Blackface?

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I have no problem with a Caucasian actor playing Othello if he's good. Orson Welles was great as Othello. I did not like the Anthony Hopkins Othello for a number of reasons. For one thing he had a horrible make-up job. He didn't look like a real black person; he was more like some Klingon with a bad haircut. In opera the title role in Verdi's "Otello" (based on Shakespeare) is still played by white actors in blackface, since there aren't that many African American tenors who have made it big--opera is still awaiting its Tiger Woods. Placido Domingo as Otello looked better in the part than most, but his voice wasn't as strong as some of the other tenors in the role. For a really good recording of "Otello" I recommend the set conducted by Herbert von Karajan with Mario del Monaco, one of the few tenors with a voice big enough for the role.

I remember having to watch this version at school. I can't remember a thing about Hopkins performance, just the horrible fake tan he had liberally applied to his mug. 10 years later this is the only lasting impression i have... not good. I would hope that the film makers did not intend this to be insensitive or insulting, but it was ridiculous.

Interesting question. I just saw Othello on stage performed by L.A. Women's Shakespeare Company, excellent production and yes, the lead was portrayed by Fran Bennett an accomplished African American performer. I like the fact that women play all the roles, because women weren't allowed on stage during Shakespeare's time and it's fascinating to watch females gender bend and portray men, quite handsomely, I might add. The only reason it is offensive to have white actors play black characters is because it is so obvious, my favorite bad casting decision was Charlton Heston in a "Touch of Evil" Heston as a Mexican? That was a real stretch and his Mexican accent did not help at all, but the year was 1958 and who knows what possessed Orson Welles to cast Charlie? However, if an actor is blessed with versatile features and can portray different nationalities, then more power to that actor. I don't believe we have to verify dna for an actor to play a particular character that would be ridiculous. In the end, what we really want is a good performance from a good actor, we want to believe.

wow, really? i gotta see this!

The play is about the person in the inside, not outside. How black/evil/cruel a person is on the inside, not outside. How jealousy blackens us on the inside, yet cannot be detected on the outside.

I've seen the play performed on stage with an all-Black cast except for a white Othello.

I've seen the play performed with an all-White cast except for a Black female Iago.

I've seen the play performed with a combination of White, Black, and Hispanic people.

I think the ethnic cross-overs should happen more frequently because it adds a greater depth to the theme of whatever the plot is, and challenges people to critically think about racial/ethnic issues.

I think one of the reasons blackface is offensive is because blackface was invented during a time period when black men couldn't step on stage, and, as such, due to their 'inferiority', only white men could play the role. So blackface has become a symbol of black inferiority, and the inferiority is taken to such an absurd degree that now even black people are inadequate at being black, and only the white man can do it. Blackface literally negates black people. I don't think it has anything to do with whether or not a white man can play Othello well or poorly, doubtless many can play him well, but the issue is deeper than that, and that's why blackface is so controversial.