As far as celebrities go, Dwayne Johnson is largely beloved, but not everyone is cheering on his latest project.
With much social media fanfare, the actor also known as “the Rock” announced Tuesday that he’ll be making and starring in the film John Henry and the Statesmen about the folk hero, an African-American steel-driver among a team of railroad builders who literally worked himself to death. Johnson said the project held a special place in his heart because Henry was one of his “childhood heroes” and his father, former pro wrestler Rocky Johnson, used to sing “Big John” to him before he put him to sleep as a kid.
However, soon after Johnson announced the project, which will feature “an ensemble of the most popular folklore figures and legends from different cultures around the world,” there was backlash over whether Johnson, whose father is black and whose mother is Samoan, should be playing a character that has been depicted as a dark-skinned black man. (Other actors to have played the role including Danny Glover in TV’s Shelley Duvall’s Tall Tales and Legends and Roger Aaron Brown, in the 1995 Disney film Tall Tale.) In animations — like the 2000 Disney animated short — the character is typically dark-skinned as well. Twitter was quick to react to Johnson’s decision to cast himself.
Historically, John Henry’s always been depicted as having a *very* dark skin complexion and while Dwayne Johnson is undeniably a black man, this is all quite 🧐🧐🧐.
I’m legitimately curious who the target audience for this movie is meant to be.
— Anathema BYOD (@CharlesPulliam) October 9, 2018
John Henry has always been depicted as dark-skinned but o k a y https://t.co/48Gq5KG9Vr
— Ira (@ira) October 9, 2018
The Rock as John Henry…🧐🧐🧐
— Anathema BYOD (@CharlesPulliam) October 9, 2018
The Rock is black when it’s profitable and racially ambiguous when it isn’t. We need a proud, strong, all-day black man to play John Henry.
— Rising Pupil (@risingpupil) October 9, 2018
Only on-screen John Henry I acknowledge pic.twitter.com/62cxZwyd1Q
— 6OWSETTE (@CineMasai_) October 9, 2018
People also suggested the names of other actors who seemed better suited for the role. Terry Crews was mentioned more than once.
H*ll freaking no. John Henry is a large muscular dark skinned black man and his love is a black woman. Terry Crews? Michael Jai White? Winston Duke…They need to stop the madness before it even begins. Woe betide them if they put him in a tanning bed and add makeup.😒 https://t.co/q8uDJAiDYq
— Mage of Micturition and 👸🏾of Free Flow (@catjacarol01) October 9, 2018
Terry Crews? #JohnHenry pic.twitter.com/pHVOtGqCzu
— Nyasha Junior (@NyashaJunior) October 9, 2018
Friend on John Henry casting:
Is terry crews ill?
Did Winston Duke break something?
Is Common’s agent taking a nap?
Is Denzel’s son out of the country?
Did Idris Elba fall into a coma?
Has Kofi Siriboe eaten some bad clams?
Did Aldis Hodge buy nonrefundable concert tickets?— Showtime Synergy! (Shani, The 5th Hologram) (@BlerdMommy) October 9, 2018
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SOURCE: Yahoo Entertainment – Suzy Byrne
