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Idris Elba is right to want to not be burdened by racism, but…
The “I’m not Black, I’m OJ” approach is not wise for any Black man in life, much less Hollywood.
Stringer Bell is telling a familiar tale in his Esquire UK cover story.
In the now viral interview, Elba shared that he no longer refers to himself as a “Black actor” because the label placed him in a “box” and argued an “obsession” with race can hinder aspirations and growth.
“If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other,” Elba said.
He went on to say:
“As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth. Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real.
But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be. I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin. Rant over.
Of course, I’m a member of the Black community. You say a prominent one. But when I go to America, I’m a prominent member of the British community. “Oh, UK’s in the house!”
