Color-conscious casting may place excessive responsibility on marginalized populations

First off, let us acknowledge that both in theory and in practice, color-conscious casting actively seeks to support marginalized voices and has proven to deliver nuanced stories relevant to the global context. But it is also important to note that in the wrong hands, color-conscious casting could be manipulated to silence the voices of the BIPOC community. In an article for The Guardian, David Oyelowo explains that he prefers to decide for himself, as an actor of color, whether or not a role is worth his time. He plays Javert in BBC’s 2012 adaptation of Les Misérables. While a man of color would not serve in such a position of power in 1830’s Paris, Oyelowo explains that this is one of the reasons why he took the role. The Guardian warns against “naturalistic casting,” which is inevitably rooted in the systemic racism of our global timeline. While this method considers race, it does so under the guise of historical accuracy, which would bar Oyelowo from portraying a character just as he would have been barred from the actual job of police chief in the 19th century. This is a sort of reenactment of racist policies in the name of color-conscious casting. Oyelowo explains that in reality, the lack of nuanced thought or ability to imagine a world where racism does not dictate power (while still acknowledging that in our world, it does) serves as the secret antithesis to color-conscious casting.^[1] In a think-piece for American Theatre, actor Greig Sargeant draws attention to his right to play characters in theatrical pieces which talk about race and in pieces which do not. As one of the only people of color in the cast, Sargeant plays a prisoner in theatre company Elevator Repair Service’s adaptation of "Measure for Measure". Shortly after the production, critic Maya Phillips noted that casting the only black man as a felon was a racially insensitive choice, and yet Sargeant pushes back on this point. He has been a member of this very theatre company for about ten years and with their support has played roles which men of color are often denied but that which he deserved and executed well. Most important to Sargeant is his autonomy and authority in making the decision to play a role; he explains that if he found a role dehumanizing, he would be the first to say it and walk out. The kingdom of Shakespeare, he clarifies, is not an inviting space for people of color and he sees the role of Claudio as an unfortunately rare opportunity. Sargeant also explains that the text calls for a body double as a part of the plan to protect Claudio, but the ensemble spent an extensive amount of time staging the scene, acknowledging the climate of racial violence and their desire to avoid sending the message that one “black body can be replaced by another.” Sargeant resents the blame that Phillips seems to place on him, when he believes Phillips missed the point of the story. In a world in which he needs to work twice as hard as a white actor to get a chance at an acclaimed role, he worries that critics seemingly fighting for color-conscious casting might actually be stifling opportunities for actors of color.^[2] Color-conscious casting has made strides onstage and onscreen for the BIPOC community but, in the wrong hands, places heavy responsibility on the shoulders of marginalized populations and can bar them from opportunities they deserve.