Jennifer Hudson is set to play one of the most prominent figures in South African history, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Nelson Mandela‘s wife, but many reports are claiming that South Africans are very angry at the casting of Hudson. The Creative Workers Union of South Africa is claiming that the use of an actress who is not from the country “undermined efforts to develop a national film industry.
“It can’t happen that we want to develop our own Hollywood, and yet we keep bring in in imports,” said Mabutho Sithole, the union’s president. This decision must be reversed. It must be stopped now,” Oupa Lebogo, the union’s secretary-general, told The Times.
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The film will be directed by South African filmmaker Darrel J. Roodt and will be based off the book “Winnie Mandela: A Life”. Madikizela-Mandela played a big role in the struggle against apartheid and fought for her husband’s release from prison for 27 years. She was later convicted of fraud and kidnapping, was linked to murders, and was accused of supporting execution by “necklacing.” Jennifer Hudson was cast for the role last month.
