Jodie Turner-Smith as Anne Boleyn

[Bitchysideisouttoplay]

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9071763/Director-TV-drama-Anne-Boleyn-says-best-person-role.html#article-9071763
Not and AIBU really but what does everyone think if this?
Personally I think if you are making a historical drama/film etc surely you should cast a person as close in looks to the historical figure.
Before anyone says I'm.being racist I'm not I had massive issues with the casting in the Tudors due to Johnathan Rhys Meyers being cast as Henry, he is short, not ginger and really does not look anything like Henry in portraits 🙄🙄

Oh fucking hell MORE Tudor stuff? I'm getting really really bored of endless rehashes of historical periods and franchises.

Re your point: I agree. Its ridiculous. If you make historical fiction and massively obvious points aren't historically accurate then what's the point? Just put them all in jeans in that case, set it in New York, and it might actually be a series with something new to offer.

I completely agree about more Tudor stuff and it is my favourite period in history. They need to find something else to focus on 🙈 there are other interesting periods around.

@Bitchysideisouttoplay
They should do a series set in the pirating age. When was that? 16th century? I'd watch that, we haven't had one of those. Could be really epic. Also the highwayman age (think it might be same era?).

But its always either Tudors, Jane Austen era or Downton Abbey era. So dull.

I don’t think it matters, it’s a drama not a documentary. Honestly who cares if the actor doesn’t look exactly like the historical figure they’re based on?

I don't have any issue with it at all - I quiet like 'colour blind casting' - it doesn't bother me.

as to JRM's casting as Henty I thought it was brilliant - he was a rock star wasn't he - Tudor Englands biggest pin up - I think it made it a lot easier to understand his appeal in the modern sense

I would really like it if they started making more stuff from Black history and folklore rather than this.
There must be a lot out there and I am sure it would go down really well with viewers (at least me).

God yes I would love that and would be so interesting.

Doesn't bother me. I'm assuming it's more drama than documentary, so really who cares. Not like any actor or actress they choose is going to look anything like the real Anne Boleyn. Better to have an actress who can act, rather than one who just looks the part.

I agree they need to give up on the Tudors. Otherwise I can't say I'm bothered.

YANBU. It’s absolutely ridiculous and it’s not at all racist to point that out.

If you want more diversity and different characters, create them. Don’t alter current and historical characters.

I think I’m with schrodinger on this one.

To me it is a bit of a curious choice - not a bad one, just curious.

I think it takes any believability away from the drama. It ruined A Christmas Carol at the old Vic, for me, when they cast a black scrooge.

I'm not white but think they cast her partly to get PR, and it's worked brilliantly so well done on that score. Doubt I'll watch it though because as pp say, I don't think there's very much more I can learn about the tudors at that light entertainment level.

Given there were whole communities of Black people in England and Wales in the 17 and 1800s - who assimilated into what we now see as White English and Welsh society - perhaps the OP would also be keen to see more representative casting there, too?

No? Just this one "issue"? Ok.

I think though for Tudortelly, I will just stick to documentaries fluffed up a bit with the Tudors and Wolf Hall.

@TipseyTorvey

I'm not white but think they cast her partly to get PR, and it's worked brilliantly so well done on that score. Doubt I'll watch it though because as pp say, I don't think there's very much more I can learn about the tudors at that light entertainment level.

This was my first thought as well.

I'm also another one who is bored of the Tudors. There are so many other historical periods to explore, or the potential to create new dramas branching off from history.

Why are they not making a series about black or Asian people who have a long history in the UK especially in port cities

It’s very interesting but occasionally it’s touched on there might be a young black boy who was a servant or an opium den

I love the Tudor period and will watch and read as much as possible.
I don't really understand why a black actor has been cast but, equally, you can ask Why not? It's just a different, thought-provoking approach.

I'd like to watch a series set in New Orleans in its golden age

I'm torn tbh, on the one had it's good that a black actress has been cast in a major role, on the other hand I'm really into history, my speciality (IYSWIM) is war of the Roses/Tudors/Stewart's so this is important to me in a way. I hope that she's amazing as Anne and that it won't distract me from enjoying the performance, but until I watch it I won't know.

OhWhyNot that would interest me too. Some actual neglected history.

There was a lovely movie called Belle a few years back, based I think set in 1700s with a black lead actor which I really enjoyed. It addressed the reality of black people in England at that time quite well I thought. So they can do it when they want.

It doesn’t bother me. Most screen adaptations stretch the truth with historical accuracy anyway. Always find it distracting when the monarchs have dazzling white Hollywood teeth!

They keep rehashing the Tudors because people watch it.

Very unfair to performers who aren’t white to be cast out of playing in historical dramas. They’re popular with viewers, they keep getting remade and it’s pointless to say well just make black historical programmes instead, because we all know this would be niche viewing and black actors deserve to be in the mainstream.

I never thought there would be a market for drama about Brummie gangsters but was proved wrong.