Wow! That’s the same Hannibal I have on my Hannibal T-shirt. I’d love to see Denzel bring it to life.
So Netflix is making a biopic about Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who very nearly conquered Rome… with Denzel Washington in the title role. And the Tunisians are good and cheesed off over it (https://www.foxnews.com/media/casting-denzel-washington-hannibal-sparks-racial-controversy-historical-error).
Depicting Hannibal as “a black African,” Tunisian media types say, is “historically inaccurate.” Oh, horrors–quick, I need a seat! Who would have ever imagined movies could be historically inaccurate? I feel faint…
[Hours later] Tunis, it’s Denzel Washington–he’s a star. He earned it. You should be calling for three cheers. The world’s kind of short on Carthaginian actors, anyway. I’d be honored if Denzel wanted to play me! (Anytime you want, man!)
I remember way back when James Earl Jones played King Lear on Broadway. That he was black did not matter. No one cared! It was James Earl Jones and he was great. But today headline writers call it “race-swapping” and it makes some people mad.
Grow up!
