There is no doubt that black people growing up in Britain have a different experience to black people from the United States. I am not for one second saying that black Brits did not and do not suffer racism and bias on a daily basis BUT it is different and the toll that the legacy of slavery has taken on each country is felt through the culture in a very different way. I don’t think anyone would argue that for a moment.

Seeing more and more black leads in Hollywood is undoubtedly a good thing, representation, the ability to be cast as a role model and more than a background negro is exactly what black actors have been fighting for pretty much since the silver screen started playing.

With more and more bankable black stars appearing it seems that the fight is slowly bearing some wins. Slowly black actors are simply becoming actors, interchangeable with other lead ‘white’ stars without color being the main reason. On the flip side more and more black stories that absolutely need to be told are making their way into big Hollywood productions, the black experience and a more truer framing of black history is being considered.

Idris Elba and John Boyega are two rising black stars. Idris is adored by all who see him, and John is snagging more and more promising roles. Then there is Daniel Kaluuya who just got swamped with attention for his excellent performance in suburban horror ‘Get Out’.

BUT WAIT! All three of these men are British! And there are seemingly more and more and more. It’s not quite black facing but it’s certainly accent-facing where it seems that Hollywood is not allowing black Americans to tell their own stories!

BUT should this even be a conflict? Who cares where a black actor was born, right?

Sam Jackson had a few words to say, saying that “I tend to wonder what that movie would have been with an American brother who really feels that,” but then John Boyega said that it was “stupid ass conflict we don’t have time for”…..

This is a lot more discussion going on around this topic and the Guardian summed up some more in their article here.

But what do you think?