People Aren’t Happy That A Stand-In Was Put In Blackface On The Set Of Seth Rogen’s New Movie
If blackface had a slogan, it might be Blackface: No, Don’t Do It. So obviously people got very upset when they heard that a child actor on the set of Seth Rogen’s latest film Good Boys was put in makeup to make him look darker than he is.
According to sources from the set of Good Boys that spoke to TMZ, someone filed a complaint last week when they saw the stand-in for 11-year-old actor Keith L. Williams in dark makeup. Both Keith and his stand-in are black, but the stand-in’s skin tone is a little lighter. Someone on the Vancouver set put darker makeup on the stand-in for a lighting test. It’s not a great makeup job. That’s like what you get when you ask a Sephora employee to match your foundation right as they’re going on break.
'Good Boys' Producers Put Child Actor in 'Blackface,' Studio Says for Lighting https://t.co/KhPxwSX7NE
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 2, 2018
Sources say the stand-in was also wearing an afro wig and a fat suit. At least one person was disturbed, so a complaint was made to producers, including Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
TMZ spoke to crew members and people in the industry about this and got different opinions. On the one hand, some crew members say it’s not uncommon to match skin tones on set for lighting purposes, and that this isn’t a “blackface situation.” Others in the industry say that casting directors usually make a point to cast a stand-in that looks as much like the actor they’re standing in for as possible. If you ask the stand-in’s father, he’s on Team Who Cares. A source says that the dad, who happens to be a stunt performer in the entertainment industry, is “offended” by the complaints made against his son.
Seth Rogen hasn’t commented, neither has Evan Goldberg. That could be because they’re currently on a phone call with the producers of that Zoe Saldana/Nina Simone biopic from two years ago, asking “So…any pointers on how to damage control this skin-darkening situation?“. A call which will no doubt be interrupted by one from Vogue Italia, to compliment them on the seamless work and asking if it would be possible to get the contact information for their makeup artist.
Pic: Wenn.com