Days after Thandie Newton took to press to slam the creators of the 2000 movie reboot of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (as we reported here), fellow actress Nia Long co-signed her comments by recounting her racially-charged history with the female-empowerment film.
Hot on the promo trailer for her recently released Netflix flick ‘Fatal Affair’ (click here to see the trailer), Long took to Insider to recall trying out for the role of “Alex” in ‘Charlie’s Angels’ but says casting agents and producers passed on her because she was ‘too Black’ and ‘too old.’
What’s worse, the role was eventually given to Lucy Liu who is two years Long’s senior.
“The feedback that I received from my agent was, ‘[I] just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew,'” Long claimed in a new interview with Insider.
Continuing, Long said:
“I love Drew Barrymore, I think she’s amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you’re a little too Black. Personally, that’s what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin [actors]. I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film.”
In the same interview, Long later said the decision shouldn’t have been solely by her appearance at the audition as it’s “a director’s vision to help create and curate a character” and see past “the fact I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans.”
Concluding, she stated:
“…that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I’ll keep it moving.”
*****
The sentiment expressed echoes Newton’s who said it was the producer’s intent to objectify her Blackness in the film. Amy Pascal, the film’s producer, says she has no recollection of Newton’s claims.
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Although she is only speculating, I remember thinking back in 2000 when the film actually came out that they could at least have put a black girl in the movie.
Sorry but they made the right decision. Nothing against Nia long i think she’s beautiful. The 3 ladies just have better chemistry.
I didn’t mean Nia Long necessarily. I agree the three did have great chemistry.
The 3 ladies had chemistry and the casting was spot on.
An Asian woman (lucy lui) was cast . That’s diversity
Diversity doesnt always mean include a black person.
Diversity means include minorities not just black but Asian, gay, disabled etc.
I mean, a black Charlie’s angel wouldn’t have hurt at all. It would’ve been great. But Lucy, Drew, and Cameron were perfect for their roles, so who knows. What’s done is done. She wouldn’t have been the blackest thing in the movie though. Bernie Mac was there for a few minutes.
I love you Nia… however McG (the director) made an excellent choice with Lucy Liu! She was my favorite out the entire film. And I’m sorry you would have been an “off” fit for that movie. Low key the tall girl in the horrible 2019 version of Charlie’s Angles wasn’t a good fit either. Sorry honey….. loved you in Love Jones tho!
Nia was also on The Talk this morning complaining about being discriminated against during an air flight. I believe what she’s saying, but I don’t think too many interviews about her new movie need to involve a personal experience with racism. It draws attention away from her castmates and the filmmakers and becomes all about her.
ewww, tell nia to stop wearing that ugly ass lip stick, it dont look good, get a new makeup artist damn
Stop hating. If Nia put on psychedelic lipstick, it would not matter. She is stunning. Stop being jealous and grow up.
Lucy lui ain’t that hot and she doesn’t know kung fu. Maggie Q is way better
The film flopped anyways so u ain’t miss out Nia!!!
So she thinks it was because she was black, while they say she looked too old.
Honestly, I think the charlie’s angels cast was perfect and lucy liu did great.
And yes, they could have put a Black girl in the group. But honestly, it would be a little forced, wouldn’t it? I can see Charlies angels in 5 years – one white girl, one Asian, one black, one Latina, one male to female, one female to male, one genderneutral, one disabled, one with and a dog that thinks its a woman.
Nia and Thandie probably lucked out not getting/taking the role. I distinctly remember Lucy Liu complaining about her part in the first film being one-note and fetishtistic. That’s why they gave her character the “arc” of telling her father her real job in the sequel. I can only imagine what they would have written for a black Alex given some of some of the questionable scenes Lucy had to shoot as an Asian woman. Like, did she HAVE to play a stereotypical happy-ending masseur while they played” I Think I’m Turning Japanese”?
Nia is lying. She didn’t want the part and passed on it. I heard she has a habit of that, and bitchy, too.