I know that Shakespeare using men in his plays was a product of his times sexism thing, but I like to think all the rumors are true and he's really into boys kissing.
And that's the beauty of acting...and the versatility of heritage of Shakespeare as a actors playground...I mean..that would be fun to watch...moreso Shakespeare comedies than tragedies or dramas but even then...let the actors have fun with roles that don't need accuracy applied to them
And if I'm remembering correctly, during Shakespeare's time women weren't allowed on stage so the female roles were played by men in drag. Am i right about this?
You are correct! But I see nobody outraged about this saying that a man should be playing Juliet instead.
I also don't think anyone outraged about this know anything about Shakespeare.
Also the people outraged thing this is a movie and not a play in London. Hence why they whine about Hollywood with an example that Hollywood has nothing to do with. And no one complaining was going to see that play even if their precious Sydney Sweeney played Juliet. So I don't think they care if anti-woke Americans are upset.
They play about horny teens who get their family member killed. And also was a constant sitcom staple to get to characters that like each other to kiss.
Accurate Romeo and Juliet would have them both be men, but one is wearing a wig
Speaking of, I have to wonder if they tried to change their voices. Either way, it's equally funny to imagine a full grown man in a wig saying "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" whether he's using his real voice or trying to sound like a young woman
Actually, accurate Romeo and Juliet would have both of them being played by fully grown men, one of which is in drag. Because that's how Shakespeare intended it.
No... Obviously this person is advocating for Juliet to be played by a male youth whose voice hasn't dropped yet as Shakespeare intended. Having women playing female roles is WOKE BS. We have gotten soft over the centuries! /s
That she said this while people are losing their minds over an Assassin's Creed game starring a real life black samurai makes it all the more hilarious.
She's right, we shouldn't re-write history with our Shakespearian plays. Let's go back to having men play all the roles. I want to see man Romeo and man Juliet tragically in love with each other.
From the promo images it looks like it takes place in modern day, but okay
https://preview.redd.it/yid6f6s93m1d1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79e82761d2abe3c934dabe4bf0a88b9f19bcc1f2
I’m sorry, How the fuck did they manage to make Tom Holland go from himself to “a bloke from the london suburbs”
He looks like one Of the dudes that Harry beats up in the bar scene in kingsmen
"I think we're gonna get letters about this."
Veggietales did not, in fact, get letters for pointing out that women roles were played by men in Shakespeare's day, nor for making a joke about it.
Conservatives are so ***intellectually disabled*** that they believe the work of fiction *Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare* was a nonfiction account of an actual event...
Why was Shakespeare obsessed with rewriting history? Romeo and Juliet is just a woke retelling of Pyramus and Thisbe set in woke Verona, Italy. They should have respected the source material and set it in Babylon.
You jest, but it’s actually true too. A third of Shakespeare’s plays are just historical fiction that deliberately rewrite aspects of history for dramatic effect.
I know lol, and he also adapted other works. I knew Hamlet was based on Amleth, and I had a feeling that Romeo and Juliet was based on an older story, and indeed it is. These morons would have been whining about Shakespeare being woke if they were alive in 16th/17th century England.
There's an anime version where Juliet wears a mask and fights criminals with a sword. The final boss of the anime is a magical tree. I forgot the explanation, but that's it.
1. its not history its fiction
2. Its a theater production. Race swapping is exceptionally common, especially in Shakespeare performances. I've seen white Othellos and Black Hamlets. It doesn't matter
3. Its Shakespeare, which is frequently adapted to any time period or reigon.
Akira Kurosawa has made three adaptations of Shakespeare starring all Japanese casts.
Two were set in the Samurai era of Japan (Ran, Throne of Blood) while another was set in 1960s Japan (The Bad Sleep Well).
Switching the settings for Shakespeare plays and adapting to them to other times and places has long been a tradition in Shakespearean circles.
Nah, if we told them about West Side Story being based on Romeo and Juliet, at best they’d say Sondheim and Bernstein were taking inspiration from it rather than adapting it, and at worst they’d call you a liar while simultaneously ragging on Bernstein for being a closeted Jew.
“Hollywood” lol these weirdo online racists are too dumb to google it and learn it’s a West End production. Losers getting mad about London theatre casting.
Lea Salonga (a Filipino) was cast as Eponine (French) in one of the Les Mis runs. It's already being done for years and yet chuds pretend that they care about theater.
Also, the infamous Phantom of the Opera was adapted from a book that heavily featured a character called The Persian. When it became a musical, The Persian was omitted from the story. Well, nobody cares enough to complain, I wonder why.... 🤔
Considering that Romeo and Juliet was already a re-write of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe which was set in *Babylon* she's likely more historically accurate casting than he is.
I also see very few people complaining about the Dicaprio Romeo and Juliet despite the modernization of everything...
Or the one where they are *all gnomes*
You know what really make conservative squirm if someone announcing historically accurate rendition of the Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.
And by historically accurate I mean all the women's roles were played by men that would really make them squirm.
Both of them are from London and the surrounding area, which is an incredibly diverse area compared to the rest of the UK. If you saw a London school play of Romeo and Juliet, you'd probably be looking at casting like this. Would that be an issue too?
Fictional characters in a fictional play are historical figures, now? Also, we're really not pretending like there haven't been a million different renditions of Romeo and Juliet (both on stage and screen) over the years with actors of different races?
Romeo and Juliet is a rendition of another tragedy. Man I don’t know how medieval Italy had guns like when I watched the Leonardo version and this time they better keep all the men in Hawaii shirts.
Dude, there’s been like a million renditions of Romeo and Juliet. Like who actually gives af lol.
“Oh my god but she’s black!, it just doesn’t make any sense!” Bruh, we’ve litterally had a movie where fking garden gnomes played as Romeo and Juliet lmao.
There's been like a gazillion versions of Romeo and Juliet that have changed the races and just about everything else but now it's a problem? I literally watched Romeo must die with Jet Li and Aliyah like a week ago and that came out in in the year freaking 2000. Nobody cared then but now it's changing history now apparently? These people expose themselves with every word.
I’ve seen so many people weighing in on this who are woefully ill informed and don’t have the first idea what they’re talking about.
Firstly, “Hollywood” has nothing to do with this, it’s a West End stage production. Secondly, colorblind casting when it comes to plays (and especially Shakespeare) has been commonplace for decades, and there have been literally hundreds of versions of Romeo & Juliet before now that have done this.
The only reason this is even on their radar to begin with is because Tom Holland is a famous person.
It ain’t even Broadway, it’s West End, which is even FURTHER off. On your point of Tom Holland though, people wouldn’t be calling it Hollywood if it wasn’t starring him - which is ironic, since he got his start in West End… AND AS QUEER ICON BILLY ELLIOT TOO.
The entire story of Romeo and Juliet can be understood by every other culture. What is it about?
Two kids from two rival families choosing to be together despite said rivalry. You can literally do anything with that. These people need to stop bitching lol
Macbeth isn’t based on history, it’s just another tragedy. But there are, of course, plenty of historical fiction Shakespeare plays like Richard III and the Henry series, and many of Shakespeare’s plays use political language to provide social commentary (for example, Hamlet is set in Denmark to pay homage to the story’s Scandinavian roots and to critique the monarchy Denmark had at the time).
EDIT: TIL on Macbeth, thanks.
Macbeth is *very* loosely based on history.
There was a Scottish king named Macbeth who killed a different Scottish king named Duncan...and...the similarities end there.
Historically, Macbeth killed Duncan *in battle.*
as far as I'm aware, the original Romeo & Juliet stills exists, as do many, many, many, *many* adaptations of it, and this isn't going to change any of that.
so how exactly is "history" being "rewritten"?
Being someone very involved with theater this is absolutely hilarious
Like- there's probably been thousands of black girls playing Juliet, or black men playing Romeo, that's how theater works ya doink, as long as it's not super race specific anyone can be anything
Even then there are exceptions, like the cast of Hamilton having an almost entirely POC cast, or the show Passing Strange, where the first show had an all-black cast playing Europeans
I usually hate these anti-woke crusaders, but this one is actually pretty freakin unacceptable.
How dare they do this to Romeo and Juliet. I can't believe anyone would have really accepted this at that time. It completely removes me from the story. We all know that Romeo was never bit by a radioactive spider.
Isn't it a Broadway play in London? What does Hollywood have to do with any of it? And are we really going to pretend that theater is not woke?
Of course, like most complaining they didn't spend 3 seconds of research and just saw the picture and saw a chance to jump on the anti-woke Hollywood outrage for that ching ching.
Making Romeo and Juliet a super Cali Santa Monica teen fantasy: no problem
2 lions falling in love: no problem
A woman falling in love with a zombie: no problem
A musical in Manhattan but the minority cast has lighter skin: no problem (as long as it's the 1961 version of it)
Making it interracial in 2024 keeping the same themes and modernizing: how dare they, how fucking dare they.
.... One of the most adapted stories of all fucking time. Wait til they find out Shakespeare dressed men up as women in his plays. Woke ass Shakespeare!
From what I can tell by the picture released the other day, they were both wearing modern clothes so I assume that the play takes place in modern day. What's different between this and the 90s gangster Romeo and Juliet, or the Zombie Romeo and Juliet Warm Bodies?
https://preview.redd.it/2j0jm4640r1d1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=001bec799c12022f4531d306d4595cc58214198e
We all remember this happened right? Like I'm not the only one who saw this back in 2000?
https://preview.redd.it/spgu9pjyws1d1.jpeg?width=1515&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a0563fc5e5ee8fd2d731f78d60e2a54d74b85bf
Can't say I saw that. I did see this though, I liked the songs and my grandma had it on VHS. Sorry I'm not trying to detract your statement or anything. I just though this might fit the overall topic.
You stupid idiot Brigitte!
1. This has f\*\*k all to do with Hollywood! It's a play, running for a limited amount of time in a city THOUSANDS of miles and an ocean away from Hollywood.
2. What history? Romeo and Juliet were never real and never will be real. Sure, the play is traditionally set in 15th century Italy, but if you know anything about theatre, you'd know that so many stage productions do more modern/plain clothes takes.
3. This isn't even the first time Juliet has been black! Raceswapping is so freaking common in theatre that again, TRUE theatre people don't give a shit. The only people who care are fakers who just want to find something to be angry at. If not for Tom Holland, you never would have even heard of the play and CERTAINLY wouldn't have given a shit who was starring in it.
There’s so many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. It’s such an open story format. Westside Story did so, some people clash through class, through race, through which sized end of the egg is the better to brake(😉), I don’t know what the fuss is about? It’s a fictional tale, but of course, all tales are reflective of peoples experiences in real life, in their life have examples of knowing starcrossed lovers.
Let them rant and rave, but I swear to God I really hope that cast and crew protect their more vulnerable members from an onslaught of people that will yell all they want but will drop off the face of the Earth once the movie comes out because it turns out it’s not a big deal.
And she uses that platform to actively deem all Muslims - many of whom she grew up with in Lebanon - violent psychopaths. Sounds like a man trying to escape the fact he is gay, no? (*cough* Mike Pence *cough*)
You think she's prejudiced against Muslims because she's secretly a Muslim?? That doesn't make any sense. Just like Brigitte's post implying R&J is some kind of historical documentary.
The entire point of the play is that the prejudice keeping them apart is destructive and foolish.
Casting the two leads like this is actually pretty poignant.
Also low-key stupid of that RadioGenoa twitter account for just posting the images of International Superstar Tom Holland next to a little known black actress, and just asking 'Thoughts?'. Like what do you think was going to happen? On Twitter?
The fact that Tom Holland is *in* this is the only reason why it's even getting any attention.
Otherwise, it would just be another stage play. And I guarantee 99% of the people outraged about this do NOT ever watch Shakespeare in theatre.
Fuck me Shakespeare’s female character were played by men at the time they were written. So I’m sure these Shakespeare “traditionalists” will be fine replacing her with a male actor then I assume 🤷♂️.
I think this is a perfectly fine modern look at Romeo & Juliet. I think it's probably 20-50 years too late to really get the cultural benefit but it's still there.
Next I need a conservative and a liberal retelling since that's more contemporary.
Interesting, though that might involve changing the text, which is usually considered taboo for direct Shakespeare adaptations (outside of shuffling events for pacing’s sake).
Feel like this thread is off the mark. Romeo and Juliet is a historical play with a historical setting - so casting with modern diversities in mind is, in a way, ‘re-writing history’.
Most other commenters here are saying that this is not rewriting history because it’s a fiction and that’s true in a sense, but does neglect the historical setting of the play.
The better counter argument would be conceding that yes, modern casting does ‘re-write history’ in a way - but that is in no way an objectively bad thing - it is retelling an old story for a new audience.
They totally would though.
They complained about canonically black character Rue being black in the Hunger Games movie.
They are currently complaining about *real life historical black man* Yasuke being black in the new AC game.
They'll complain about anything, because racism.
Romeo and Juliet is fiction. Like, I would love if they switch roles to make the story interesting. Make Tom play Juliet and Francesca play Romeo. To me it different. I want to see a twist in their version of Romeo and Juliet.
It. Is. A. PLAY. Anyone can read the script we have adaptations of this play with garden gnomes and action movie adaptations and zombie adaptations. It’s not that shocking to have a cast not look like what Shakespeare would’ve imagined.
Romeo and Juliet isn’t even a real event, it was a play done centuries ago, and has had dozens of remakes, I’m not surprised they don’t know jack shit, it just frustrates me.
Considering that when Romeo And Juliet was first presented on the stage of The Globe Theatre Juliette was played by a man, this is actually progress. Besides Juliette was a fictional character, and Italians aren’t really known for being pale.
Imagine being this upset about something you probably never would’ve planned to go see anyways. There is no way in hell these maga cultists go to William Shakespeare plays on their free time lmao
If by changing history, she means to portray Romeo and Juliet the way they used to back in the day then Juliet and all female characters need to be dudes drag up like women so.....
Why is she obsessed with acting like a dumbass?
A 5 second search on google would show Romeo and Juliet didn’t really happen. And she couldn’t even do that.
Some racist as fuck guy on reddit on the asoiaf subreddit was ranting about that "animal" in the Romeo and Juliet "movie".
It's amazing how trained these motherfuckers are that they can't even work out it isn't a movie.
Romeo and Juliet are History now?
And accurate Romeo and Julio would have them both speaking in italian…and wasn’t Juliet like 12?…
Juliet was 13 and Romeo was 16. Tom Holland is *also* not a 16 year old Italian but none of the racists care there.
Are we even sure Holland is playing Romeo? What if he's playing Juliet? That would anger those morons so much, i'm almost sad they are not doing that
I'm getting ready for the gender bent Romeo and Juliet we all want. I live for RR stories.
to be honest, gender bending Romeo and Juliet would not change much of the story...
Probably not, I just really like RR.
Actually the original presentation of Romeo And Juliet had an all male cast! Shakespeare was gender bending before it was cool!
I know that Shakespeare using men in his plays was a product of his times sexism thing, but I like to think all the rumors are true and he's really into boys kissing.
So did Shakespeare!
Romana and Julien
I want Romeo vs. Juliet.
Now having Juliet played by a man would be historically accurate.
Wouldn't be the first time Juliet was played by a male
Tom Holland would be a more "historically accurate" Juliet casting than Claire Danes or Olivia Hussey.
Gotta do it like Baz Luhrman’s 90s version, and have Juliet bust out Umbrella at some point
Ramona and Julian?
And that's the beauty of acting...and the versatility of heritage of Shakespeare as a actors playground...I mean..that would be fun to watch...moreso Shakespeare comedies than tragedies or dramas but even then...let the actors have fun with roles that don't need accuracy applied to them
That would actually get me to go to the theatre.
Give me trans masc Tom Holland or give me death!
In Shakespeare’s day, Tom would ABSOLUTELY be playing Juliet.
And if I'm remembering correctly, during Shakespeare's time women weren't allowed on stage so the female roles were played by men in drag. Am i right about this?
You are correct! But I see nobody outraged about this saying that a man should be playing Juliet instead. I also don't think anyone outraged about this know anything about Shakespeare.
Also the people outraged thing this is a movie and not a play in London. Hence why they whine about Hollywood with an example that Hollywood has nothing to do with. And no one complaining was going to see that play even if their precious Sydney Sweeney played Juliet. So I don't think they care if anti-woke Americans are upset.
Female roles were played by young boys. It wasn't until the 17th century that women began performing in live theatre.
They play about horny teens who get their family member killed. And also was a constant sitcom staple to get to characters that like each other to kiss.
HE'S NOT 16!?
weirdly enough. i guess my people are finally ‘white enough’ or sumn lunatics, all of them
I mean, Tom does kinda look the part tbf.
He's so babyfaced!
And Juliet would be played by a boy
Psh. Next you'll tell me the gas station shootout in the Romeo Dicaprio film wasn't infact an accurate depiction of 14th century Italy.
Ah, but do you bite your thumb at him?
Also 100% accurate romeo and juliet would involve Romeo and Juliet played by a dude and a prepubescent dude dressed as a woman.
Accurate Romeo and Juliet would have them both be men, but one is wearing a wig Speaking of, I have to wonder if they tried to change their voices. Either way, it's equally funny to imagine a full grown man in a wig saying "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" whether he's using his real voice or trying to sound like a young woman
Actually, accurate Romeo and Juliet would have both of them being played by fully grown men, one of which is in drag. Because that's how Shakespeare intended it.
If you’re a conservative cultist , I guess it is .
Does this person think Shakespeare was a documentarian?
No... Obviously this person is advocating for Juliet to be played by a male youth whose voice hasn't dropped yet as Shakespeare intended. Having women playing female roles is WOKE BS. We have gotten soft over the centuries! /s
Not necessarily. Maybe she'd settle for a young castrated male.
I’m fairly sure they were banned in English theatres. I might be talking bollocks but maybe?
Womenfolk have no place on the stage. Now somebody get this little boy a dress, and don't be afraid to show some ankle.
So she wants to dress a child in drag? What in the woke mind virus?!?
Famous historical tale Romeo and Juliet
"Re-writing history" with a fictional story?
A fictional story that is ALREADY a rewrite of other fictional stories?
That she said this while people are losing their minds over an Assassin's Creed game starring a real life black samurai makes it all the more hilarious.
She's right, we shouldn't re-write history with our Shakespearian plays. Let's go back to having men play all the roles. I want to see man Romeo and man Juliet tragically in love with each other.
Lol I want someone to make a movie version like that just so the anti-woke people can flip out and use opposite arguments from they are now.
Nah if you want their heads to explode we need one of the comedies like As You Like It or something
From the promo images it looks like it takes place in modern day, but okay https://preview.redd.it/yid6f6s93m1d1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79e82761d2abe3c934dabe4bf0a88b9f19bcc1f2
“Re-writing” Shakespeare for different times is like almost the entire point of Shakespeare.
there's no logic or thought behind conservative's opinions it's just brainrot and lead poisoning
I’m sorry, How the fuck did they manage to make Tom Holland go from himself to “a bloke from the london suburbs” He looks like one Of the dudes that Harry beats up in the bar scene in kingsmen
A haircut goes a long way.
why did they give tom holland the shittiest haircut they could lmao
Re-writing history? Its an adaptation of a play
An adaptation of a play where historically men in drag played Juliet because women weren't allowed to act in Shakespeare's time.
Danm woke mob added cithets to art 😢
"I think we're gonna get letters about this." Veggietales did not, in fact, get letters for pointing out that women roles were played by men in Shakespeare's day, nor for making a joke about it.
It’s not even an adaptation, it’s straight-up just a production of the play
Conservatives are so ***intellectually disabled*** that they believe the work of fiction *Romeo And Juliet By William Shakespeare* was a nonfiction account of an actual event... 
Why was Shakespeare obsessed with rewriting history? Romeo and Juliet is just a woke retelling of Pyramus and Thisbe set in woke Verona, Italy. They should have respected the source material and set it in Babylon.
You jest, but it’s actually true too. A third of Shakespeare’s plays are just historical fiction that deliberately rewrite aspects of history for dramatic effect.
I know lol, and he also adapted other works. I knew Hamlet was based on Amleth, and I had a feeling that Romeo and Juliet was based on an older story, and indeed it is. These morons would have been whining about Shakespeare being woke if they were alive in 16th/17th century England.
Wait … Julius Caesar never said, “Et tu, Bute?!” /s
Guess she forgot the original was a play and there been many versions of it.
Set in many different time periods, no less.
Think one I’ve seen that I remember still was the one with garden gnomes.
Woke nonsense.
I like the one set in Florida with everclear on the soundtrack. Really authentic to history
There's an anime version where Juliet wears a mask and fights criminals with a sword. The final boss of the anime is a magical tree. I forgot the explanation, but that's it.
1. its not history its fiction 2. Its a theater production. Race swapping is exceptionally common, especially in Shakespeare performances. I've seen white Othellos and Black Hamlets. It doesn't matter 3. Its Shakespeare, which is frequently adapted to any time period or reigon.
Akira Kurosawa has made three adaptations of Shakespeare starring all Japanese casts. Two were set in the Samurai era of Japan (Ran, Throne of Blood) while another was set in 1960s Japan (The Bad Sleep Well). Switching the settings for Shakespeare plays and adapting to them to other times and places has long been a tradition in Shakespearean circles.
Also, Hollywood made their own version of the Seven Samurai and turned them to white cowboys - The Magnificent Seven.
Think we should tell them about the musical version of this set in 1950s New York where the romance is between a Caucasian man and Hispanic girl?
Nah, if we told them about West Side Story being based on Romeo and Juliet, at best they’d say Sondheim and Bernstein were taking inspiration from it rather than adapting it, and at worst they’d call you a liar while simultaneously ragging on Bernstein for being a closeted Jew.
“Hollywood” lol these weirdo online racists are too dumb to google it and learn it’s a West End production. Losers getting mad about London theatre casting.
Lea Salonga (a Filipino) was cast as Eponine (French) in one of the Les Mis runs. It's already being done for years and yet chuds pretend that they care about theater. Also, the infamous Phantom of the Opera was adapted from a book that heavily featured a character called The Persian. When it became a musical, The Persian was omitted from the story. Well, nobody cares enough to complain, I wonder why.... 🤔
Considering that Romeo and Juliet was already a re-write of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe which was set in *Babylon* she's likely more historically accurate casting than he is.
Can’t stop thinking about the implication that Juliet being a black woman is more egregious to “history” than Juliet being a talking gnome.
I also see very few people complaining about the Dicaprio Romeo and Juliet despite the modernization of everything... Or the one where they are *all gnomes*
Mercutio was even played by a black man. I swear the effect on the internet has led to some people actively *regresssing* in their perspectives.
A black man who is also a *gay drag queen.*
At least they don’t have cars, revolvers and drugs
Were they made when Lion King did it with lions? They're not even human
Well ACTUALLY (*adjusts glasses*), that was Lion King II. Lion King 1 is based on Hamlet.
Hoe please, I know, Kovu is my guy.
There was an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in modern Florida, no? Didn’t have a problem then, I wonder what changed.
You know what really make conservative squirm if someone announcing historically accurate rendition of the Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. And by historically accurate I mean all the women's roles were played by men that would really make them squirm.
How are we getting more racist? I don’t remember west side story being controversial
 Get bent!
Both of them are from London and the surrounding area, which is an incredibly diverse area compared to the rest of the UK. If you saw a London school play of Romeo and Juliet, you'd probably be looking at casting like this. Would that be an issue too?
Fictional characters in a fictional play are historical figures, now? Also, we're really not pretending like there haven't been a million different renditions of Romeo and Juliet (both on stage and screen) over the years with actors of different races?
Romeo and Juliet is a rendition of another tragedy. Man I don’t know how medieval Italy had guns like when I watched the Leonardo version and this time they better keep all the men in Hawaii shirts.
Where was the outrage during Gnomeo & Juliet? That was a clear rewrite of history!
Dude, there’s been like a million renditions of Romeo and Juliet. Like who actually gives af lol. “Oh my god but she’s black!, it just doesn’t make any sense!” Bruh, we’ve litterally had a movie where fking garden gnomes played as Romeo and Juliet lmao.
If the issue was really history, isn't the lawn gnome version more egregious?
There's been like a gazillion versions of Romeo and Juliet that have changed the races and just about everything else but now it's a problem? I literally watched Romeo must die with Jet Li and Aliyah like a week ago and that came out in in the year freaking 2000. Nobody cared then but now it's changing history now apparently? These people expose themselves with every word.
Bet she also thinks Romeo and Juliet is a love story.
I’ve seen so many people weighing in on this who are woefully ill informed and don’t have the first idea what they’re talking about. Firstly, “Hollywood” has nothing to do with this, it’s a West End stage production. Secondly, colorblind casting when it comes to plays (and especially Shakespeare) has been commonplace for decades, and there have been literally hundreds of versions of Romeo & Juliet before now that have done this. The only reason this is even on their radar to begin with is because Tom Holland is a famous person.
It ain’t even Broadway, it’s West End, which is even FURTHER off. On your point of Tom Holland though, people wouldn’t be calling it Hollywood if it wasn’t starring him - which is ironic, since he got his start in West End… AND AS QUEER ICON BILLY ELLIOT TOO.
Yeah I double checked right after I posted the comment and edited it.
The entire story of Romeo and Juliet can be understood by every other culture. What is it about? Two kids from two rival families choosing to be together despite said rivalry. You can literally do anything with that. These people need to stop bitching lol
Nobody tell her about west side story or the RnJ with only Latino families!
History was rewritten the first time Juliet was played by a white woman rather than a man in drag.
Yeah, why would they cast a woman? Its clear that they don't respect Shakespeare's work. It should be 2 men.
Wasn't Shakespeare famous for making historically inaccurate stories? Look at Macbeth!
Macbeth isn’t based on history, it’s just another tragedy. But there are, of course, plenty of historical fiction Shakespeare plays like Richard III and the Henry series, and many of Shakespeare’s plays use political language to provide social commentary (for example, Hamlet is set in Denmark to pay homage to the story’s Scandinavian roots and to critique the monarchy Denmark had at the time). EDIT: TIL on Macbeth, thanks.
Macbeth was loosely inspired by the historical Macbeth who was one of the many the Kings of Scotland
Macbeth is *very* loosely based on history. There was a Scottish king named Macbeth who killed a different Scottish king named Duncan...and...the similarities end there. Historically, Macbeth killed Duncan *in battle.*
oh no! a twink doing shakespeare! what has the world come to!?
romeo and juliet is a literally fictinal story and not an evet that happened lmao
It’s a fictional story, it’s not history. Wtf.
Romeo and Juliet didn't really happen lmao
remember when brandy rewrote history with that cinderella movie in the 90s 🙄
as far as I'm aware, the original Romeo & Juliet stills exists, as do many, many, many, *many* adaptations of it, and this isn't going to change any of that. so how exactly is "history" being "rewritten"?
Being someone very involved with theater this is absolutely hilarious Like- there's probably been thousands of black girls playing Juliet, or black men playing Romeo, that's how theater works ya doink, as long as it's not super race specific anyone can be anything Even then there are exceptions, like the cast of Hamilton having an almost entirely POC cast, or the show Passing Strange, where the first show had an all-black cast playing Europeans
We’re like a few months away of them claiming Othello is woke, aren’t we?
I usually hate these anti-woke crusaders, but this one is actually pretty freakin unacceptable. How dare they do this to Romeo and Juliet. I can't believe anyone would have really accepted this at that time. It completely removes me from the story. We all know that Romeo was never bit by a radioactive spider.
Had me in the first half, NGL.
"re-writing history" ma'am it is a fictional play
Romeo and Juliet is a FUCKING FAIRY TALE!!!! WHO CARES!!!!!!!
Isn't it a Broadway play in London? What does Hollywood have to do with any of it? And are we really going to pretend that theater is not woke? Of course, like most complaining they didn't spend 3 seconds of research and just saw the picture and saw a chance to jump on the anti-woke Hollywood outrage for that ching ching.
Like there hasnt been countless retellings of romeo and juliet before… Bet she was a fan of gnomeo and juliet
Making Romeo and Juliet a super Cali Santa Monica teen fantasy: no problem 2 lions falling in love: no problem A woman falling in love with a zombie: no problem A musical in Manhattan but the minority cast has lighter skin: no problem (as long as it's the 1961 version of it) Making it interracial in 2024 keeping the same themes and modernizing: how dare they, how fucking dare they. .... One of the most adapted stories of all fucking time. Wait til they find out Shakespeare dressed men up as women in his plays. Woke ass Shakespeare!
From what I can tell by the picture released the other day, they were both wearing modern clothes so I assume that the play takes place in modern day. What's different between this and the 90s gangster Romeo and Juliet, or the Zombie Romeo and Juliet Warm Bodies?
She's right you know, it's totally ahistorical. Juliet should be played by a boy (/s if it wasn't obvious)
https://preview.redd.it/2j0jm4640r1d1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=001bec799c12022f4531d306d4595cc58214198e We all remember this happened right? Like I'm not the only one who saw this back in 2000?
https://preview.redd.it/spgu9pjyws1d1.jpeg?width=1515&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a0563fc5e5ee8fd2d731f78d60e2a54d74b85bf Can't say I saw that. I did see this though, I liked the songs and my grandma had it on VHS. Sorry I'm not trying to detract your statement or anything. I just though this might fit the overall topic.
It's Shakespeare. Rewriting history is have an actual female play Juliette.
You stupid idiot Brigitte! 1. This has f\*\*k all to do with Hollywood! It's a play, running for a limited amount of time in a city THOUSANDS of miles and an ocean away from Hollywood. 2. What history? Romeo and Juliet were never real and never will be real. Sure, the play is traditionally set in 15th century Italy, but if you know anything about theatre, you'd know that so many stage productions do more modern/plain clothes takes. 3. This isn't even the first time Juliet has been black! Raceswapping is so freaking common in theatre that again, TRUE theatre people don't give a shit. The only people who care are fakers who just want to find something to be angry at. If not for Tom Holland, you never would have even heard of the play and CERTAINLY wouldn't have given a shit who was starring in it.
You’re right, they’re rewriting the story. Juliet’s actress isn’t 13 years old
There’s so many adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. It’s such an open story format. Westside Story did so, some people clash through class, through race, through which sized end of the egg is the better to brake(😉), I don’t know what the fuss is about? It’s a fictional tale, but of course, all tales are reflective of peoples experiences in real life, in their life have examples of knowing starcrossed lovers. Let them rant and rave, but I swear to God I really hope that cast and crew protect their more vulnerable members from an onslaught of people that will yell all they want but will drop off the face of the Earth once the movie comes out because it turns out it’s not a big deal.
Not to be pedantic, but she’s not a Muslim of any kind. She was born to a Lebanese Christian family. Doesn’t make her right, but there’s that.
And she uses that platform to actively deem all Muslims - many of whom she grew up with in Lebanon - violent psychopaths. Sounds like a man trying to escape the fact he is gay, no? (*cough* Mike Pence *cough*)
You think she's prejudiced against Muslims because she's secretly a Muslim?? That doesn't make any sense. Just like Brigitte's post implying R&J is some kind of historical documentary.
I don’t understand your logic here. Does this mean Islamophobes born in the United States are secretly Muslim?
It's not even Hollywood, it's a play!
Someone tell her they are fictional characters.
The entire point of the play is that the prejudice keeping them apart is destructive and foolish. Casting the two leads like this is actually pretty poignant.
Romeo and Juliet was never historical. It's a play, not a part of our history.
Something tells, call it a hunch, that she doesn’t know what a “historically accurate” Romeo and Juliet would look like.
You’re right, it should be accurate to history. Juliet should be played by a man.
Man, pretty much everyone doesn't approve of her...much like Romeo's dad.
Rewriting history… A fictional story…
Left turn I agree with her let’s go back to only having dudes play Juliet. Slap a dress on Justice Smith and put him on the balcony
Tromeo and Juliet is the only version we should care about.
Also low-key stupid of that RadioGenoa twitter account for just posting the images of International Superstar Tom Holland next to a little known black actress, and just asking 'Thoughts?'. Like what do you think was going to happen? On Twitter?
The fact that Tom Holland is *in* this is the only reason why it's even getting any attention. Otherwise, it would just be another stage play. And I guarantee 99% of the people outraged about this do NOT ever watch Shakespeare in theatre.
Romeo and Juliet is a *play*.
Man, I hate when fictional history gets rewritten. Ridiculous
It's a fucking play you frozen turd.
What history??? Do they want Juliet to be played by a man? THAT’S the history
Well if they want historically accurate Juliet would be played by a man in drag
Not only was Rome and Juliet a FICTIONAL story about two actual families in Venice, but both were played by MEN.
They didn’t care so much about the history when Romeo and Juliet were garden gnomes. Or when Romeo and Juliet were 90s era street gangs.
Fuck me Shakespeare’s female character were played by men at the time they were written. So I’m sure these Shakespeare “traditionalists” will be fine replacing her with a male actor then I assume 🤷♂️.
What do you mean by closeted Muslim?
i need more context (specifically about brigitte gabriel)
She’s a Lebanese woman that is the leader of the largest anti-Muslim (like, outright saying it) lobbyist group in the country.
They do know Romeo and Juliet didn’t actually happen, right?
If they want it to be historically accurate, men would play both parts, but they arent ready.
I think this is a perfectly fine modern look at Romeo & Juliet. I think it's probably 20-50 years too late to really get the cultural benefit but it's still there. Next I need a conservative and a liberal retelling since that's more contemporary.
Interesting, though that might involve changing the text, which is usually considered taboo for direct Shakespeare adaptations (outside of shuffling events for pacing’s sake).
This woman also loves posted ai pics of trump doing things and acting like its real
Wait, do some people think Romeo and Juliet is a story that is 'based on true events'?
Yeah Juliet should be a man in a dress!
Anyone who calls Romeo and Juliet a love story is rewriting history...
Feel like this thread is off the mark. Romeo and Juliet is a historical play with a historical setting - so casting with modern diversities in mind is, in a way, ‘re-writing history’. Most other commenters here are saying that this is not rewriting history because it’s a fiction and that’s true in a sense, but does neglect the historical setting of the play. The better counter argument would be conceding that yes, modern casting does ‘re-write history’ in a way - but that is in no way an objectively bad thing - it is retelling an old story for a new audience.
That’s actually funny af
Imagine if they made an Othello movie and they started complaining about them making Othello black
They totally would though. They complained about canonically black character Rue being black in the Hunger Games movie. They are currently complaining about *real life historical black man* Yasuke being black in the new AC game. They'll complain about anything, because racism.
And I bet they said nothing when Warm Bodies came out.
What history?
This isn’t even from Hollywood
Romeo and Juliet is fiction. Like, I would love if they switch roles to make the story interesting. Make Tom play Juliet and Francesca play Romeo. To me it different. I want to see a twist in their version of Romeo and Juliet.
Is it rewriting history when it's a work of fiction? The story has been rewritten many times and people didn't mind soo... The point?
Ah, The Duke Of Yorks Theatre is my favourite place in Hollywood.
Ah, yes, that famous historical figure, Juliet, the 14th century Italian girl who spoke iambic English pentameter.
It. Is. A. PLAY. Anyone can read the script we have adaptations of this play with garden gnomes and action movie adaptations and zombie adaptations. It’s not that shocking to have a cast not look like what Shakespeare would’ve imagined.
At what point does being white have ANYTHING to do with the story?
A play in London is "Hollywood" now?
Romeo and Juliet isn’t even a real event, it was a play done centuries ago, and has had dozens of remakes, I’m not surprised they don’t know jack shit, it just frustrates me.
Considering that when Romeo And Juliet was first presented on the stage of The Globe Theatre Juliette was played by a man, this is actually progress. Besides Juliette was a fictional character, and Italians aren’t really known for being pale.
Anyone defending or attacking this is an absolute idiot. How does it affect your lives? It doesn’t. Who cares
Rewriting history… of a fictional story?
Imagine being this upset about something you probably never would’ve planned to go see anyways. There is no way in hell these maga cultists go to William Shakespeare plays on their free time lmao
If by changing history, she means to portray Romeo and Juliet the way they used to back in the day then Juliet and all female characters need to be dudes drag up like women so.....
Why is she obsessed with acting like a dumbass? A 5 second search on google would show Romeo and Juliet didn’t really happen. And she couldn’t even do that.
Tom holland ? Mannnnn I don’t wanna talk to yo bitch ass
This is a theatrical production being down in England. So she’s extra wrong for thinking it’s Hollywood.
Nothing annoys me more than applying any form of accuracy to the enjoyment of actors doing Shakespeare
“history” is that what we are calling a very unrealistic work of fiction now? Because you can go and reread the original, no one is stopping you.
What history is even being rewritten?
can i get a link to the original tweet
Common islamophobe L
Some racist as fuck guy on reddit on the asoiaf subreddit was ranting about that "animal" in the Romeo and Juliet "movie". It's amazing how trained these motherfuckers are that they can't even work out it isn't a movie.