Thandiwe Newton.Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/GettyThandiwe Newtonapologized to “darker-skinned actresses” in an emotional interview while promoting her new film,God’s Country.Newton, 49, teared up on Wednesday while discussing her new role as a professor who confronts two white hunters on her property.God’s Countryis based on James Lee Burke’s short story, in which the lead (Newton’s character) is a white man.The actress told theAssociated Pressshe struggled with accepting the part at first, explaining, “I now realize that my internalized prejudice was stopping me from feeling like I could play this role, when it’s precisely that prejudice that I’ve received.“Newton continued, “It doesn’t matter that it’s from African American women more than anyone else. It doesn’t matter. I received prejudice. Anyone who’s received oppression and prejudice feels this character.““I’ve wanted so desperately to apologize every day to darker-skinned actresses. To say, ‘I’m sorry that I’m the one chosen. My mama looks like you,'” she continued, before covering her face.Thandiwe Newton.VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty ImagesNyasha Newton, Thandiwe’s mom, is a Shona tribe princess from Zimbabwe, according toEntertainment Tonight.Thandiwe added, “It’s been very painful to have women that look like my mom feel like I’m not representing them. That I’m taking from them. Taking their men, taking their work, taking their truth.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Despite the “painful” experiences she’s been through, Thandiwe said she believes she has made a difference with her film career, explaining, “I do think that any women of color who — whether they are pale, or whatever — who have managed to help other actors get into this business, we matter.“She added, “Whenever they say that Black women have watched the movie, and it’s really, really, really mattered to them, I just thank God that my light skin didn’t stop that from happening. That it didn’t cause more pain.“Thandiwe previously shared her experience as a biracial actor in Hollywood while speaking toVulturein 2020. At the time, she said, “All these Black people in the public eye who are Black, and you don’t think about their white parents. Like on my Instagram, it’s always my mum.““I don’t put my dad up much, and that’s because I want Black people to feel they can trust me and feel safe with me — that I’m not a representative of this Establishment that degrades people of color,” she added. “All my f—— career, I felt like, to Black people, I’m not a legitimate Black person.“Thandiwe toldVultureshe has been “perceived in so many different ways” throughout her career, adding, “it was always about the individual who was perceiving. It was very much on the spectrum of Is she Black enough, or is she too Black?”
Thandiwe Newton.Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Thandiwe Newtonapologized to “darker-skinned actresses” in an emotional interview while promoting her new film,God’s Country.Newton, 49, teared up on Wednesday while discussing her new role as a professor who confronts two white hunters on her property.God’s Countryis based on James Lee Burke’s short story, in which the lead (Newton’s character) is a white man.The actress told theAssociated Pressshe struggled with accepting the part at first, explaining, “I now realize that my internalized prejudice was stopping me from feeling like I could play this role, when it’s precisely that prejudice that I’ve received.“Newton continued, “It doesn’t matter that it’s from African American women more than anyone else. It doesn’t matter. I received prejudice. Anyone who’s received oppression and prejudice feels this character.““I’ve wanted so desperately to apologize every day to darker-skinned actresses. To say, ‘I’m sorry that I’m the one chosen. My mama looks like you,'” she continued, before covering her face.Thandiwe Newton.VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty ImagesNyasha Newton, Thandiwe’s mom, is a Shona tribe princess from Zimbabwe, according toEntertainment Tonight.Thandiwe added, “It’s been very painful to have women that look like my mom feel like I’m not representing them. That I’m taking from them. Taking their men, taking their work, taking their truth.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Despite the “painful” experiences she’s been through, Thandiwe said she believes she has made a difference with her film career, explaining, “I do think that any women of color who — whether they are pale, or whatever — who have managed to help other actors get into this business, we matter.“She added, “Whenever they say that Black women have watched the movie, and it’s really, really, really mattered to them, I just thank God that my light skin didn’t stop that from happening. That it didn’t cause more pain.“Thandiwe previously shared her experience as a biracial actor in Hollywood while speaking toVulturein 2020. At the time, she said, “All these Black people in the public eye who are Black, and you don’t think about their white parents. Like on my Instagram, it’s always my mum.““I don’t put my dad up much, and that’s because I want Black people to feel they can trust me and feel safe with me — that I’m not a representative of this Establishment that degrades people of color,” she added. “All my f—— career, I felt like, to Black people, I’m not a legitimate Black person.“Thandiwe toldVultureshe has been “perceived in so many different ways” throughout her career, adding, “it was always about the individual who was perceiving. It was very much on the spectrum of Is she Black enough, or is she too Black?”
Thandiwe Newtonapologized to “darker-skinned actresses” in an emotional interview while promoting her new film,God’s Country.
Newton, 49, teared up on Wednesday while discussing her new role as a professor who confronts two white hunters on her property.God’s Countryis based on James Lee Burke’s short story, in which the lead (Newton’s character) is a white man.
The actress told theAssociated Pressshe struggled with accepting the part at first, explaining, “I now realize that my internalized prejudice was stopping me from feeling like I could play this role, when it’s precisely that prejudice that I’ve received.”
Newton continued, “It doesn’t matter that it’s from African American women more than anyone else. It doesn’t matter. I received prejudice. Anyone who’s received oppression and prejudice feels this character.”
“I’ve wanted so desperately to apologize every day to darker-skinned actresses. To say, ‘I’m sorry that I’m the one chosen. My mama looks like you,'” she continued, before covering her face.
Thandiwe Newton.VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
Nyasha Newton, Thandiwe’s mom, is a Shona tribe princess from Zimbabwe, according toEntertainment Tonight.
Thandiwe added, “It’s been very painful to have women that look like my mom feel like I’m not representing them. That I’m taking from them. Taking their men, taking their work, taking their truth.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Despite the “painful” experiences she’s been through, Thandiwe said she believes she has made a difference with her film career, explaining, “I do think that any women of color who — whether they are pale, or whatever — who have managed to help other actors get into this business, we matter.”
She added, “Whenever they say that Black women have watched the movie, and it’s really, really, really mattered to them, I just thank God that my light skin didn’t stop that from happening. That it didn’t cause more pain.”
Thandiwe previously shared her experience as a biracial actor in Hollywood while speaking toVulturein 2020. At the time, she said, “All these Black people in the public eye who are Black, and you don’t think about their white parents. Like on my Instagram, it’s always my mum.”
“I don’t put my dad up much, and that’s because I want Black people to feel they can trust me and feel safe with me — that I’m not a representative of this Establishment that degrades people of color,” she added. “All my f—— career, I felt like, to Black people, I’m not a legitimate Black person.”
Thandiwe toldVultureshe has been “perceived in so many different ways” throughout her career, adding, “it was always about the individual who was perceiving. It was very much on the spectrum of Is she Black enough, or is she too Black?”
source: people.com
