- Leading in to Oscars weekend, <strong>BlackEnterprise.com</strong> recognized <a href="http://www.blackenterprise.com/2011/02/25/10-movies-that-werent-supposed-to-star-black-actors/">10 Black actors</a> who have succeeded at the box office in films not originally written for a person of color. The article was a welcome reminder of how our star’s talent can triumph in Hollywood without falling into stereotypical characters. The only thing is all the examples were men. With March being <strong>Women’s History Month</strong> and having just wrapped our 6th Annual <a href="http://www.blackenterprise.com/wps/"><strong>Women of Power Summit</strong></a>, <strong>BlackEnterprise.com</strong> decided to salute a few female thespians that have broken color and gender barriers on the silver screen.
Caption Here
- <ul> <li><strong>GRACE JONES AS “ZULA” IN <em>CONAN THE DESTROYER</em> (1984)</strong></li> </ul> Based on the comic book series created by <strong>Robert E. Howard</strong>, <em>Conan the Destroyer</em> was the sequel to 1982’s <em>Conan the Barbarian</em>, both starring <strong>Arnold Schwarzenegger</strong> as the brutish warrior. On his quest to resurrect his true love, Conan pulls together a ragtag crew to join him on his journey that includes <a href="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/zula_hyborian.htm" target="_blank">Zula</a> (played by Jones), who, in the comics, was originally a warrior prince that first appeared in <em>Conan the Barbarian</em> issue #84 (March, 1978). Jones’ gender-defying portrayal as Zula helped usher the film into celluloid success, commanding over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=conanthedestroyer.htm" target="_blank">$31 million domestically</a> in the box office.
- <ul> <li><strong>QUEEN LATIFAH AS “MATRON ‘MAMA’ MORTON” IN <em>CHICAGO</em> (2002) </strong></li> </ul> Although she had already received some critical acclaim for her acting, Latifah gained mainstream success after her turn as <strong>Matron "Mama" Morton</strong> in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of the musical, <em>Chicago</em>. Based on a 1926 play of the same name, the original Broadway production opened in June 1975 with actress <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565416/" target="_blank"><strong>Mary McCarty</strong></a> playing the jailhouse matron role. With Latifah at the fore, the 2002 theatrical remake won six Academy Awards—including Best Picture—and garnered a Best Supporting Actress nomination for the rapper-turned-actress.
- <ul> <li><strong>THANDIE NEWTON AS “REGINA LAMBERT” IN <em>THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE</em> (2002)</strong></li> </ul> Based the 1963 film <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056923/" target="_blank"><em>Charade</em></a>, <em>The Truth About Charlie</em> was rewritten and directed by Academy Award-winner <strong>Jonathan Demme</strong>. With <strong>Mark Wahlberg</strong> and Newton reprising the roles originally played by <strong>Cary Grant</strong> and <strong>Audrey Hepburn</strong>, the romantic caper tells the story of an unhappy wife that discovers her murdered husband is not who she thought he was. Although the film received a lukewarm reception at the box office, Newton’s career forged full steam ahead with standout performances in <em>Crash</em> (2004) and <em>The Pursuit of Happyness</em> (2006).
- <ul> <li><strong>HALLE BERRY AS “CATWOMAN” IN <em>CATWOMAN</em> (2004)</strong></li> </ul> In the <em>Batman</em> comic books, his feline nemesis Catwoman was always depicted as a White protagonist. While veteran performer <strong>Eartha Kitt</strong> donned the patented cat suit and claws on the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059968/" target="_blank"><em>Batman</em></a> TV series (1967-68), Berry was the first Black Catwoman on the silver screen. While the theatrical release garnered over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=catwoman.htm" target="_blank">$82 million worldwide</a>, it’s still regarded as a blemish on Berry’s resume. In fact, she won the 2005 Razzie Award for worst actress in a film and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/razziechannel#p/u/2/U-7s_yeQuDg" target="_blank">accepted the prize in person</a> with her <em>Monster's Ball</em> Oscar in tow.
- <ul> <li><strong>ZOE SALDANA AS “THERESA JONES” IN <em>GUESS WHO</em> (2005)</strong></li> </ul> In 1967 Academy Award-winner <a href="http://www.blackenterprise.com/2011/02/25/10-movies-that-werent-supposed-to-star-black-actors/?show=2"><strong>Sidney Poitier</strong></a> tackled interracial dating in the controversial <em>Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner</em>, about a Black man trying to gain approval from the family of the White woman he falls in love with. For the 2005 remake, the tables were turned as <strong>Ashton Kutcher</strong> tries to get accepted by the father (<strong>Bernie Mac</strong>) of his girlfriend (Saldana). The No. 1 comedy went on to generate <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=guesswho.htm" target="_blank">$100 million worldwide</a>.
- <ul> <li><strong>GABRIELLE UNION AS “ALICE CRAMDEN” <em>THE HONEYMOONERS</em> (2005)</strong></li> </ul> Starring <strong>Jackie Gleason</strong> and <strong>Audrey Meadows</strong> as Ralph and Alice Cramden, <em>The Honeymooners</em> may have only aired for one year (1955-56) but the half-hour series is regarded as a television classic. In 2005, Paramount Pictures and CBS, which owns the rights to the sitcom, released a re-envisioned version of the show as a full-length movie, with <strong>Cedric the Entertainer</strong> and Union playing the lead roles. Despite only grossing <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=honeymooners.htm" target="_blank">$13 million worldwide</a>, the film garnered Union a nomination for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001193/" target="_blank">Outstanding Lead Actress in a Theatrical Film </a>at the 2005 BET Comedy Awards.
- <ul> <li><strong>KERRY WASHINGTON AS “ALICIA MASTERS” IN <em>FANTASTIC FOUR</em> SERIES (2005 & 2007)</strong></li> </ul> Created by <strong>Stan Lee</strong> and <strong>Jack Kirby</strong>, Alicia Masters is a character in the Marvel Comics universe that first appeared in issue No. 4 of <em>The Fantastic Four</em> comic book in 1962. She was depicted on page as a blind blonde that was often linked as a romantic interest of The Thing. Washington landed the role of Masters in 2005’s <em>Fantastic Four</em>, which grossed over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fantasticfour.htm" target="_blank">$330 million worldwide</a>. The following year, an animated series based off the film, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Four:_World%27s_Greatest_Heroes" target="_blank"><em>Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes</em></a>, debuted that also portrayed Masters as an African American character. Washington kept the trend going by reprising the role in the 2007 sequel, <em>Rise of the Silver Surfer</em>, which generated over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fantasticfour2.htm" target="_blank">$289 million</a>.
- <ul> <li><strong>QUEEN LATIFAH AS “GEORGIA BYRD” IN <em>LAST HOLIDAY</em> (2006)</strong></li> </ul> In the 1950 original film, <em>Last Holiday</em> told the story of a shy and unassuming man named George Bird (played by <strong>Alec Guinness</strong>). Screenwriters <strong>Jeffrey Price</strong> and <strong>Peter S. Seaman</strong> updated the story for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408985/trivia" target="_blank">John Candy</a>, but the project was shelved after the actor's death in 1994. Years later, Latifah's agent read their script and suggested they revise it for her. The film debuted at No. 2 in the box office its opening weekend with $12 million in ticket sales and eventually grossed <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lastholiday.htm" target="_blank">$43 million worldwide</a>.
- <ul> <li><strong>JADA PINKETT SMITH AS “ALEX FISHER” IN <em>THE WOMEN</em> (2008)</strong></li> </ul> Based on a 1936 play by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Women_%28play%29" target="_blank"><strong>Clare Boothe Luce</strong></a>, <em>The Women</em> originally came to the big screen in 1939, starring <strong>Norma Shearer</strong>, <strong>Joan Crawford</strong>, <strong>Rosalind Russell</strong> and <strong>Paulette Goddard</strong> as a quartet of Manhattan socialites whose primary interest was idle gossip. In 2008, Pinkett Smith joined <strong>Meg Ryan</strong>, <strong>Bette Midler</strong>, <strong>Eva Mendes</strong> and <strong>Annette Bening</strong> in a remake of the ensemble production, playing an openly lesbian character named Alex Fisher. Pinkett Smith’s turn as one of the five leading ladies assisted in its success of grossing over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=women08.htm" target="_blank">$50 million worldwide</a>.
- <ul> <li><strong>ROSARIO DAWSON AS “PERSEPHONE” IN <em>PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS</em> (2010)</strong></li> </ul> According to ancient Greek mythology, <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=persephone-bio-1" target="_blank">Persephone</a> was the beautiful goddess of the underworld alongside Hades. While most (if not all) depictions of the Greek gods are White, Fox’s 2010 release, <em>Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief</em>, took a multicultural spin, casting <strong>Brandon T. Jackson</strong> as a guardian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyr" target="_blank">satyr</a> (half goat, half man) as a Dawson as the hell bound queen, Persephone. Since its release last year, the film has grossed over <a href="http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=percyjackson.htm" target="_blank">$226 million worldwide</a>.
