Casting of Thandie Newton in ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ Sparks Petition
Fans of the novel Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are angry that Thandie Newton has been cast in the lead role.
The novel chronicles the lives of several characters during the course of the Biafran War that took place in Nigeria from 1967 to 1970. Tribal conflicts between the Hausa and the Igbo initiated this Nigerian Civil War, which led to the genocide and starvation of over 3 million people. The main characters in this book are Igbo. Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, and they were also the main victims of this horrifying war.
Igbo people, like any other people range in physical characteristics as well as complexion. However, the majority of Igbos are dark brown in complexion. Igbo people do not look like the bi-racial Thandie Newton. She is not Nigerian, and she does not physically resemble Igbo women in the slightest.
As a result, a petition has been started asking the filmmakers to reconsider casting this role.
CLICK HERE for more informtion and to sign the petition. The comments are insightful.
