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Letitia Wright, Britain’s newest rising screen star, says black actors need more positive roles Letitia Wright, Britain’s newest rising screen star, says black actors need more positive roles
(about 17 hours later)
A young black British actress who has been tipped for stardom by the director who spotted the potential of the young Leonardo DiCaprio has called on the film industry to portray black people in more positive roles.A young black British actress who has been tipped for stardom by the director who spotted the potential of the young Leonardo DiCaprio has called on the film industry to portray black people in more positive roles.
Letitia Wright said she felt frustrated when reading about British black actors going to America in search of better opportunities, adding: “We need to change things here.”Letitia Wright said she felt frustrated when reading about British black actors going to America in search of better opportunities, adding: “We need to change things here.”
Wright, 21, will appear in Urban Hymn, a coming-of-age drama out later this year that has been directed by Michael Caton-Jones, whose films include the acclaimed wartime drama Memphis Belle. She plays a young offender who discovers a talent for music in a story of hope and humanity set against a backdrop of the recession, high unemployment and the 2011 youth riots.Wright, 21, will appear in Urban Hymn, a coming-of-age drama out later this year that has been directed by Michael Caton-Jones, whose films include the acclaimed wartime drama Memphis Belle. She plays a young offender who discovers a talent for music in a story of hope and humanity set against a backdrop of the recession, high unemployment and the 2011 youth riots.
As a black actress, she particularly responded to Caton-Jones’s “vision” for the film and its depiction of “ethnicity” – a word she loathed, she said. Words like “ethnic minority” only “separate us”, she said. “We’re all people, no matter what colour.”As a black actress, she particularly responded to Caton-Jones’s “vision” for the film and its depiction of “ethnicity” – a word she loathed, she said. Words like “ethnic minority” only “separate us”, she said. “We’re all people, no matter what colour.”
Wright wants black people to be shown in “more positive” roles. “If it’s a character with flaws, great, but not just negative stigma all the time. We need to change things here,” she said, voicing frustration at the number of black actors who leave Britain to work in Hollywood. Black British stars such as David Oyelowo, David Harewood and Idris Elba have all crossed the Atlantic in recent years to find greater success.Wright wants black people to be shown in “more positive” roles. “If it’s a character with flaws, great, but not just negative stigma all the time. We need to change things here,” she said, voicing frustration at the number of black actors who leave Britain to work in Hollywood. Black British stars such as David Oyelowo, David Harewood and Idris Elba have all crossed the Atlantic in recent years to find greater success.
Born in Guyana, Wright came to London aged seven with her mother, a teacher. She decided to become an actress when, still a teenager, she saw Akeelah and Bee, a 2006 film about a young African-American girl with a talent for spelling. “It’s not a famous film, but it just shifted something for me – someone that looks like me, doing something positive.”Born in Guyana, Wright came to London aged seven with her mother, a teacher. She decided to become an actress when, still a teenager, she saw Akeelah and Bee, a 2006 film about a young African-American girl with a talent for spelling. “It’s not a famous film, but it just shifted something for me – someone that looks like me, doing something positive.”
Wright’s path into acting was very different to that of the latest crop of Eton-educated British stars. She repeatedly emailed agents with details of her school plays, but “no one replied”. She enrolled at the Identity School of Acting in east London and, after being taken on by its affiliated agency, found herself getting small parts.Wright’s path into acting was very different to that of the latest crop of Eton-educated British stars. She repeatedly emailed agents with details of her school plays, but “no one replied”. She enrolled at the Identity School of Acting in east London and, after being taken on by its affiliated agency, found herself getting small parts.
After appearing in Channel 4’s Top Boy and Sally El Hosaini’s urban drama, My Brother the Devil, she was singled out by Screen International as one of its 2012 Stars of Tomorrow.After appearing in Channel 4’s Top Boy and Sally El Hosaini’s urban drama, My Brother the Devil, she was singled out by Screen International as one of its 2012 Stars of Tomorrow.
When Wright turned up for an audition, she stood out immediately for Caton-Jones, who has worked with some of the industry’s biggest stars. “She was just fascinating from the beginning, loose and fluid,” he said. In 1993 he had been just as struck by the “natural gift” of 16-year-old DiCaprio when he cast him in a lead role alongside Robert De Niro in This Boy’s Life.When Wright turned up for an audition, she stood out immediately for Caton-Jones, who has worked with some of the industry’s biggest stars. “She was just fascinating from the beginning, loose and fluid,” he said. In 1993 he had been just as struck by the “natural gift” of 16-year-old DiCaprio when he cast him in a lead role alongside Robert De Niro in This Boy’s Life.
Caton-Jones said of Wright: “I’ve not felt like this about someone since Leonardo. I’ve had plenty of really good actors, but I just go on my instinct. My instinct is she can be as big as she wants. Letitia is just gobsmackingly brilliant. The camera loves her. She has an emotional honesty.” Caton-Jones said of Wright: “I’ve not felt like this about someone since Leonardo. I’ve had plenty of really good actors, but I just go on my instinct. My instinct is she can be as big as she wants. Letitia is just gobsmackingly brilliant. The camera loves her. She has an emotional honesty,” adding that her role was never in fact written for a black actor, it was Wright’s ability that got her the part.
Caton-Jones’s work includes Shooting Dogs, a story of the Rwandan genocide starring John Hurt; Rob Roy, with Liam Neeson as the Scottish folk hero; and City by the Sea, a thriller also starring De Niro. He also shot The Jackal, starring Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier.Caton-Jones’s work includes Shooting Dogs, a story of the Rwandan genocide starring John Hurt; Rob Roy, with Liam Neeson as the Scottish folk hero; and City by the Sea, a thriller also starring De Niro. He also shot The Jackal, starring Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier.
With both Wright and DiCaprio, Caton-Jones saw a raw talent that blossomed in front of the camera. It is something lacking in so many actors, he feels, and he criticises drama schools for not doing enough to teach student actors how to act in front of the camera, as well as on stage.With both Wright and DiCaprio, Caton-Jones saw a raw talent that blossomed in front of the camera. It is something lacking in so many actors, he feels, and he criticises drama schools for not doing enough to teach student actors how to act in front of the camera, as well as on stage.
He has been repeatedly shocked by actors telling him how little screen training they receive – as little as one day in one case. “It’s something that’s been constant for me – actors complaining about how under-prepared they were. It’s really extraordinary. It’s nuts. I don’t understand why,” said Caton-Jones.He has been repeatedly shocked by actors telling him how little screen training they receive – as little as one day in one case. “It’s something that’s been constant for me – actors complaining about how under-prepared they were. It’s really extraordinary. It’s nuts. I don’t understand why,” said Caton-Jones.
Drama schools, he said, should be approaching industry specialists such as himself to share their expertise with students.Drama schools, he said, should be approaching industry specialists such as himself to share their expertise with students.
Caton-Jones described the inadequate training as “a hangover of the class system … Theatre is somehow legit – and television and films are not.” The style of acting was very different, he said. “On stage, the actor pretty much controls their performance. In film, you’re a cog in this big wheel. The machine won’t work without the smallest cog turning over as well. The smarter ones realise their place.”Caton-Jones described the inadequate training as “a hangover of the class system … Theatre is somehow legit – and television and films are not.” The style of acting was very different, he said. “On stage, the actor pretty much controls their performance. In film, you’re a cog in this big wheel. The machine won’t work without the smallest cog turning over as well. The smarter ones realise their place.”
Caton-Jones is now editing Urban Hymn, with a view to its release later this year.Caton-Jones is now editing Urban Hymn, with a view to its release later this year.
Commenting on being cast by a director of his stature, Wright said: “This is pretty amazing. My mum is super proud.”Commenting on being cast by a director of his stature, Wright said: “This is pretty amazing. My mum is super proud.”