Omar's coming... and coming... and coming

May 25, 2018 1:43 AM

Question Your Answers is a series of short films that 'challenge our certainties'. Michael K. Williams ‘Typecast’, Jeffrey Wright ‘Should I Be Scared?’ (mlyt)
posted by fearfulsymmetry (9 comments total)

I'm 60% sure this is a double - the Michael K. Williams one in particular is fantastic and I think about it regularly.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:48 AM on May 25, 2018 [2 favorites]

These are really great
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:15 AM on May 25, 2018

More please! Those are deep!
posted by perrouno at 2:24 AM on May 25, 2018

I have a deep attachment to The Wire, with a dog named Detective Kima and a kayak named Omar. Thanks for this video--but I think I saw it years ago, right?

It's such a painful discussion. For Williams to get himself out there, he had to accept gangster roles, so now he's typecast, but if the only roles he was ever initially offered were gangster parts, how many choices as an actor did he really have? It was gangster or not work.

When cat-petting Williams says he doesn't think we're going to see a black president again for a long time, it hurt my heart.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 5:45 AM on May 25, 2018 [3 favorites]

Typecasting is a funny thing. For most dramatic performing artists this is a thing we not only struggle against but hope to have. The question is whether you're comfortable with your type and whether it offers you the best artistic, career development and financial rewards. Getting typecast into a popular and in-demand type can result in plenty of work. It's also worth considering that Tom Cruise is no less typecast than Steve Buscemi, it's just that they're typecast into two different types. Christopher Walken once spoke about the work he did in developing his career and said, "If you're looking for a Christopher Walken type, there are guys who can do something like that - but I'm the best Christopher Walken type." Typecasting can be especially strong, and often limiting, for those who do popular and distinctive television or movie roles. Christopher Reeve comes to mind, and another good example is Ed O'Neill, who had some difficulty finding non-comedic work after the success of his Al Bundy character in Married with Children. There is, of course, the larger issue of how women and people of color are cast. I'm not sure I have much insight to add about that very complex issue other than to note all the problems of which we are hopefully increasingly aware.
posted by slkinsey at 7:11 AM on May 25, 2018 [3 favorites]

I just watched "should I be scared" and had to keep pausing it so I could laugh without missing anything. This is great, thank you!
posted by windykites at 9:37 AM on May 25, 2018

Jeffrey Wright is a treasure, and I'm amazed at how convincingly he portrayed my brain without ever having met me.
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:48 AM on May 25, 2018

These are great, and those are two fantastic, charismatic actors.

I have watched Jeffrey Wright's career since that 2000 remake of Shaft, where he was fantastic and delivered this best, hilarious quotable line: "You dressing down to blend in or something? You look like a fucking duck hunter!" (and I agree he is a treasure - so happy to see him get this acclaim for Westworld.)

It's funny to see all of those "Michael K. Williamses" divided into separate people because it seems to me that all of those moods flash across his face quick-quick in his performances, and it is a big part of his charm.
posted by hiker U. at 10:57 AM on May 25, 2018

I was freaked out by cat-petting MKW's cat, but loved the rest of this!
posted by TwoStride at 9:37 PM on May 25, 2018