The 'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' actress believes being told she 'looked too old' for the role in the 2000 movie is just 'a nice way to say you're a little too Black.'
- Jul 17, 2020
AceShowbiz - Nia Long has echoed Thandie Newton's claims about her audition for 2000's "Charlie's Angels", insisting she too was discriminated against.
The 49-year-old actress told Insider she auditioned for the same role of Alex Munday for the movie, which ultimately starred Lucy Liu in the role, opposite Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.
According to Nia, her agent notified her that she wouldn't be getting the part because she "looked too old" to star alongside Drew - despite them only being four years apart.
"I was like, 'What?' " she 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."
Nia explained that, "the feedback that I received from my agent was, 'She just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew Barrymore,' and I'm thinking to myself, it's an actor's choice to walk in the room how they want to look, but it's a director's vision to help create and curate a character."
"So if you couldn't see beyond the fact that I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans then that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I'll keep it moving."
Earlier this month (Jul20), Thandie revealed she turned down the role due to her negative experience with director Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, during the audition process - which led to her believing she would be objectified.
