Guest: How do you know that what you call "feel good crap" isn't exactly the kind of film James Earl Jones wants to be in? I don't know what particular films you have in mind, but he has had "weighty" roles in serious films like Cry the Beloved Country and Matewan, plus he has done voice-only work like the Star Wars and The Lion King. Maybe I just haven't seen any of his "feel good crap." IMDb lists 129 film appearances for him (including TV movies). It looks like he is getting plenty of work, and I doubt that he has to accept work in films he doesn't like just to pay the bills.

In general, though, I agree that black actors are under-used. You rarely see a black actor in a major role unless race is part of the theme of the movie. (Same for other minorities.) It doesn't have to be this way. Race is irrelevant to the vast majority of movie plots. Why couldn't a director hold auditions with no preconceived notion of whether an actor should be black or white?

Once in a while it happens. For example, Will Smith in "Men in Black" or "Independence Day." If I remember correctly, race wasn't mentioned in those films. But I can't think of any other instances like that.

Back in 1984, when Prince's film Purple Rain came out, I remember one reviewer pointing out how unusual it was to see lots of black actors and white actors (many of whom were real musicians first and actors second) appearing in a film together and no one seemingly taking any notice of what race anyone was. He said a movie like that couldn't be made in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter, except in Minnesota! Well, hooray for Minnesota! And hooray for Prince! For that reason alone, I admire him, regardless of how crappy his music or his films may be in other respects. (Actually, I rather liked Purple Rain.)