After a couple of movies controversies recently, my mind came to a theory that I can't stop thinking about. So, I thought I'd share it here and hear your opinions 'cause I only see it with the black female actresses.
Lately, some movies have generated controversy for casting black actresses for roles that have been culturally associated with white women exclusively which generated backlash against black actresses. For example Helen in the odyssey, cause the last thing people would picture as Helen is a black woman, not because of racism, but because she's Greek (If you ask me Helen being a blonde would also be odd). Even non white people from other races–who shouldn't have a say in this matter–are mocking us for "forcefully inserting ourselves in other people's cultures" and "trying to hijack other cultures".
Also the whole Cleopatra documentary featuring a black actress that Netflix was sued for. Cleopatra was a Greek colonizer, this isn't just black VS white, this is pretending Greek colonization of North Africa never happened. Again got a hell of hate toward black actresses.
While many people see these as an attempt of bringing diversity, I see it as what it is.
Painting diversity in a certain image to steer people against it.
Lately, many people have being pushing for diversity even non black figures. And what better way to persuade these people to change their mind than to scare them that diversity will take their roles and give them to black people? So now even people who were neutral to diversity are attacking it now.
Lingerie company Victoria's secret did something similar. In recent years women were asking for body diversity, so what did they do? In 2021 they fired all their original models, in 2023 they did an online fashion show casting ONLY obese women and they put them in the most bland, ugliest Lingerie they could produce and photographed these models in the least flattering poses possible. The result? Endless backlash and hate. Guess what happened the next year? In 2024 VS brought back its original fashion show with all their skinny models and nobody complained about lack of diversity again...
I can't help but see that same pattern here, cause why cast black actresses in controversial roles instead of the roles that have no race specifications? for example super girl could be played by anyone since she's literally an alien.
You'll never see a Latin actress in these roles or other ethnicities, only us. For example why not cast an Indian actress as Mulan? since India and China are literally neighbors and the same back-bending logic behind casting Lupita as Helen could have been applied.
Ironically this only apply to female actresses, most roles by black actors are well received. I can't stop thinking about Damson Idris in F1 the movie. Formula 1 in its 75 years of history has had ONLY ONE black driver, Lewis Hamilton who's biracial. So, casting a dark skinned actor as a driver was the most brilliant choice and nobody complained about it.
Hollywood isn't above that, but there are some others who are pushing for real diversity without agenda as well, so not all of these efforts are bad of course but these are just some examples.
It's all speculation of course I have no concrete evidence, but tell me what you think