Sorry, didn't mean to imply you were judging at all. You said nothing to that effect. I was actually speaking for myself, thinking out loud. I've often thought on those who can change their name--or look--to fit into the white man's world better. Growing up in Texas, for example, I went to school with lots of Mexicans whose parents changed the pronunciation of their names to sound Anglicized. For example, pronouncing a name like garCIa as GARcia, or marQUEZ to sound like marKWEZ. Frankly I tended to view that with a bit of scorn. There were even some light-skinned Mexicans who carefully didn't mention their heritage at all. Later, marrying into a white family helped cement the transition to "American" in their minds. I don't know. Maybe if I'd been able to "pass" in the tough world, I've have been tempted, but you can't mistake me as anything but Black. I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeatig. Years ago, the comic "Static" dealt with a Black youth and the Jewish girl he loved. His Black father spoke of how the girl was confused in a world where she could cover up her heritage (since she basically looked Western European) if she wanted. He mentioned that many Jews could do so--if they wanted to. And he wondered if Blacks envied Jews and others who could at least have the option to "hide" among whites. At the very same time, the Jewish girl was having a conversation with her father. Her father wanted her to understand why so many Blacks seemed angry at other races who tried to blend completely into American white society. He mused that most Blacks by nature of their skin color couldn't even try to hide what they were. But, that made them stronger, as they couldn't run from their problems, couldn't give in. And he wondered if some Jews didn't even Blacks for the strength they had to show to deal with that fact. So I'm divided on how I feel about those who can change a name, hair color, eye color, or a history, and then blend in to the general bland homogeneous "America".
-----Original Message----- From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of md_moore42 Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 15:52 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: Alexander Siddig Talks New Movie and Post-TREK Typecasting I'm not judging. I imagined that was the reason. I was wondering if the film industy was less accepting than television, that's all. --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Glad to hear it. Syriana's on my list of must-see movies, right up there > with another Clooney film, "Good Night and Good Luck". I'm glad to see > Siddig getting substantive roles. The only other things I've seen him in > since DS9 were an episode of the British series "MI-5", where he tries > to stop a young suicide bomber, and "Reign of Fire" and "Kingdom of > Heaven". > > As for his name, Siddig's given name is Siddig El Fadil. If you watch > episodes of DS9 from the first couple of seasons, you'll see him > credited as such. He changed his name during that time, obviously to > make it easier to work in the film industry. I read an interview with > him at the time, in which he said his parents had some problems with it, > but that they just had to understand the realities of the world. I > guess it'd be easy to sit back and judge him for changing the name of > his heritage, but I guess also he has to do what he has to do to get > work. At least he didn't completey Anglicize it... > > > -----Original Message----- > From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of md_moore42 > Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2005 01:46 > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: Alexander Siddig Talks New Movie and Post-TREK > Typecasting > > > I finally got a chance to see Syriana last weekend. Wonderful and > challanging. And Siddig was excellent in it. I hadn't read this > note before and therefore sat next to a friend and suddenly said...I > know him! He's from DS9. I went back to imdb.com and I noticed > that he's changed his credit/name. Which one is correct? Or rather- > -did he adopt his western name for film credits where he was using a > traditional name for TV? And hey--the boy is still cute! > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Tracey de Morsella > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > http://trekweb.com/articles/2005/12/04/439363184d509.shtml > > > > In an exclusive interview with ComingSoon.net, STAR TREK DEEP > SPACE NINE actor Alexander Siddig talks about his upcoming movie > SYRIANA and his feelings on being typecast because of the character > of Doctor Julian Bashir. Here are a few excerpts.> > > > > CS: What was it about this movie that drew you to do it? > > > > Siddig: It would be impossible not to be drawn to this movie as an > actor, especially as an Arabic actor or someone who works on the > ethnic fringe in a small vein of one of the many seams of acting. To > pass up or not be interested in someone who seems normal and real > would be crazy. I end up speaking so grandly, when I don't know if I > have the right to, but to pass up the diplomatic potential of a > character like this would be really foolish. I think whether you're > in the Middle East or in Europe or America, you can identify with > this person. > > > > CS: So being in these two movies, you've kind of escaped the "STAR > TREK curse". Were you aware that some actors go into STAR TREK and > never do anything else? > > > > Siddig: Yeah, yeah, I'm aware of that. I'm just in a very bizarre > niche and there aren't many people you can go to, but I blame Ridley > Scott really, because he was the person who went "I love STAR TREK > and I'd love it if you were in my movie" and people like Oliver > Stone went "I hated STAR TREK, and I don't want you in Alexander!" I > was really lucky there. But it is Ridley Scott's fault, because he > was the one who put me in a grown-up movie. I mean I've been in > other movies, but there are different kinds of parts in movies, I > found out. There are parts that you can do them all your life, and > no one knows you're even acting, and there are other parts which > people notice that you're in and you become an actor from the movies > and people take you in a whole different way. Whether or not I can > keep that ball rolling is another matter. But I wouldn't be here if > it wasn't for STAR TREK, so it's pretty great, and it means that I'm > a relatively friendly face to a lot of Americans and it's > > useful for that rather pretentious diplomatic trip I'm on. > > > > CS: Any idea what's next for you? > > > > Siddig: The thing I'm most interested is about HANNIBAL, an epic > about Hannibal, but it's a low budget one. It's not the Vin Diesel > one. We've only got one elephant. (Note: That last part was probably > a joke.) > > > > CS: Have any of the Arab or Palestinian directors come to you to > appear in their films? > > > > Siddig: They wouldn't come to me yet, because I'm very much a > Western actor. Even though I would love to be all kinds of things. > I'm definitely a Hollywood person. Not enough yet, but that's where > I am. > > > > CS: You directed an episode of DEEP SPACE NINE, so would directing > be something you'd want to pursue? > > > > Siddig: If I'm lucky enough and if I ever get smart enough to > direct, I'll direct again, but I've gotta write my own stuff, and > that means reading a book someday. > > > > The full interview can be found here > > http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=12214 > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > _____ YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS * Visit your group "scifinoir2 <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2> " on the web. * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . _____ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Know an art & music fan? Make a donation in their honor this holiday season! http://us.click.yahoo.com/.6dcNC/.VHMAA/Zx0JAA/LRMolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
