Going back in time, Wesley Snipes was regarded as one of the biggest and most in-demand hotshots in the entertainment industry. His perfect blend of athleticism coupled with undeniable charisma on-screen helped him curate some of the finest big-screen works of all time. But he wasn’t one of those stars who would just sit back and watch if their fellow colleagues were being mistreated and discriminated against.
Instead, the Blade star became one of the first mainstream African-American stars to stand up to Hollywood racism right when he was on a hot streak with some of his best performances of all time.
Also Read: Wesley Snipes’ Net Worth- How Much Money Did He Make From Blade Trilogy to Play the Badas* Vampire?
Wesley Snipes Bluntly Pointed Out Hollywood Racism Right When He Was On A Hot Streak
If there is something Wesley Snipes is widely recognized for besides his remarkable on-screen performances, it is his calling out Hollywood over its racial inequality. Talking to Jae-Ha Kim of The Chicago Sun-Times, Sylvester Stallone‘s Expendables 4 co-star openly expressed his views regarding the same.
“The movie industry right off the bat is geared for white actors,” Snipes said. “When screenwriters write material, they write with white actors in mind, unless they’re black writers like Spike [Lee]. The only roles available to minorities then are specifically designated as for an African-American man or an Asian woman of whatever. That’s the nature of this business, but it really fascinates me that so many films can be made with no non-white people in them!”
Furthermore, he went on to clarify what he actually meant with his comment about not wanting to do ‘stereotypical’ roles for movies.
“I think that some people may mistake my comments about not wanting to do ‘stereotypical’ parts for not ever accepting a role as a gang member or drug lord again,” Snipes said. “That’s not true, because if a great role comes up and he happens to be a pimp, I’ll do it.”
Snipes continued to say:
“So many scripts out there have African Americans portray worthless people because it’s accepted, and the roles have no redeeming values. It’s sort of similar to the analogy of pretty women in Hollywood being offered parts where they are undressed or are basically window-dressing. I don’t want prejudice to ever become acceptable and the norm, because it’s not.”
Wesley Snipes’ Anger Arose After His Unfortunate Encounter With The Police
Back in 1991, Wesley Snipes was incorrectly arrested by the LAPD on charges of driving a stolen vehicle even though the car was leased to him by his own production company. When he tried to protest, he was ‘kneed in the neck, handcuffed, and had a gun pointed to the back of his head.’
Recalling the incident as a humiliating one, he shared his views on the entire situation with The Chicago Sun-Times:
“The theory seems to be that if you are an African-American man in this country, you are guilty until proven innocent,” Snipes said. “I’ve been stopped twice just getting into my own car in L.A. when I had my keys in my own hands. It’s not even a flashy car – just an Acura Legend – but I guess the common belief is that African Americans can’t afford nice cars.”
Yet, even that wasn’t the last uncanny encounter that Snipes had with the police. After his calling out Hollywood for its racism, multiple similar misadventures with the police followed.
In the end, after much struggling to keep afloat in the industry with numerous other rounds to the court ending with a three-year prison sentence in 2010, Wesley Snipes is still active in Hollywood but his position isn’t as strong as it used to be.
Source: The Chicago Sun-Times
