BBC’s Luther isn’t black enough to be “authentic”, says Beeb diversity boss
Miranda Wayland, who was appointed as the BBC’s Head of Creative Diversity last year, has claimed that beloved BBC detective Luther “isn’t black enough to be real” because “he doesn’t have any black friends and doesn’t eat any Caribbean food”, according to reports in the Times. (paywall)
Wayland was speaking at a MIPTV conference and apparently complained about superficial television diversity, suggesting that the Luther character “doesn’t feel authentic.”
“When [Luther] first came out everybody loved the fact that Idris Elba was in there — a really strong, black character lead” she said.
“We all fell in love with him. Who didn’t, right? But after you got into about the second series you got kind of like, OK, he doesn’t have any black friends, he doesn’t eat any Caribbean food, this doesn’t feel authentic.”
DCI John Luther has been portrayed by British actor Idris Elba over five seasons of telly for the last eleven years. Elba was born in Hackney to a father from Sierra Leone and a mother from Ghana. Foxhole analysts have not been able to establish family links to the Caribbean.
Sorry mate, you're not black enough
Sorry mate, you're not black enough
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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ex-khobar Andy
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Re: Sorry mate, you're not black enough
Miranda Wayland is a TFI. I don't recall (and someone will correct me if I am wrong) any indication of Luther's heritage (African or Caribbean or otherwise) but I certainly have not seen every episode.
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Sue U
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Re: Sorry mate, you're not black enough
To the extent that actors bring something of themselves to a character, particularly where not otherwise specified:ex-khobar Andy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:17 pmI don't recall (and someone will correct me if I am wrong) any indication of Luther's heritage (African or Caribbean or otherwise) but I certainly have not seen every episode.
It would appear that Luther is British (and rather moreso than the late Duke of Edinburgh.)Elba was born in Hackney
Although honestly, I could have sworn he was an American from Baltimore.
GAH!
Re: Sorry mate, you're not black enough
No Bob Marley T-shirt or reefers either...“he doesn’t have any black friends and doesn’t eat any Caribbean food”
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
