Denzel Washington Historical Epic Causing Controversy Over His Casting
Any time a movie based on history goes into production, casting is bound to upset someone or even a group of people. Sticking to historical accuracy is something that director Ridley Scott recently caught heat for in his latest film, Napoleon, and now Training Day and The Equalizer franchise director, Antoine Fuqua has found himself in the hot seat along with Denzel Washington.
Denzel Washington As Hannibal
According to Le Monde Afrique, Washington’s casting as the historical Carthaginian general Hannibal has turned Tunisia on its head, with many calling for a reconsideration of the role.
While, as one could expect, social media has been popping off with the opinions of naysayers, Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Hannibal has taken a political edge, with the case going all the way to the Tunisian parliament.
The biggest complaint coming from the people and officials of Tunisia is the actor’s age and the color of his skin.
Many are upset that Fuqua plans to depict the legendary military figure as a Black African – a different picture of the general than that held by Tunisians.
Major Criticism
Taking the floor to slam Antoine Fuqua and his casting team for bringing Denzel Washington on as the lead in the upcoming Netflix film, MP Yassine Mami said that he was concerned that there would be “a risk of falsification of history” should Washington be featured as Hannibal.
Mami added that his position, and that of the others in an uproar over the casting, were worried about “defending Tunisian identity.” Unfortunately for Mami, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Minister Hayet Ketat Guermazi wasn’t having any of it.
Also A Piece Of Fiction
Acknowledging that the piece of film was historical, the Minister of Culture reminded Mami that it was also a piece of fiction, making it “their right” to cast whomever they see fit to play the general.
She went on to say that the important thing was that Antoine Fuqua’s production would put the spotlight back on Tunisia, a place where Hollywood used to film much more frequently.
Putting Tunisia On The Map
Hoping that the Denzel Washington-led production would feature clips from the stunning country, which has previously been featured in titles including Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Minister said that a movie like this could put the country back on the map with film and tourism.
As Minister Hayet Ketat Guermazi said, there’s likely nothing that can be done about Denzel Washington’s casting as Hannibal, despite what those like Mami are saying.
Others Facing Controversy
As the film serves as a piece of art and a dramatized portrayal of the historical figure, those upset with the production’s choices find themselves among others who’ve railed against titles including Gladiator and the aforementioned Napoleon.
While filmmakers will likely stick to the story as much as possible, there are little pieces they can pivot on to tell the story how they see fit.
Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua
Frequently collaborating on projects together, Netflix’s Hannibal film will mark another effort between Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua who saw big numbers at the 2023 box office with the third (and alleged final) installment in The Equalizer franchise.
With their background of creating successful films together (the pair also teamed up for the Academy Award-winner Training Day), audiences can expect nothing but the best for Fuqua and Washington’s upcoming historical epic.
