Broadway is becoming a magnet for Hollywood movie stars and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett are thrilled that the show they co-produced, “Fela!,” is a huge hit. Now, according to Michael Riedel in the NY Post, they’ve been approached to costar onstage as the common but passionate Stanley and Stella Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” It’s not easy to picture Will as brutal Stanley, in a sweaty wife-beater bellowing for his wife, but he’s surprised us before. The hard part might be casting Stella’s delicately balanced sister Blanche DubBois.
73 Comments
Please. Can’t stand one member of that “smug” family.
Yeah Jake. I don’t want to hate them, but I do, I do. For want of any other reason, I would call it their smugness.
They rub some people the wrong way, and if they were smart, they would do their work, and limit their promotional appearances, and never – ever – do the talk show circuit together. And they need to stop hanging out with Tom Cruise.
you all are jealous!
Everything Will does seems to turn to gold – there is a ‘likeable-ness’ about him.
He can’t act his way out of a paper bag. Good God does he suck!
Yeah, we are jealous hahaha
I used to love him when he was the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Somehow once he married Jada they became terribly full of themselves. They are always trying to convince the world what a hot sex life they have, which tells me something is not right there. They are both rumored to be bisexual and “swingers”. They dress their kids in a very adult way. The Karate Kid son always has a super smug expression on his face. And aren’t they Church of Scientology? Enough said right there.
The Scientology thing is creepy, particularly since many who get into that cult do so because they are conned into believing it can “cure” them of some undesirable condition, like homosexuality. Plus – now maybe I am ignorant on this one – I am not aware of any other Afro-Americans who have even toyed with Scientology. Makes you wonder what is up with the Smiths, don’t it???
I don’t care or concern myself with their religion or beliefs, OR their sexual life or preferences. However in answer to the initial question above my first response would be a resounding NO!
Kowalski is the name of the charactor and that hardly seems to fit Will or Jada. It DID fit Brando and his protrayal was spot on. It was a brilliant fit altogether and is a classic movie to this day and always will be. If you’re going to screw with the classics, you better either match them in quality, or surpass, otherwise don’t even try. What would be the point? Offhand I can’t think of a modern day Brando for this roll. There may very well be someone who could do it justice, but it definitely ISN’T Smith.
I never liked those 1950’s method actors. I found their performances pretentious and melodramatic. Brando’s performances send me into seizures of contempt. If you appreciate that kind of acting, then you will never want to see a new production of any Tennessee Williams play, or any remake of movies starring the Intense Bunch. I could care less – give me a Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie any day of the week.
the black society must be filled with shame?
No, Cap’n Asshole, the “black society” is hardly filled with shame…but I’m sure whatever cesspool YOU crawled out of is probably trying desperately to latch the drain being you at this very moment!
Bring back the minstrel shows! They should produce instead a broadway Harlem Nights,which was one of the funniest movies ever.
All the Smiths are full of themselves and think they are so liked. imho, Will has just had blind dumb luck to get as far as he has in his rotten acting career. And in regard to Scientology, I am 99% sure they are in it. You know they would do anything to rub elbows with tiny Tom Thumb, and the little Hitler has again scored ‘big money’ to further the devil’s cult.
I like Will Smith, he seems like a very nice guy. But don’t care much for Jada. By the way, if you didn’t know this there black.
Method Actors are awesome! Monty Clift and Henry Fonda were one of the best. I never got into Brando though. I just don’t understand the appeal of him……..oh well.
Will and Jada cast as the iconic, doomed pair in one of the most famous plays is making Tennessee Williams spin in his grave as Janet announced this mess. Hell no. Don’t piss on good roles that these two don’t have the depth to even pull off.
By the way, why is it when we don’t like someone or something, we are immediately regarded as “jealous”? Can’t a person just not like a person because their personalities and ideals don’t complement one another?
Why would I be jealous of these two clowns? I wouldn’t want to be either of them. I love talented visionaries who “own” their crafts not two smug posers pretending to act. Now to be Meryl Streep, Christopher Nolan, or Julianne Moore is another story, lol.
NO. That is all.
i’ll take it a step further. why DISLIKE someone because of their personality. we all were never intended to be alike. even family members are different. it’s also sad to dislike someone because of their beliefs. i don’t care for rush limbaugh, but i don’t dislike him as a person.
this society has come to a sad state when we are not MATURE enough to understand that we all have a right to be different and think differently.
i employ five other women, and we are different with few similarities. job wise, we are mature enough to work as a TEAM.
dislike someone because of your PERSONAL interactions with them, but never forget that they are human like you!
i am happy to see a successful, gifted, and talented black male MAKE IT in hwood, and he keeps his fam together.
[I love talented visionaries who “own” their crafts not two smug posers pretending to act. Now to be Meryl Streep, Christopher Nolan, or Julianne Moore is another story, lol.]
you’re entitled to like whoever. will IS an actor, and black people who are confident and assure are always smug, right? and you know what we do with smug negroes, right? gotta keep them in ‘their place’.
PCN, one should not necessarily dislike someone because of his personality. One should not hate someone because he is shy or a morning person. However some personality traits are unacceptable.
I am surprised that you say YOU do not dislike Limbaugh. I loathe that whole crowd – Ann Coulter, Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Jeff Beck. I object to their politics, but that is not why I hate them.
They are smug, and – most significantly – uncivil, often behaving like brats and unnecessarily abusing and ridiculing people simple for being different. They do not behave in a mature, respectful, genteel manner, despite the fact that many of them are supposedly well-educated and travel in somewhat sophisticated circles.
And I cannot stand that the real big-players – The View crew, Letterman, Jon Stewart – in the entertainment world tolerate those yobs, and that free speech and tolerance are used as excuses for doing so.
Oops, I meant Glen Beck.
[I am surprised that you say YOU do not dislike Limbaugh. I loathe that whole crowd – Ann Coulter, Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Jeff Beck. I object to their politics, but that is not why I hate them.]
no, i do not dislike them. they are mere entertainment fodder in my opinion, and free speech is a gift to all.
Point taken.
I suppose my complaint is a persnickety one – I just feel that the lack of civility, decorum and maturity is having a very negative effect on society.
After all, if a television presenter in his 40’s or 50’s can throw tantrums, make racist or sexist comments, and become verbally abusive to anyone who challenges him, and – on top of that – can display atrocious ignorance (several of those people mentioned, for example, have said ridiculous and inaccurate things about Canada), then one cannot be surprised that an 18 year old is an expletive-spouting knuckle-dragger who will head-butt someone at the drop of a hat.
I do not think the Becks and Coulters should be silenced, I just do not think they should be shown the respect that they are.
After all, if you had a dinner party, and one of the guest said the host was a fag, the hostess a whore, and their children retards, you would not shrug your shoulders, cite the constitution, and treat the rude bastard with the same grace you would your other guests. I would hope not anyway!
they appear so normal in the above pic, now the whole family seems like a pack of freaks. his career is going down the toilet because of it, he used to be mr. annual july 4th huge opening weekend. when was the last time he had a blockbuster? he’s over and she was never on. those kids are freaks that are trying to mimic the dads once upon a time success. scientology gets you no more of my dollars.
positive, confident negro
ur ridiculous. hollywood knows what a precious commodity a stars public persona plays in to the larger picture. why do you think they hid marilyn monroes marriage? because men wanted to think of her as single and available. tom cruise is done in part due to scientology and his cookiness on oprah. why do you think tiger married elin, so that he could get that cheddar portraying a solid happily married family man, and he isnt even an actor. no one is going to throw their dollars around to a star they dont like or support unless the picture is super fuego! and hollywood is pretty much yawn right now and we lack intelligent/great movies.
one more thing negro, what happened to wills first marriage, it doesnt look like he kept that family together much. yes we are all different and thats great, I know another me would get on my last nerve. and I’m not afraid to say that but as the people with the purchasing dollars we can pay for what we please and we can also dislike what we see or dont see in someone especially if they are trying to sell themselves to the public which is what most entertainers do, be they sports figures, actors, singers, etc. I used to watch every will smith movie but something in him has changed. maybe its to his benefit but I dont like and I like plenty of americans are increasingly growing tired of it and it reflects at the box office.
palermo you are spot on, they do try to convince us about how hot their sex life is. what is that shakesperean quote, “the lady doth protest too much” I always thought she was a dyka anyway. what kid of woman walks around with a stiff face all the time.
jada has had too much botox; therefore, her face is expressionless.
[After all, if you had a dinner party, and one of the guest said the host was a fag, the hostess a whore, and their children retards, you would not shrug your shoulders, cite the constitution, and treat the rude bastard with the same grace you would your other guests.]
having dinner with an uncouth person or someone being intentionally ignorant and rude is a whole other topic.
for example, i don’t dislike mel gibson, but i am WISE enough to know that he is a misguided, ABUSIVE and probably has a mental disorder. i won’t pay to see his movies anymore also due to this debacle.
PCN, why has this become a race thing??? I don’t like Will and Jada because I just don’t like them just like I don’t like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Where does race figure in all of this?
What Pollyanna world do you and Sebastian live in? Or what the hell are you two smoking? Not everybody likes everyone. There’s no such thing. And there are people that generally don’t like each other because their personalities, backgrounds, tastes, views, etc. don’t mesh. You don’t always get along with people of distinctly different personality or sometimes opposites attract.
P.S. Hate and dislike are two very different beasts. Please don’t mix up the two.
(will IS an actor, and black people who are confident and assure are always smug, right? and you know what we do with smug negroes, right? gotta keep them in ‘their place’)
Don’t make this a race thing. Yeah Will is a shitty actor. I don’t like his movies or his roles as much as I can’t stand to watch Owen Wilson. And Jada is nothing special. And yes, homegirl is smug just look at her photo. And I don’t care if they worship Xenu or Satan, that has nothing to do with my feelings for them.
Get a life! Don’t take something out of context.
Sally:^^^^^^^^^you mentioned Owen Wilson…..Patooey, yuck and barf, I just lost my appetite thinking of his crummy acting and distorted face, not to mention his slooooow drawl.
sally, i have a wonderful life, if i say so myself. i’ve never used drugs, and live very much in the real world.
there is a thin kine between hate and dislike. PEACE!
[I just feel that the lack of civility, decorum and maturity is having a very negative effect on society.]
INDEED!
I agree with Sally, this is NOT about race. The ORIGINAL post by Janet was about Will taking the Brando role which just ISN’T good casting, period. He is NOTHING like the charactor written or portrayed originally and people don’t like their classics fucked with. If you ARE going to UPDATE a famous and beloved piece, then you better make it much much improved, otherwise don’t touch it. Anyone recall the disasterous remake of Psycho with flighty Ann Heche and the beefy Vince Vaughn? The movie bombed at the box office and was just horrible and no way as good as the original in spite of the fact that they shot it the same (supposedly). So, I really think casting is everything, and people will stay away in droves if they cast Will in this roll, he just ISN’T the right actor for this movie.
Like the only actors in this day and age with any real acting chops is Leonardo Dicaprio and Johnny Depp. Everyone else is just a hack playing themselves over and over IMO. Movie stars are not what they used to be….
positive, confident negro, who is the real racist here? you have no idea which of us may be black
Well we know who isn’t, does strom ring a bell.
(jada has had too much botox; therefore, her face is expressionless)
Yup and so do other actors and actresses that still don’t look like smug twats. Jada has always had that holier-than-thou look. Never have been and never will be a fan. And that smug expression and attitude has rubbed off on her son. Anyone catch him on David Letterman? Little punk was beyond rude and disrespectful.
Jaden Smith was recently on “The View”. Sorry to say but he just oozed an attitude of “I’m so great”. The stupid hags on The View were falling all over him. He looked and acted like a tiny sarcastic drug dealer.
my convo was meant for sebastin, unless noted. thanks for the dialouge, sebastin! 🙂
[He looked and acted like a tiny sarcastic drug dealer.]
uh, huh. yeah, okay. movin’ on.
Movies in general call for the audience’s SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF. But somehow it’s easier to fathom airbenders in our midst than it is a couple of African-American Kowalsksis during the depression. It just won’t fly.
annabella: as I said, it’s called CASTING. And if done PROPERLY we belief the plot and go along with it if the actors are good that is. If it’s poorly cast from the very beginning, no amount of good scenery, costumes, dialog, etc will keep it from being a dud in the final accounting. Our brains are pre-programmed with this particular story “A Streetcar Named Desire” by the original writing, and then the original play and movie. They are classic and stuck in our collective subconscience mind. It’s hard to fight what already exists, and I would think if Will were truly a smart fellow he’d be able to figure that out and not attempt to mess with it being that the odds of his success are so incredibly low. I wouldn’t think he’d want to take that risk to his reputation as an actor. He has enough successes under his belt already so why mess with that?
It WOULD be interesting to see this story redone, but I really hope Hollywood in its greed doesn’t just rush it out with him because he has a name brand, but really takes the time to cast it correctly and do it justice. I’d really love to see it again and see if it could indeed be improved upon, but my guess would be a resounding NO. And if you CAN’T improve upon it, why then spend the time and money, just leave the original classic alone to stew in its glory.
Who would play Karl Malden’s part? Kim Hunter? Vivien Leigh?
y’all are JEALOUS!
Of what, or whom?
Same here PCN – thanks for the convo.
Sally, my point was that one has the right to expect a certain level of civility and decent behavior, even in a relatively open forum, and that if people do not behave properly, it is not just the right, but the responsibility of those dealing with them to shut them down, shut them out. This is called socialization. It takes a village you know!
Sebastian: ?
You veered off course and make little sense. For someone so open-minded you should certainly understand that people are very different and react differently to people and circumstances.
They are built and programmed different and percieve things differently than you. We can agree and sometimes we can disagree. We can like someone or choose not to like them. You like some that I don’t and vice versa. It’s that simple.
Please stop complicating things and take statements out of context.
Could PCN actually be Barak the Magic Negro? Rush would be proud!
Sally, if you read my comments in this post, you will see a consistent argument, one that does relate to this story. The Smiths are too smug and arrogant. I believe that the public will eventually punish them for this. As part of the entertainment-consuming public, people WILL set out to “socialize” celebs (unfortunately it takes a bit longer for this to occur with the new type of News personality, such as Glen Beck).
You write “Please stop complicating things and take statements out of context.” Are you asking me to take statement out of context? Or do you mean to say “Please stop complicating things and taking statements out of context?
My last comment on this (I can hear the hurrah’s):
Sally, I love how irate people of our generations often get when the discussion of civility, behaving properly and improperly, and the concept of positive socialization is brought up.
Sorry, bad behavior is NOT subjective. Unnecessarily showing people disrespect, making a spectacle of oneself, disturbing the peace, acting superior, making people feel uncomfortable, is wrong.
The fact that this has to even be pointed out is an example of how far wrong our culture has gone.
I seem to have touched a nerve, but that is your problem not mine.