Nia Long confirmed Thandie Newton‘s claims that she was discriminated against during her audition for Charlie’s Angels in 2000.
The 49-year-old actress told Insider she auditioned for the same role of Alex Munday for the movie, which ultimately went to Lucy Liu, opposite Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.
According to Nia, after the audition, her agent notified her that she wasn’t picked for the part because she “looked too old” to star alongside Drew – despite them only being four years apart.
“I was like, ‘What?'” she said. “I love Drew Barrymore, I think she’s amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you’re a little too Black. Personally, that’s what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin (actors in the movie). I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film.”
The mom-of-2 explained that, “the feedback that I received from my agent was, [Nia] just looked too old and sophisticated to be next to Drew Barrymore,’ and I’m thinking to myself, it’s an actor’s choice to walk in the room how they want to look, but it’s a director’s vision to help create and curate a character.”
Nia said she she dressed conservatively in a blazer, button down blouse and jeans for her audition.
“So if you couldn’t see beyond the fact that I had on a blazer and a pair of jeans then that was clearly not the job and opportunity for me. So, no problem, I’ll keep it moving.”
Earlier this month, Thandie revealed she turned down the role due to her negative experience with director Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, during the audition process – which led to her believing she would be objectified.
