Legendary actor Billy Dee Williams recently shared his thoughts on actors doing blackface, which is sure to stir up some controversy.
While a guest on this week’s Club Random With Bill Maher, the Star Wars actor shared his belief that actors should be able to “do anything” they want to do.” And that includes blackface.
During the conversation they were discussing Sir Lawrence Olivier’s now controversial performance in 1965’s adaptation of Othello, Williams said: “When he did Othello, I fell out laughing. He stuck his ass out and walked around because Black people are supposed to have big asses.”
Maher replied: “Today, they would never let you do that” pointing out that Olivier was in blackface, and that when a Williams shared his opinion.
He said: “Why not? You should do it. If you’re an actor, you should do anything you want to do. The point is, you don’t go through life feeling like, ‘I’m a victim.’ I refuse to go through life saying to the world, ‘I’m pissed off.’ I’m not gonna be pissed off 24 hours a day.”
Obviously, that comment is going to raise some eyebrows for obvious reasons.
