‘Too black’ for Iraq film

HUNDREDS of black Namibians who showed up at a casting session for the ‘Generation Kill’ TV series at Swakopmund on Monday left disappointed as they did not fit the required profile.

Masses of men and women of all ages waited from early morning for casting agents to take their names, hoping to be cast as extras in the HBO production on the war in Iraq. They remained in their hundreds until late afternoon.According to one of those waiting, the recruitment agents wrote down the names of only three white people.The rest were told that they were too dark skinned, as there are not that many black people in Iraq.The advertisement calling for extras states that the production team is looking for 80 “Europeans” or “light-skinned Africans” and 80 extras with a “Latino appearance”.They remained in their hundreds until late afternoon.According to one of those waiting, the recruitment agents wrote down the names of only three white people.The rest were told that they were too dark skinned, as there are not that many black people in Iraq.The advertisement calling for extras states that the production team is looking for 80 “Europeans” or “light-skinned Africans” and 80 extras with a “Latino appearance”.