the U.S. like those women who are biracial.

I just thought it strange that seemingly every new up-and-coming British actresses with Black African ancestry, seemed to be biracial. Was there something about their shared history and heritage that attracted them to the performing arts? Or did the fact that they are mixed present a more "acceptable" form of blackness in show biz circles on that side of the Atlantic?

I disagree that most high-profile African American female performers have light skin or a so-called biracial look. Paula Patton, Halle Berry and Beyonce aren't the only women who have big careers. And I can think of a whole wagon load of "just" black actresses who get more work and a hell of a lot more industry respect than say Jennifer Beals, OR Halle Berry.

I think it comes down to how black people are most frequently classified in the U.S. When casting, bi and multiracial actresses in the U. S. usually aren't seen to be any different than a black woman who has two black parents.

For Hollywood folks in power who think every role should be played by a nubile young white woman unless otherwise stated, they see a woman who is black or biracial as equally financially risky simply because she isn't white.

As Chris Rock said in his Hollywood Reporter essay, "everyone" was up for the female lead in the next season of True Detective, except a single black woman, even though the role could be played by anyone. And you can be certain that nobody in Hollywood said, "Well we could give a black actress a shot if she's biracial." That just doesn't happen. They see the real risk as getting any woman who isn't white. The gradations of color for black women doesn't really come into play because they haven't even gotten to that point psychologically.

[tszuj]

Dec 23, 2014 11:28:37 GMT -4 baileydash said:

Maybe that is the case. It's not that there are no black British performers who happen to be women. It's just that they haven't crossed over to the U.S. like those women who are biracial. I just thought it strange that seemingly every new up-and-coming British actresses with Black African ancestry, seemed to be biracial. Was there something about their shared history and heritage that attracted them to the performing arts? Or did the fact that they are mixed present a more "acceptable" form of blackness in show biz circles on that side of the Atlantic?

I think you've hit the nail on the head there - there are a number of
successful black performers in the UK, but their success doesn't seem to translate so often (and anecdotally, from my time working in theatre, UK theatre is still obscenely white-dominated, but in my experience there are far more black actors than any other non-white group working as regular non-famous jobbing actors, with asian actors being the most marginalised). And it's definitely a gender thing too, thinking of black British male actors I know/know of who have gone to the US.

Dec 23, 2014 11:28:37 GMT -4 baileydash said:

And I can think of a whole wagon load of "just" black actresses who get more work and a hell of a lot more industry respect than say Jennifer Beals, OR Halle Berry.

I admit I don't know that much about the American industry, so I'd be curious to learn more. I can't think of that many. I mean, I can think of black actresses who have been very successful, and that's fantastic, but the way Hollywood treats them overall just seems unequal. All the black actresses I've really admired lately (like Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong'o, Gabourey Sidibe), I just feel like they've been really marginalised and ignored compared to how a white or lighter skinned actress with the same CV would be treated. It's crazy that Lupita has done so little since 12 Years; with her looks and acclaim she should have a Jennifer Lawrence or young Angelina Jolie career.

Dec 23, 2014 11:28:37 GMT -4 baileydash said:

As Chris Rock said in his Hollywood Reporter essay, "everyone" was up for the female lead in the next season of True Detective, except a single black woman, even though the role could be played by anyone. And you can be certain that nobody in Hollywood said, "Well we could give a black actress a shot if she's biracial." That just doesn't happen.

Exactly. And what's worse is that it feels like half the time even when the original casting does call for a non-white actor, they end up casting a white actor anyway. (See: Exodus, Sinbad, that one really awful season of Torchwood.)

[narm]

tszuj, thank for the Belle recommendation. I really enjoyed it.