That's even more of a concern. Some of the finest British actors around at the moment are black. David Harewood - star of the medical drama A&E, the BBC's Babyfather and the cop show The Vice - is one of the most talented actors you could hope to see on your screens. And he has earned his spurs on stage. I first saw him in a local production of Shakespeare's Othello in the provincial city of Worcester, and his performance was electrifying. (He went on to play the role again for Britain's National Theatre to rave reviews both in Britain and on a world tour.) But it seems if you showed his picture to most members of the public he would be only vaguely recognised.
Actors such as Rudolph Walker from Trinidad have been gracing British screens for more than thirty years. He arrived in Britain in 1960, established himself as a performer by working in repertory theatres across the country in the 1960s including the Mermaid Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse and the Malvern Theatre. He came to national prominence in the Thames TV comedy Love Thy Neighbour which, although controversial because of its approach to race relations, was a big hit in the 1970s. Since then, he has appeared in many one-off dramas, series, and is now a regular character in the BBC's top soap, Eastenders. (Read about him on the Blackstage site.) Despite being on TV screens almost continuously for thirty years, he scored only as an 'also ran' in the recognition survey.
Missing the Publicity Bus
The article in the Independent makes reference to London actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste. She was nominated for an Oscar in 1997 - and yet coverage of her success was barely mentioned in the British press. Had that been Dame Judi Dench, or Dame Maggie Smith, the coverage would have been wall-to-wall.
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