According to Vanessa Bell Calloway, colorism prevented her from playing Lisa in “Coming to America”: I simply wasn’t light enough, I said.
In the 1988 comedy “Coming to America,” Vanessa Bell Calloway played Imani Izzi. She has stated that she feels that colorism prevented her from landing the part of Lisa McDowell, the movie’s main female character.
Calloway claimed in an interview with Page Six that she had an audition for the part of Lisa but was rejected because she was “too dark” for the part.
Sometimes a particular aesthetic is desired when employing Black actors by white people, according to Calloway. Even though Eddie Murphy had the last decision in who played Lisa, “I just wasn’t light enough.”
Calloway made his remarks at a time when Hollywood is talking more and more about colorism. Colorism is a type of racism that involves prejudice or discrimination against those with darker skin tones.
Numerous high-profile instances of colorism in Hollywood have surfaced recently, including the castings of Zendaya as Mary Jane Watson in the “Spider-Man” movies and Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live-action “Little Mermaid.”
Calloway’s remarks serve as a reminder that colorism is still an issue in Hollywood and that it can be detrimental to the careers of Black actors.
Despite not landing the Lisa role, Calloway went on to enjoy a prosperous Hollywood career. Her acting credits include roles in movies like “The Parent ‘Hood,” “Family Matters,” and “The Hughleys.”
Calloway now plays the lead role in the TV show “Black Lightning.”
Calloway expressed her hope in an interview with Page Six that her experience may contribute to increasing awareness of colorism and its effects on Black people.
Calloway stated, “I want people to realize that colorism is real. We have to cope with that every day, she said.