Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Lights, Camera - Action!
Posted by Bossip Staff
Rihanna’s coming to a theater near you:
“Mama Black Widow, which will feature R&B songbird Rihanna in her big screen debut, tells the story of a black family’s migration from the Southern Mississippi field, to Chicago in the 1930’s.
Mos Def has also has a starring role in this upcoming film. We’re not feeling too hopeful about the girl Rihanna in a theatrical role. We’ve said it before, but it’s clear that no one really cares about talent anymore.
Comments (100)
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Topics: Rihanna
oh no.
1st btw…but again. oh no.
can’t wait to hear her take on a Southern accent
um….how are they gonna harness the Bajan accent and parlay it into some kinda southern accent????? nah, not feelin Rhi on this one for her debut. they shouldv’e started her out with something way more believable-like a young songstress falls in love with her mentor lol….
I don’t understand why “singers” (notice the quotes) think they can automatically act. And for our vocally-challenged, warbly-voiced sistren like Rihanna, my confusion is multiplied. I smell “Glitter” part 2.
We already question most of the music industry’s “talent” about their
vocals now they continue to push the same questionable talent
into the acting industry. I think the writers need to do another strike!
Can she pull off a southern accent?
THIS WON’T BE GOOD
Train wreck in the making…
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! PLEASE SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!! HER ACCENT WILL BE HORRIBLE.
She is Pop, not R&B!!
If Ri Ri doesn’t sing or speak in the movie it should be at least OK. Mos Def has some acting chops. He can do all the talking.
DAMN!!!
Look at how FLAT her a$$ is in that pic…
First she needs to master the English language…..
Why shouldn’t she be able to mimic a southern accent…even if it’s horrible?
After all, think of all the American actors who’ve tried to play West Indians and did terrible accents. *shrugging*
Anyway, let’s give her a chance…if she isn’t a born natural, then I’m sure with some training and classes, she’ll get better with time.
Oh no…on another note, CNN just announce that Sen. Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor. Prayers and thoughts with him and his family.
Hopefully she won’t get like Bey and start sporting her ice skating tights to parties.
1st Diddy kills a role, then here comes another opportunity to do the same thing.
Lets list all the wrongs with this:::
1. No known acting talent..PERIOD
2. Can barely speack English without her heavy accent
3. DOubt she can pull off a southern accent (and not that cowboy ish either)
4. this is perhaps most important……..SHE’S AN EFFING SINGER, NOT AN ACTRESS.
this is y actors/actresses can’t get no jobs now. ppl only gonna see it cuz Rhianna in da movie
i just don’t understand why they keep giving parts to “singers” what about all of the actual actresses who are not working…i understand that she is the “it” girl right now…but come on every actor can’t sing and every singer can’t act…sometimes it’s just best to stick with what you are supposedly talented at…
oh joy!!!
**sarcasm**
and i guess, like, beyonce, she will expect to win an oscar…and u bey d*ckriders might not admit it, but thats one area she has not conquered…
one word….glitter
eff the accent, who’s gonna buy her as an actress?? she’s a half-asss singer with zero dancing skills…WTF??? she couldnt even fool us into believing she wasnt screwing C Breezy…NEXT!!!
I’ve read y’all comments and I DO understand the “No Talent”, “singer” and “Can’t act” angles… I Do I Really Do
But DAMN I STILL want to Fuck Her
Oh wait a minute. How are you simpletons going to talk about her “mastering the English language”?!?! WTH…. Don’t get it twisted. She was educated at a very good school in Barbados (Combermere), so trust me, her grammar is on point. So what she has an accent…at least you can understand what she is saying and she is articulate.
“Mama Black Widow, which will feature R&B songbird Rihanna in her big screen debut
LMAO
what does her accent have to do with her speaking English. They speak English in Barbados. Her first language is English. Thats Americans and their ignorant ass for you. They hear an accent and they get scared. I have met so many Americans and when they hear my accent, (mind u , my FIRST language is ENGLISH) riight away they insult u or tell u go learn to speak English. I’ve travelled to Europe and the funnyh thing is u dont have that problem. PPL from New york are sometimes more open minded. So what are u trying to tell me ppl From Ireland etc , dont speak English cuz they have an accent. U ppl need to quit.
I’ve read the script it’s phenomenal… lil Lorraine Hansberry rip off at times but great.
I THINK RIH GOT A NICE BUTT!!
@West Indian, it’s sheer ignorance.
The next time folks want to talk about the ability to speak English or accents, please look at some of your artists, especially those from the south/midwest or even the west coast, because when some of them open their mouths to speak, I swear I’m begging for subtitles!!
Reading some of their interviews…between the ebonics and massacred conjugation…it’s enough to make your eyes bleed!! Enough to make you wonder if they made it past 2nd grade…
Well damn I can’t wait to hear that accent! Should be exciting.
WTF? You damn right it’s not about talent. Rhianna said herself she don’t know anything about acting. I would like to see somebody like Jurnee in this role; she is a TRAINED actress. It’s all about who is hot at the moment, that’s the only reason she was chosen.
People question why actresses like Gabrielle Union, Essence Atkins, Tisha Campbell are not working - and or doing more partying then working…hell, they can’t get work because all the jobs are going to the “flavors of the month” in music.
The sad thing is there are too many out of work skilled black actresses who would do a better job. Everything in Hollywood is now bought.
Stars on the Walk of Fame
music awards
MTV movie awards are bought by the studio
Roles in B-movies
Yeah she definitely can identify with is role. She came from the deep south. Caribbean sea area.
I can’t wait to hear her southern accent.
UH OHH
SHE JUST REDUCED HER YEARS
SHE WAS DOING GOOD WITH VS, BUT ACTING
SHE JUST DROPPED A YEAR!
5 YEARS, 7 MONTHS, AND 11 DAYS
I’ve read this book and I’m confused about both choices. The main character is a man who grew up in complete and utter chaos and misery with a wacked out family. He’s a gay man dealing with his sexuality in the hard ghetto where pimps, hookers and hustlers run the streets. I respect Mos Def as an actor, but I don’t see him playing Otis. And I wonder if Rhianna will play one of his sisters or his girlfriend.
listen this girl is gonna pull it off even if she has to fuck everybody that can help her including cast and crew, rihanna is a chick that knows wat she wants and how to get it cant hate her for that..i did not believe that she would last this long and look she is still around..
look at the song take a bow that song is so fucking BORING!..it lacks depth or lyrics and she certainly did not sing it well and they saying it made history and jumped due to the amount of downloads LMAO!! someone in her camp has money cause i aint buying that no fan or watever downloaded that shit..sex sells and rihanna is a good example of that so fuck talent .
Am from the Caribbean we dont really have her up there like it seems america or europe does we caribbean people know real talent.not that we hate her ..but its annoying when u hear little miss sunshine and then u c this rock type looking chick wat the fuck is up with that…and Barbados has the heart to call her their ambassador for youth (with her strip tease appearance) and culture (that girl done gone far from their culture long time).. thats y her ass stays close to the states all the sunshine jay z calling her no talent mother fucking ass she aint neva say she doing someting in the caribbean much cause she know we dont like no fake shit..but we love u riri lol do ya thing!!
i dont see what her accent has to do with shit. nicole kidman has an australian accent and she has that american accent down pack not mention other actors like that guy from “House” who don’t have a natural american accent. sigh
geeez
Wow - just looked at the IMDb page for the movie. The cast actually looks very interesting. Here’s the line up:
Kerry Washington - Sedalia Mama Tilson
Anthony Anderson - Lockjaw Hudson
Mos Def - Papa
Rihanna - Carol
Brian J. White - Otis
Macy Gray - Jonnie Mae Hudson
I wonder how they’ll tell this story because Otis’ sexuality is a huge part of the storyline. However, I don’t see his girlfriend Dorcas listed as one of the characters in the movie. I’m interested to see how this works out.
LOVE MOST DEF!!!
GIVE RHI RHI A CHANCE Y’ALL…SHE MIGHT BE GOOD. I DOUBTED BEYONCE BUT SHE BLEW ME AWAY…SO NOW I AM NOT SO QUICK TO DOUBT IT!!
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!
just because she has an accent it doesn’t mean thatshe doesn’t speak english properly. Americans can’t say anything to her when in the film ‘cool runnings’ the actors butchered the jamaican accent.
Why is a Bossip so negative. Atleast give the girl a chance to see if she can act. Let the movie come out. Atleast they didn’t put Beyonce in it. Since they want to put her in every movie that requires a black woman.
C’mon Bossip…give Rih Rih a chance…Dang…everybody has to start from somewhere…I just wonder how she is going to get over her Bajan accent…its pretty thick…
Quite frankly we here in America don’t speak proper English anyway.
While I do agree that Rihanna’s accent doesn’t have anything to do with her ability of speaking English, from interviews I’ve seen of her, I HIGHLY doubt she’s as educated as some of yall seem to believe (ie Just Sit and Be Pretty). As far as I know, she didn’t graduate high school and she was asked once when was the last time she put her foot in her mouth and she actually took it litteraly -.-
English isn’t my 1st language and even I couldn’t have made that mistake lol
Ri Ri,
If you are reading these post, I just want you to know, I think u are going to fool all of these nay sayers. SHOW UM UP GIRL.
I do believe that we should support Black film. But there are plenty other Black actresses out there-did they really need to import a “singer” (note quotes)for a role? I’ll go and see it when it comes out but if it’s bad, I will hound Ri Ri for my 11 bucks back.
@missp
How are u so sure she didn’t graduate? We enetr high school in the caribbean at 11 or 12. An to attend a High school or secondary school, you have to write COMMON ENTRANCE EXAMINATION and PASS. That test is island wide and u’re competing with kids around the island to go to the secondary school of your choice. So we graduate around 15 or 16. Do u know how many West Indian kids who have trouble adjusting in the North American School system because its sooooooo behind. I’ve heard ppl who migrated to the states and they’re put in a grade with kids their age and they’re learning things that the West indian kid was taught YEARS before. Our education is way behind. I will find it hard to believe that Rihanna;s parents didn let her graduate. If u know any West indian they will tell u this:
U come home with a 98% on your test. And all they can say is :Where De hell is de other 2%. And u’re lucky if u dont get a lash with a belt.
* I menat to say our eduaction is way AHEAD. Sorry I was tying fast. I’m at work
This heffa is just too bad
wow…has anyone ever read the book….its by iceberg slim and its kinda heavy….miss rhi rhi cant even act like she can sing ,how is she gonna pull this off…
miss p…point taken, I’m not claiming she’s an Einstein, I don’t know her like that. However, I do know that she got into Combermere (a school that students have to be tested to attend), so I stand by my comment.
Your example about the “foot in her mouth” is weak because everyone knows that idioms or figures of speech can be regional and/or specific to a particular locale…they are not universal…even if they are all English.
For example, if a black American refers to someone “showing their ass”, you could speak English, even be from England, but if you’re not familiar with the phrase, you might take it literally and think that someone was showing their butt to others when in fact, they were engaging in inappropriate behavior that has nothing do with an ass. *excuse the run-on sentence*
dont see what her accent has to do with shit. nicole kidman has an australian accent and she has that american accent down pack not mention other actors like that guy from “House” who don’t have a natural american accent. sigh
geeez
——————————————
Why are you comparing Rhianna to Nicole who is a trained actress. Rhianna is only getting ish because of her look and now popularity. RHIANNA IS NOT AN ACTRESS! She is not even a good live performer.
Ugh enough of this no talent girl already. I see she is continuing to use her Beyonce play-by-play book. Changed sound. Check. Date a male star. Check. Acting. Check. I expect her to do endorsements or a clothing line next. SMH
@ real talk
she’s already endorsing H&M and working on a lingerie line. Check that off her list too.
Well I guess since Bey is playing Etta James, they had to settle for Rihanna. This girl can barely speak English and cant even sing or dance. How the hell is she going to act? Yep nobody gives a damn about talent anymore. Anyone can get a record deal or movie if Forehead Fenty can.
@Nikler, “thank you”!! I took the test and passed with scores to go to St. Michaels but came to the U.S. and because of my age, was supposed to go into the 6th grade. When they reviewed my transcript and grades from B’dos, they skipped me and I went straight to 7th…
Anyhoo, on another note, if this movie is yet another venture to put even more money in Rhi Rhi’s pocket, I’m sooooo not mad at her.
Well I guess since Bey is playing Etta James, they had to settle for Rihanna. This chick can barely speak English and cant even sing or dance. How the hell is she going to act? Yep nobody cares about talent anymore. Anyone can get a record deal or movie role if Forehead Fenty can.
I saw Riri in concert over the weekend and because of Bossip I had really low expectations (vocally) Well, I was pleasantly surprised. I hate to use this word, b/c this IS a gossip site, but ya’ll are really haters! I’m not sayin she’s the next Aretha, but girl has enough talent to be where she is. Be fair…you just don’t like her, did she step on ya’ll poor Bey Stan’s toes?
oh please, beyonce can’t act to save her life, either, yet they keep sticking her in movies.
CERTIFIED BANGER. and her new song, “Take A Bow” just jumped from #53 to #1 on the charts.
Rihanna trumps beyonce YET AGAIN.
you’re right, nikki. if they can put beyonce’s non-acting ass in movies, why not rihanna?
@ gina
That’s just your opinion. Some people do think Bey is a great actress. She must be doing something right because all her movies do well and she gets great reviews. Instead of worrying about her you need to be helping your girl Rihanna out who everybody keeps calling talentless.LMAO
@ Pandalovers
You must be the only one who liked Rihanna in concert because her reviews say otherwise. Every review is calling her the weak link on tour. Sorry but I dont support no talents. I am a stan of nobody I just know talent when I see it. If you think Rihanna is talented then I dont know what to say.LMAO
dayg715
Beyonce has never been as low as number 53. She always debuts high so Rihanna didnt trump Beyonce on anything. Holla when Rihanna wins 10 grammys. Even Soulja Boy had a number 1 single so that dont mean squat. Try again.
more than likely, she’s gonna have a small part, and she’ll barely be in the movie. no need to get upset, folks.
beyonce’s movies do well because there are other bonafide a-list actors in them that are carrying the picture. and anyone who thinks she can act CLEARLY knows nothing about acting.
This bytch couldnt even play herself in that C-list movie “Bring it on: All or nothing”.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well, this is like rihanna’s 3rd number 1 single off this album. beyonce only had one off that ‘bday’ flop. and her daddy bought those grammys for her, whether you want to believe it or not. why you think she ’secretly’ married joe camel? she needs something to fall back on!!
Rihanna trumps beyonce YET AGAIN.
Rihanna trumps beyonce YET AGAIN.
OMG!!!! rihanna? acting? LMAO!!!! that’s the funniest shit i’ve heard all day!!!
Gina you act like rihalien is a good actress or something. I guess you didnt see bring it on: all or nothing.
She is the worst actress on earth. Girl sucks at everything. Clearly you know nothing about acting or talent for that matter either.
It’s official. Dayg715 has to be Rihanna herself.
If you truly believe that crap you just typed then you need to enter yourself into a mental hopsital now. Bday was one of the best selling albums of 2006. GGGB just barely went plat in the U.S. I dont give a damn about singles cause like I said even Soulja Boy had number 1 single. I guess Rihanna bought that 1 grammy out of 6 nominations she won too then. You are very delusional.LMAO
LOL @ real talk.
Don’t forget Shawty Lo had a number 1 single too.
Its easy to have number one singles today. That dont mean the artists have talent.
@ gina
Okay I know Bey is not the best actress in the world but she does bring people to the theaters. Beyonce was the biggest A-lister on Dreamgirls and everybody went to see that. I’m just saying at least she has talent. Even if acting is not her thang she is still one of the best performers ever. Rihanna has never done anything amazing in my opinion.
Accent? Have you heard Beyonce? She sounds like Gomer Pyle. Anybody who speaks English like that and gets to be a movie star lowers the bar for comprehensible English as a requirement for success in the movie business. Besides, a white audience isn’t likely to know what is and isn’t authentic in a black accent. We sort of all sound country to them. Just bungling verb usage ought to get Rihanna over.
@missp…like rihanna saying she likes thai food but doesnt like asian food??
yep, shes like a black jessica simpson and shes only like 20, so we know she hasnt had higher learning…
i wouldnt bet the farm on her winning jeopardy, not in the least
@nat
mos def is not playing otis, but dont underestimate him…he was actually an actor BEFORE rapping and he is TALENTED
and my two cents for the day are: JAVIER BARDEM who is Spanish won an oscar this year and he has to have the worst imitation American accent ever…
Why cast a prostitute? This hooker needs to finish her singing lessons before she starts getting into acting
why is it when rihanna is mentioned, folks feel the need to bring up beyonce??? real talk, i like BOTH, but they are BOTH limited as actresses…and who the eff can compare Rihanna’s musical career to Beyonce’s ??? r u kidding me?? give her 5 more years at least…its such a thing as paying dues, and Rihanna has a long way to go…
and whomever said beyonce doesnt work with major movie stars so that she can shine is SMOKIN!!!
hello?? eddie murphy?? mike myers?? steve martin??
get real!
EVEN new “yawkers” have accents so kill dat noise…im proud of my “patois”…born & bred in the N.O…and u can hear it when i speak…
@ NIKLER
I said “as far as I know”, I’m not sure lol
and I don’t live in the States, not in the West Indies either so I can’t comment on their educational systems
@ Just sit and be pretty
fair enough, you consider that argument weak
as creolediva said, Rihanna said like she liked thai food but didn’t like asian food
I think she also said she liked the UK because it was LIKE Europe but with people speaking English
I mean come on o_O
This chick has a horrible accent and she sounds like shyt when she talks. I think she is dumb she probably didnt even finish high school. Lets see she’s dumb, she has no talent, and she cant act. Why is she famous again? Oh that’s right Chris is keeping her flat ass relevant.
its funny how the island folks wanna claim Rihanna and she only used the bajan flavor for pon de replay…since then shes been telling people shes from L.A. and doing the rocker thing…SMH
Wow, you’ve gotta love America!! Only in this country can a young, talentless, uneducated, dumb *heavy sarcasm* island girl come to your country and make millions in the entertainment industry (including fashion, endorsements, movies, clothes, etc.)…while some of her peers do nothing but sit back and spew negativity and hate. At the end of the day, she’s traveling the world, having wonderful experiences, doing what she loves and making money. LMAO, yup only in America…
@CiCi, whaloss, I cud tell youse a real ingrunt body!! Cuhdear,some uh wunnuh real, real dumpsey and talkin’ bout Rhi Rhi? *stupse* Man, fuh da bear stupidness you talkin’, we skinning we pooch at you!!
And with that said, I’m done. Have a good evening all. *JSABP has left the building*
It is weird, but I like some of Rihanna’s songs/tracks, but I detest her singing. She is a very tall and pretty model type, but I just think that people worship mediocre performers like her and it is a shame. She is not good in live performance at all. Her vocals are extremely weak and she has no fire behind her when she performs. Very boring. Even her backup singers look bored and sound better than her. YAWN… There are a lot of talented people in this world who don’t make a good PACKAGE deal for record companies because they are not as attractive or are heavy set and have bad songs that don’t sell. Good producers cost a lot of money which she now has to keep going until she gets C Breezy to marry her.
Rihanna is a product that is selling well right now. That is the business, but I refuse to buy into it. I would rather buy Mandisa, Ledisi, Jill Scott or Kierra Sheard than Rihanna.
beyonce can’t act for shit. im sorry she should stick to singing. now let’s see what rihanna’s actiing is like.
Rihanna is a horrible entertainer and singer and she is laughing all the way to the bank. Her acting skills have yet to be tested.
Rihanna has no bottom. Wow! never noticed that before. Eww…Just look at her face and you will forget all about it.
BOSSIP I new it wouldn’t be long before you started dissing Rihanna….last year i said next year they will dog her…. sure..she will be your new Beyonce….
Ideal sweetlove
What you think dont matter, Bey is still going to act, her movies are going to continue to be successful, and she going to continue making her money regardless.
As for Rihanna, she was terrible at playing herself in that cheerleading movie. If she cant even sing I highly doubt she can act but we’ll see.
I hope she ain’t playin the lead role of Otis Tilson, the tragic queen who hung himself after the book was written.
the subject sounds interesting, maybe Rihanna’s celebrity will draw white america to the film and educate them on black history, cause lawd know they don’t learn it in school @ least not in Florida, I know!
mos def is the one I wanna see!
people can say what they want but i think shes biting off more than she can chew…she sells records, yes…shes cute, yes…talent, questionable…mariah had all THREE components and to date, acting has been her biggest career mistake…rihanna cant be compared to mariah…she doesnt have the shelf life…picture her 5 years from now…do u see her relevant?? hmmmmmmm…even her BIGGEST fans have to wonder…she is too trendy and gimmicky…she doesnt have enough talent to re-invent herself(her STYLIST did)…and she doesnt appear savvy…hate her or love her, NO ONE is running game on Bey…the acting world is quite different from the music world…what the critics say can make or break u…ask mimi
@jena4rmthablock
they really arent that interested in her, contrary to what people believe…her album hardly sold…umbrella was just a club banger(so was YMCA, lol) the teeny boppers are holding her down…but they are looking for NEXT, shes in trouble…and no more jay to look out 4 her…l.a. reid DEFINETLY showin nas whats up…she better jump on the modeling bandwagon quickly…
I agree that I’m a little worried about Rihanna being cast in this role but hey… who knows? Maybe she’ll prove everything wrong. What I am wondering about for real though is… why does everyone on this site hate on her so damn much? She may not be for you but she is a talented performer and also seems like a genuinely nice person. So what’s with all the hate?
If someone speaks with an accent….It only means they know one more language than You…..All u fuckers commenting on her accent are ignorant……..
she can’t speak standard King James English - how is she going to act? please!
give rihanna a chance first. its plenty people in the u.s. and dont speak clear english. Everybody speaks english but it just depends on where u from , you may have a different dialect or accent to your english and that makes you unique. i kno my english is all effed up cuz my mom is cuban & jamaican and my dad is from down south so i cant really knock nobody on how they talk. But I just wanna see how she gon do first i got faith in my girl.
if she can act like she can sing I think she will do good,lol
I know where meant to give her a chance, but have you seen a interview with her.She shows no enthusiasm about what she does.Best of luck to her,she’ll need it.
i think she’ll do good so ima go see it
why all the hate i mean damn give her a chance
smh. and i bet all yall gonna go see it so i hope she do great in it so all yall can sit there and look stupid. Im done
and to the chick who said her album hardly sold get ya fuckkin facts straight. She has sold 5 million worldwide to date. Get ya facts straight.
@ creolediva
i do respect Mos Def as an actor but have you read the book? he’s not that good. but yeah, i know brian white’s playing Otis. can’t say i’m thrilled about that choice either. this movie is sure to disappoint.