Nicola Coughlan hopes that Bridgerton will forever help to change the way people think about period pieces. The embrace of entertainment executives including Rhimes, who earned initial success as the showrunner for the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and directors Ava Duvernay and Gina Prince-Bythewood, shows that real progress is possible, she says. Prior to this, it wasn’t common to see actors of colour in classical roles. As for what's next, Toussaint says she's looking forward to a post-pandemic world where we can return to see live performances in a theater, noting that the technology that allows her to perform virtually on stage -- what she calls "simulated intimacy" -- doesn't work for her. "The face of theater may change, but I think there's nothing else in the world that compares to walking into a space and having a live interaction.". January 12, 2021, wherein she spoke about Bridgerton's colour-blind casting.The Irish actor also expressed how her conversation with co-actor Adjoa Andoh helped her … … Shonda has broken that ceiling," says Toussaint, 60. So, the examples we're talking about are really exceptions,". Featuring a black queen, opulent costumes and "Fifty Shades"-like sex scenes, the Netflix series inspires and provokes in equal measure. It is awakening minds and hearts and opening eyes," says Toussaint, who last year created the Mothers & Sons 2020 Project to encourage Black Americans to vote. "There is actually a very high correlation between higher profitability and a movie that shows a more diverse cast and world," said Harrington. "I was trained to do period, and to be able to do that on film now would be really exciting.". In the world of Bridgerton, most dark Netflix’s Bridgerton has proved itself to be a new sensation, having been streamed in 63 million households in the first four weeks of release – the streaming service’s very own diamond of the season, if you will. It's not just because the historical drama has become one of Netflix's most popular original shows, with the eight episodes in season 1 watched by more than 82 million accounts in its first month, according to the streaming service. There will always be change in our world, and we'll be here to discuss how to navigate it all. And that diversity, fueled in part by last year's reckoning over Black Lives Matter, is prompting real discussions and action. Now What is a video interview series with industry leaders, celebrities and influencers that covers trends impacting businesses and consumers amid the "new normal." Nicola appeared on the British daytime talk show, This Morning's latest episode on Tuesday, i.e. Casting actors regardless of their heritage may seem to allow for more diversity on screen and in theatre. There's love, intrigue and sex, ideas of class and rebellion against them: familiar themes that typically pepper a Jane Austen-esque historical romance. Nicola Coughlan Speaks Out About Concerns Over Bridgerton's "Color-Blind" Casting Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan opened up about the Netflix show's diverse cast and … Bridgerton, in many ways, is just another period piece.Based on the eight novels by Julia Quinn that are collectively known as the Bridgerton Series and released by Netflix in December, the series is set in Regency-era London; its main characters are all gentry in the “ton,” and each one’s character arc is marked by anxiety about virtue, status, and marriage. Calm down online bores, colour-blind casting isn’t ‘woke’ With Dev Patel as David Copperfield, movies have caught up with theatre’s creative approach Sat, Feb 1, 2020, 05:00 Since the 2016, the #OscarsSoWhite movement typifies efforts in Hollywood to introduce more diversity to the film industry — including having People of Color narrate from their perspective. "We're getting to a critical mass point where we're starting to see a real shift in the business and the industry. 5. An atypical look and feel to previously all-white film adaptations like "Pride and Prejudice. "The Queen is played by a Woman of Color, but what life was really like for most black women at the time is not adequately addressed. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/picture alliance While casting is important in diverse storytelling, Bridgerton's omission of race presents a false colorblind narrative giving the illusion of a postracial society, where racism no longer exists. Nicola Coughlan Speaks Out About Concerns Over Bridgerton's "Color-Blind" Casting Ryan Gajewski 1/13/2021. While it’s easy to fill a diversity quota by including the occasional extra or stereotypical co-star role with a person of color, casting leading men and women with complex and dimensional characters is still scarce today. Two trans actors, Jake Graf and Rebecca Root, also play cisgender supporting characters. © 2021 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. There are a whole slew of filmmakers that are top-notch and at the top of their game. La storia d’amore tra i due protagonisti Daphne e il Duca Simon, interpretati da Phoebe Dynevor e Regé‑Jean Page, richiama l’attenzione del romantico pubblico. In February, she began starring in CBS' crime series The Equalizer alongside Queen Latifah and Chris Noth, playing "an unconventional maternal figure." That is touching the industry. The second season of Bridgerton will follow the plot of Julia Quinn's ... to match the Shondaland series' race-blind casting. Casting actors whose skin color and looks vastly differ from the literary or historical characters they portray onscreen is known as " colorblind casting." The Actors' Equity Association is a co-founder.. Die neue Netflix-Serie Bridgerton ist das jüngste Beispiel für eine Besetzungspraxis im Film, die man "Colorblind Casting" nennt, die also, zumindest dem Anschein nach, "farbenblind" ist. CNET - Connie Guglielmo • 19m. New Netflix period drama Bridgerton adopts colour-blind casting Save Bridgerton will be based on the series of novels by Julia Quinn, the best-selling US romance writer. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Lawrence Olivier’s 1964 Othello and Natalie Wood’s Maria in West Side Story may have been lauded at the time but such casting against type would never be permitted today. That's how the industry changes.". But the show also casts strong women of color such as Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh in dignified positions of power. Is colorblind casting the secret to 'Bridgerton's ... whose skin color and looks vastly differ from the literary or historical characters they portray onscreen is known as "colorblind casting." Surely the inspiration Bridgerton takes from 1997’s Cinderella can’t be costume-deep. When asked about diverse or colorblind casting, 53% say that it adds to a show or movie in general, while 83% of Bridgerton viewers say that it adds to the show. In the meantime, Toussaint, who played a villain of sorts on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black and voiced the sorceress Shadow Weaver in the animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, remains busy at work. Bridgerton: l’effetto blind-color casting. Black Panther, starring the late Chadwick Boseman, is a striking example. But make no mistake, the Regency-era romance — with its multiracial cast — isn't merely an act of color-blind casting. Bridgerton (TV Series 2020– ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. So, while about half of audiences find colorblind casting is a value-add in general, Bridgerton seems to have hit the mark for most viewers. Not taking into account the actor’s skin color in an audition, but simply choosing who is best and most suitable for the role. Launched on Netflix on December 25, 2020, the series is currently among the most viewed in many countries, including Germany. Or Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which also features Boseman in his final role before his death in 2020. "Oftentimes racism isn't particularly malicious, but that level of ignorance is no longer excusable," Toussaint says. Films like these are often hits. However, Britain's Queen Charlotte, who does not appear in the novel, has been drafted into the series. When asked about diverse or colorblind casting, 53% say that it adds to a show or movie in general, while 83% of Bridgerton viewers say that it adds to the show. The series takes this idea further, says Skadi Loist, junior professor at Babelsberg Film University, by asking what happens when we no longer make Eurocentric assumptions that "imagine our history as homogeneously white?" Bridgerton stars Rege-Jean Page as the dapper lead. But the fact that the show rewrites history to bestow titles like queen and duke on Black characters does not make "Bridgerton" a project that features "color blind" casting. Bridgerton stars Rege-Jean Page as the dapper lead. Instead, the producers used color-blind casting to show that people from diverse backgrounds can have the same opportunities to be involved in historical dramas. Why maintain the illusion that a fictional series can't tell a slightly different story? The show was just renewed for a second season. But that doesn't apply to Bridgerton. PS5, Xbox Series X backward compatibility, Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page won't be back for season 2, one of Netflix's most popular original shows. But it isn't always done this way. Also worth looking out for is Hulu’s new satirical comedy The Great, which stars Elle Fanning as Catherine the Great and employs some colour-blind casting, and Netflix’s Bridgerton, which is set to feature an entirely colour-blind cast. Casting People of Color in the court was a conscious decision to reinterpret and retell history, she explained. Film Is colorblind casting the secret to 'Bridgerton's' success? It's the color-blind casting in "Bridgerton" that comes as a welcome surprise in a genre usually reserved for white actors. It's because the popularity of the show has taken the concept of colorblind casting from the stage, where performers of color have acted in historical roles for years and cemented the success of the approach on television. That correlation is evident with Bridgerton too. Bridgerton's colorblind casting signals a 'real shift' in Hollywood. ", "The Actors Equity in the U.S. calls it 'non-traditional' casting," says Ellen Harrington, the director of the German Film Institute and Film Museum (DFF) in Frankfurt. ", He cites Green Book, which won the best film Oscar in 2019, as a fitting example. "Basically, these are terrible films because they show People of Color as stereotypes who need to be saved by white people who have the knowledge and skills.". Bridgerton sits somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, not really committed to color-conscious casting, but not color-blind either. The Non-Traditional Casting Project. Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan hopes that the Netflix Original will set a benchmark as to how 'diverse' period dramas can be. Colorblind Casting bei Netflix „Bridgerton“: Plötzlich ist der Adel schwarz. So, while about half of audiences find colorblind casting is a value-add in general, Bridgerton seems to have hit the mark for most viewers. Kultur Netflix-Serie "Bridgerton" - Erfolg dank Colorblind Casting? © Liam Daniel/Netflix/Everett Collection/picture alliance, © Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/picture alliance. Actress Lorraine Toussaint says Black Lives Matter and Netflix shows like Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton are positive signs of change in the entertainment industry -- and beyond. How well does Bridgerton address race? By casting theater actress Golda Rosheuvel as the Queen (pictured top), series creators Shonda Rhimes and Chris van Dusen have resurrected a historical debate that Sophie Charlotte zu Mecklenburg-Strelitz, born in 1744, is said to have had African ancestors. ... of COVID-19 spread in every county displays a new color now. But the show also casts strong women of color such as Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh in dignified positions of power. Here’s the thing: any type of nontraditional casting is pointless if it just reinscribes stereotypes. The series is addressing the issue of race head-on. Colour blind casting first started to gain acceptance in the 80s and refers to non-traditional casting – i.e., where the race, ethnicity or sex of actors when casting is not relevant. ", Which is why Toussaint is excited about the prospects of finally playing a "grand old broad" in a period piece on TV in a show like Bridgerton, which is set in Regency England. The danger, however, is that viewers might take what is shown at face value; that is, perceive it as historical reality, says US sociologist, Matthew Hughey. "I love period," she says, with a laugh. It's scheduled to be released on April 2. In 2018’s Colette, for instance, Keira Knightley and Dominic West star as the titular 19th-century novelist and her husband, but the British-Asian Ray Panthaki and black actor Johnny K Palmer appear in their coterie of friends. Colorblind Casting, also ein farbenblindes Casting, bedeute eigentlich, die Rollen nach Talent und Fähigkeiten zu vergeben, nicht nach der Hautfarbe, so Ayivi. "The traditional choice has been to predominate even minor roles, on-camera crowd sourcing roles or non-speaking roles with white people.". In his book, The White Savior Film, Hughey discusses how in Hollywood stories about People of Color are still mostly told from a white protagonist's point of view. That in itself is not new; the creator of Bridgerton, producer Shonda Rhimes, made colorblind casting her trademark. Find out more. Colorblind casting is nothing new of course although in the past it has generally been white actors playing PoC. The new Netflix series is based on the fictional, eight-volume novel by Julia Quinn about the far-flung Bridgerton family. Actress Lorraine Toussaint says Black Lives Matter and Netflix shows like Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton are positive signs of change in the entertainment industry -- and beyond. Debate and "color-consciousness" In the theatre community, there is significant debate over the concept of color-blind casting vs "color-conscious casting". ... “It’s not color-blind casting,” explains Beers. "Next to Rome, the British Empire was the largest colonial power in the world," he told DW. Except that in the case of the new Netflix series Bridgerton, set in the British court of 1813, some of the main characters are People of Color. "The existence of Bridgerton and the fact that it is such a huge hit is such an affirmation and confirmation of what we in the Black community have always known about ourselves as artists.". Lorraine Toussaint says she's been sending emails every few months to television producer Shonda Rhimes, offering to play a "grand old dame" in future episodes of Rhimes' groundbreaking Netflix series Bridgerton. Phoebe Dynevor (left) and Rege-Jean Page in the first season episode. The wildly popular series from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes puts a modern twist on the books about an upper-class family in early 19th-century England, including color-blind casting. In my opinion, Bridgerton does not do the whole “colorblind” thing well — at all. ", Casting actors whose skin color and looks vastly differ from the literary or historical characters they portray onscreen is known as "colorblind casting. EW takes you behind-the-scenes of Shondaland's Netflix debut, 'Bridgerton,' a Regency-era drama inspired by a series of romance novels. Bridgerton, in many ways, is just another period piece.Based on the eight novels by Julia Quinn that are collectively known as the Bridgerton Series and released by Netflix in December, the series is set in Regency-era London; its main characters are all gentry in the “ton,” and each one’s character arc is marked by anxiety about virtue, status, and marriage. The portrayal of dark-skinned Black men on the show also leaves much to be desired, as Simon’s father is portrayed as cruel and abusive. "There are more women coming into power at the studio levels, the networks levels. Actress Lorraine Toussaint says Black Lives Matter and Netflix shows like Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton are … © Liam Daniel/Netflix/Everett Collection/picture alliance This means she could indeed have been the first black British queen. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, Suspect in Capitol attack suffered delusions, source says, Three dead in shooting at N.C. house party. Subscribe to CNET Now for the day's most interesting reviews, news stories and videos. Bridgerton showrunner Chris Van Dusen felt similarly, even going so far as to tell The New York Times that the term “colorblind casting” was a misnomer, implying that race had not been considered, when in fact “race and color are part of the show.” Bridgerton's colorblind casting signals a 'real shift' in Hollywood. Producer and series creator Shonda Rhimes embraced colorblind casting. And the show in question unfortunately does just that. Colorblind casting "never quite got to film and then it certainly never really got to television. Le tout Londres bruisse de l’entrée réussie de la jeune Daphné Bridgerton, ainsi que du retour du séduisant duc d’Hastings. All too often, the said protagonist rushes to the aid of his black counterpart — in other words, playing the "white savior. That daring is a hallmark of Shonda Rhimes, the TV hit-maker ("Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal") who offers "Bridgerton" as the first entry in her reported $150 million deal to bring Shondaland content to Netflix. Bridgerton is just part of what's driving Toussaint's optimism that Hollywood may finally be moving forward in embracing diversity and inclusion and that our society may be addressing institutional racism. The Non-Traditional Casting Project was founded in 1986 to examine problems of racial discrimination in theatre, film and television. Bridgerton: 'It's not colour-blind casting, it's colour-conscious casting' We collect information on how quizzes are used so we can make them even better. Tuttavia, l’occhio attento dello spettatore non può che ricadere su alcuni punti giudicati distanti dalla realtà. Katrin Maier-Sohn, 02.02.2021 - 13:00 Uhr. But the fact that the show rewrites history to bestow titles like queen and duke on Black characters does not make “Bridgerton” a project that features “color blind” casting. Lorraine Toussaint says she’s been sending emails every few months to television producer Shonda Rhimes, offering to play a “grand old dame” in future episodes of Rhimes’ groundbreaking Netflix series Bridgerton. Bridgerton's colorblind casting signals a 'real shift' in Hollywood - News Flash. And Netflix has acquired the rights to her next film, Concrete Cowboys, about a young Black teen who is "caught between a life of crime and his estranged father's [Idris Elba] vibrant urban-cowboy subculture." "I'm encouraged by what's happening in front of the screen, but also what's happening behind," Toussaint said in an interview for CNET's Now What series from her home in New York. Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Indeed, while people of colour are embraced into the fold of Bridgerton ‘s noble families, the show still appears to indicate they are outliers, as the majority of its main cast is white. There are women of color who are very high up in the networks. While it’s easy to fill a diversity quota by including the occasional extra or stereotypical co-star role with a person of color, casting leading men and women with complex and dimensional characters is still scarce today. ", It is always very difficult, he says, to incorporate diversity into a story and sufficiently highlight all perspectives and speak to all viewers equally. In addition, Netflix’s upcoming period piece “ Bridgerton ” will feature an entirely color-blind cast (see trailer above). "Black Lives Matter has finally surfaced in a way that cannot be ignored.