Meet the unscrupulous man who fooled the arts world into believing he was black to steal grants built to support real creatives of colour.
Anthony Lennon’s story below…
Lennon was born to Irish parents, but claims his darker hue saw him attacked with racial abuse in school…labelled the N-word by students and teachers alike.
Then, like Rachel Dolezal (the civil rights activist who began to identify as a black woman after learning her biological brother had sexually molested her adopted African-American sister), Patrick set out to deceive the world into believing he was African and even went as far as to take a West African middle name.
Now, he has been criticised by his former friends and peers for lying about his heritage and using said lie to pocket cash set aside by the British government to support black creatives hoping to soar in entertainment.
He had this to say for himself…
Some people call themselves a born-again Christian. Some people call me a born-again African. I prefer to call myself an African born again.
Although I’m white, with white parents, I have gone through the struggles of a black man, a black actor.
When I’m alone in my bedroom looking in the mirror, thinking about stuff I’ve written down, thinking about my past relationship-wise, pictures on the wall, I think I’m a black man.
He thought wrong.
The actor Lennie James, who was disturbed by Lennon’s sick and twisted game, revealed that he believed the creative would often study his behaviour, mannerisms and character and use them to build his own.
Sometimes I feel like you are watching me. Watching me to say this equals a black man. Then you’re taking it from me, and sticking it on yourself.
Shameless.