By Special Writer Michael P. Coleman
I half-jokingly call it the “Obama Effect”. POTUS has shattered centuries-long impressions of what role a black man can play in society, and in the ensuing years since his election Hollywood has followed suit.
Last summer, Superman’s boss was played by Lawrence Fishburne in “Man Of Steel”. This summer, Dwayne Johnson will portray the hero himself in Brett Ratner’s “Hercules”, marking the first time a man of color has played that role onscreen.
While images of Johnson in full costume have finally been leaked online, the actor joked recently about how hard it was to keep his look for the movie a secret.
“As an actor, not showing my chiseled, extraordinary, handsome face was a tremendous sacrifice for me,” he joked on Monday before the premiere of the film’s trailer at Las Vegas movie-theater convention CinemaCon.
