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Helen Mirren: is the Israeli icon Golda Meir a role too far for the dame who does it all?
The Guardian ^ | Sun 9 Jan 2022 07.00 EST

Posted on 01/09/2022 2:14:13 PM PST by nickcarraway

She has played the Queen and a gangster’s moll but her latest casting has sparked controversy

Nobody is quite what they seem. And actors? Well, for actors that’s the job. Dame Helen Mirren, as well as being herself for 76 years, has by now notably been Lady Macbeth, a London gangster’s moll, a thief’s wife, an alcoholic cop, an action hero, Prospero and also a British monarch at least four times. Now she takes on Golda Meir, the late prime minister of Israel, in a new biopic, and the casting has caused controversy.

The choice of a non-Jewish actor to star as a woman with such a prominent place in the history of Israel has prompted irritation on both sides of the argument. Another illustrious dame, Maureen Lipman, was first to raise the issue – or “blast” Mirren, according to some reports last week – and then Dame Esther Rantzen defended the director’s choice. It is the latest instance of a ‘Jewface’ row, a backlash to the assignment of a major Jewish role to someone not from that minority background.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: History; Religion; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 1973; 1973war; acting; blackface; british; dameestherrantzen; damehelenmirren; endoflaborparty; estherrantzen; gentile; goldameir; helenmirren; ingridbergman; israel; jewface; jewish; maureenlipman; movies; russian; worldwarii; yomkippurwar
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To: nickcarraway

Well, it’s a small blessing their didn’t choose an actress “of color” to portray Golda.


21 posted on 01/09/2022 2:52:34 PM PST by rbg81
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To: jz638
And for all of Golda’s assets, being easy on the eyes was not one of them.

You can say that again!

22 posted on 01/09/2022 2:53:31 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Suppo)
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To: jz638

If they wanted visual realism, they should have cast Danny Aiello as Golda while he was still alive.


23 posted on 01/09/2022 2:55:36 PM PST by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: nickcarraway

She was in Caligula, believe it or not.


24 posted on 01/09/2022 2:57:41 PM PST by Atticus
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To: nickcarraway

I think I smell jealousy...

By these standards, no Jew should play a WASP (frequent roles in American movies, where we have a lot of great Jewish actors) and everybody needs a DNA check before casting.

Helen Mirren would be great. She has done a truly amazing job in every movie I’ve seen about the Margaret Thatcher/Golda Mier type of woman.


25 posted on 01/09/2022 2:59:10 PM PST by livius
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To: jjotto
If they wanted visual realism, they should have cast Danny Aiello as Golda while he was still alive.

OMG I'm dying here!
26 posted on 01/09/2022 3:00:05 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: nickcarraway

The question is will this be another lying Hollywood hit piece? Israel never gets an even break from Hollywood or the media.


27 posted on 01/09/2022 3:01:17 PM PST by Spok
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To: jjotto
If they wanted visual realism, they should have cast Danny Aiello as Golda while he was still alive.

ROTFLMAO!

28 posted on 01/09/2022 3:01:49 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Suppo)
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To: Rummyfan

She still is no Helen Thomas


29 posted on 01/09/2022 3:03:37 PM PST by al baby (Hi Mom Hi Dad)
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To: nickcarraway

Christopher Reeve was not Kryptonian.


30 posted on 01/09/2022 3:06:49 PM PST by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: nickcarraway

Let’s extend this idiocy to journalism. Is the author of this article Jewish? Should a non-Jew be writing about Jewish issues? Maybe she is Jewish. I don’t know, but that way of thinking is idiotic.

A person can’t be too “woke”, can they? /s


31 posted on 01/09/2022 3:09:15 PM PST by FreedomForce
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To: nickcarraway

Acting is pretending to be someone you’re not. Do they not get that?


32 posted on 01/09/2022 3:20:30 PM PST by Trillian
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To: Rummyfan

“ Maureen Lipman illustrious?! Never heard of her! “

I only know her as Aunt Eller in a 1999 London revival of Oklahoma! that starred a young Hugh Jackman (the gigantic Ackman). She was very good and the whole production was excellent. Jackman was outstanding, too. It’s on video.

She was also in a Doctor Who episode but I never saw it.


33 posted on 01/09/2022 3:23:03 PM PST by gymbeau (I refuse to be anonymous. I am THEnonymous.)
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To: Rummyfan

A Brit actress who gets the title ‘Dame’ is illustrious, at least in the UK.


34 posted on 01/09/2022 3:25:06 PM PST by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: ifinnegan

Fascinating


35 posted on 01/09/2022 3:26:21 PM PST by robowombat (Orthodox)
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To: dfwgator

Danny Divito could also play Golda Mier


36 posted on 01/09/2022 3:26:56 PM PST by Fai Mao (I don't think we have enough telephone poles.)
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To: Rummyfan

Women were so much more sexier then IMHO.


37 posted on 01/09/2022 3:27:07 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: gymbeau

She also played an Anglican vicar.

She’s a hypocrite. Just like Sarah Silverman, and her “Jewface” argument.


38 posted on 01/09/2022 3:28:51 PM PST by nyc1
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To: nickcarraway

Yawn.


39 posted on 01/09/2022 3:29:32 PM PST by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore.)
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To: nyc1

Debra Winger not allowed to play the Polish Catholic girl in An Officer and a Gentleman, the Texas girl (presumably Protestant) in Urban Cowboy, or daughter of WASPS Emma Greenway in Terms of Endearment.

It shows, Maureen, don’t you know.


40 posted on 01/09/2022 4:02:14 PM PST by Cecily
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