NEWSThandie Newton's "Painful" Role in 'For Colored Girls'
Nov. 5 2010, Published 9:24 a.m. ET
Thandie Newton was thrilled when Tyler Perry asked her to be a part of his new film, For Colored Girls. Even though Thandie's role was challenging to portray, Thandie was glad to be a part of the story.
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For Colored Girls, which opens in theaters today, is based on Ntozake Shange's original play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf.
Tyler actually created Thandie's role of Tangie himself and she told The Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy that, “He made me feel like I was a part of a journey of discovery and it was all about the piece."
Thandie's character is slightly different than the other girls who star in the film such as Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington, Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose and Loretta Devine.
While the other ladies have problems with men, Thandie's character has problems with women.
"I’m glad you pointed that out. That would be one of the symptoms of self-sabotage," Thandie to Speakeasy. "The way you alienate yourself from yourself is by alienating yourself from your sex, because that’s where she could have gained most comfort. Then it’s her own mother that’s betrayed her and abused her, so her fear and distrust of women stems from that root."
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The actress also plays the outsider in the film, where all the other ladies come together.
"I found playing this character very painful," Thandie admitted. "I could see where she was going wrong so it was very hard to play the scenes where she was going wrong, because I see myself as a fairly enlightened person in that respect. I wanted her to have this release, I really did, because I cared for this struggling, messed up person."
But on set, everyone was included in the cat fights!
"There was a lovely camaraderie and sense of appreciation for one another. Phylicia Rashad was just telling me, someone asked her this morning if there were ever any catfights. It was like, What do you mean? Oh of course! Women! Actresses together!" she explained. "But I guess we’re sort of sophisticated people. We had a lot to think about and deal with."
