Can Hollywood Stop With the 'African' Accents?
A polite reminder, Africa is not a country. As an African, after watching two or three Hollywood movies or TV shows with references to the continent, you would quickly realize that the industry has failed to properly understand and depict the breadth and diversity of African cultures. It often appears that actors cast in African roles are either trying too hard or are quick to succumb to the notion of a generic ‘African accent’ without researching the character and accent to convey the authenticity required in the role. Perhaps we can blame the industry for the warped view that non-Africans have of the African continent. The long-established Hollywood depiction of Africans has historically been very narrow, showing Africans living with wild animals in our backyards and walking several hundred kilometers barefoot to school. These stereotypes are often quite embarrassing, especially the constant reference to “Nigerian prince/princess”. In more recent times, there have been mor...