I think it might find a place in the documentary award section, but for the lead, forget it. I think her career is so damaged by the race issue, and by her larger than life attitude. If she's nominated as the lead, a large majority of educated black people would write articles questioning the academy. I think the academy as an institution is too smart to go there with American people (and black people in Europe).

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I second BB on the race issue. Jolie said so herself she wants the oscar for this film (japan times, go online and read her interview). Well it's plain obvious her boyfriend made this film for her to further her career. It was a miscast. Brangelina fans can jump and down all you want. I'm staying put on this one. The casting was ill considered. I pray all of the academy members can see why black people feel bad about this. Please move forward not backward on racism.

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I, as an African American, am deeply saddened by this cry of "racism" because an outstanding actress was hand picked, by the author herself, to portray her character in a sensitive, moving role.

As Mrs. Pearl herself has exasperatedly expressed, "Aren't we past this?"

Mrs. Pearl suffered a great loss, yet some, in the African American community, have now chosen to use her movie as a platform to obscure and replace her personal tragedy and its message with their own sickening diatribe.

This racial whining and threatening needs to stop! It is unproductive.

I hope the Academy and the public will not be moved by these senseless, selfish, racist screechings.

As Mrs. Pearl has said, let us move past this. We are better than that. Let us allow the better angels of our nature speak for us.

Instead of attacking Mr. Pitt and Ms. Jolie, a reasonable question that should honestly be asked by these "offended" African Americans is, "Where were all the black producers and black actors who could have and should have optioned this story when it was available for purchase? And why did they not have the foresight to do so?"

Is it not time to take responsibility for our own short-sightedness and stop blaming others because they demonstrate initiative?

Mr. Pitt had a vision where others who should have did not. He exercised his right to fulfill his vision with the full consent of Mrs. Pearl; and who she chose to best represent her character was her decision and hers alone!

Instead of lambasting Mr. Pitt and Ms. Jolie, and Mrs. Pearl, we should be applauding them for having had the will, the fortitude and the acting skill to bring to the public a true story, with a stirring message of triumph in the face of great tragedy.

Many nationalities are represented in this movie, for that we should all be proud. And they demonstrate that in the face of tragedy, no matter what color we are, when we all join in a common cause we operate as one people with one hope, one message.

To those who have not as yet seen this wonderful story, I implore you to see it with an open mind and an open heart.

Feel, with (inevitable) compassion, what pain this family endured and yet through it all this woman's message resonates that in the face of all of this she remains triumphant because she did not allow this personal tragedy to make her into a bitter, vengeful, vindictive, person.

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The whole point is nobody has past it my friend. You may have passed this but many many many black people (particular those in the industry) have not past this at all. They're (I should say we) are still pissed about the mis cast. Yeah it's racism (perhaps it was not intended but they've made a major mistake there).

Have you noticed no black people in the industry has shown any support for the casting? Nobody wants to be associated with this film because we feel angry and sad about this.

The film has tanked and I sure hope it won't get nominated. If it does, I know a few black people in the industry will actually complain loudly about it.

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Paramount vantage you should concentrate on other films this year. Push forward something else for the oscar, if you push this, you will offend quite a lot of people. When this film hits Europe be ready for jolie to be slaughtered over here. The English press are brutal and right now they aren't a great fan of "the best woman in the world". The English don't suck up to anything. They call a spade a spade. Even the English director won't save this film from being made fun of.

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Many nationalities are represented in this movie, for that we should all be proud. And they demonstrate that in the face of tragedy, no matter what color we are, when we all join in a common cause we operate as one people with one hope, one message

The message is jolie wants the oscar and her boyfriend financed it to make sure she does (even when the role is meant for a black person!). THAT IS THE MESSAGE.

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Here's a question - do you think any self-respecting black female actor would want to be cast as Mariane and get the role because of her race and not because she was the best for the role? And how would that affect awards like the Oscars? Would it be like Halle Berry, Hattie McDaniel, Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier winning on the strength of their performances?

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This site & its level of conversation is going to be ruined if it devolves into Team Aniston vs. Team Jolie - which colors the racism issue. The issue of racism is complex, complicated, layered, and shaded by national origin & identity. Racism today has progressed from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and since. Yes, not enough qualitative changes and we need more, but it's not the same. There's a lot of debate between races, within races, and within races of different nationalities. Unfortunately, many American Blacks don't acknowledge these nuances. On boards, I've read that they are more enlightened than other blacks around the world, and that if one has one drop of black blood, they're black - that's it. So Mariane Pearl is black even when her father was Dutch and one grandfather Cuban Chinese. Only the the 3/8 Afro Cuban blood from her mother counts.

This inspite Mrs. Pearl growing up French, embracing her multicultural heritage, and not exclusively identifying herself as black. So we have American blacks dictating to a woman who/what she should be and how she should identify herself. And they don't even realize their arrogance in their ignorance.

Of course no blacks in the industry will step into the crossfire - discretion is the better part of valor. And they don't need to step in - Mariane Pearl, Angelina Jolie, Michael Winterbottom and the producers have stood up for themselves.

I have never read or heard Ms. Jolie say she wants an Oscar (she hasn't claimed to be a saint or Mother Teresa, either - that's the press, blogs & tabs). I'm going to check that Japanese source because most of what passes for facts about Ms. Jolie for the most part are deliberate misunderstandingsm tortured lies, libel and slander.

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I think ANGELINA JOLIE SHOULD NOT HAVE PLAYED PEARL BECAUSE THE ROLE SHOULD HAVE GONE TO BLACK ACTORS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO CAN PULL THIS ROLE OFF.

I sense that this ligaya, ayda are the same person. I also sense this is annon, the blogger who keeps posting nasty messages about aniston in the internet in various gossip sites. I've seen many many people complaining about this person. Annon quite pretending to be someone else please. You hate aniston. We know. It's you who keeps playing team angelina versus team aniston. Not me and certainly not anyone else here in this site.

I suggest you grow up annon. You're just as phony as your idol miss jolie.

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Many nationalities are represented in this movie, for that we should all be proud. And they demonstrate that in the face of tragedy, no matter what color we are, when we all join in a common cause we operate as one people with one hope, one message

The message is jolie wants the oscar and her boyfriend financed it to make sure she does (even when the role is meant for a black person!). THAT IS THE MESSAGE.

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This inspite Mrs. Pearl growing up French, embracing her multicultural heritage, and not exclusively identifying herself as black. So we have American blacks dictating to a woman who/what she should be and how she should identify herself. And they don't even realize their arrogance in their ignorance.

Marine Pearl is BLACK. SHE IS A BLACK WOMAN. NOBODY IN AMERICA IS DENYING SHE IS MIXED BUT SHE IS BLACK. SHE IS TRYING TO PLAY DOWN THE FACT SHE'S BLACK. BY THE WAY HAVE YOU READ HER BOOK??? IT'S FULL OF NOTES ON RACISM AND HOW PEOPLE LOOK AT HER AS A BLACK PERSON. SHE ACKNOWLEDGES SHE'S BLACK IN THE BOOK BUT NOT IN REAL LIFE WHEN THE PR OF THE FILM GOES WRONG. MARIANE PEARL IS A BLACK WOMAN AND SHE KNOWS IT!!!!

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You have to be blind not to see Marine Pearl as a black chick! I aggree with shark on that one!

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You got me! I freely admit I'm Ligaya AND Ayda. My first post as "new user" was under Ligaya, which is my name de internet. Somehow, under "current user" it got changed to Ayda. Oh, well, Ayda it is - there shouldn't be any confusion from now on. BUT NO, I'M NOT "ANNON," I'm NEVER Anon or Annon or Anonymous. I'm proud of my opinions and convictions. I don't have to hide.

Are you sure you're mature enough to tell me to grow up, OC? BTW, are you Jennifer Aniston?

You know, I don't hate you. I think you're pretty in a California-girl-next-door kind of way. You and your friends (heh!) were good in yout tv show. And you were all smart to negotiate together with NBC so you could get your millions. You're an adequate actress and you have potential. You were good in Friends with Money and got good notices in The Good Girl.

But your pitbull fans seem to think you don't like losing your toy and they're really angry about it. They remind me of the village mob with torches and rakes storming the castle in Frankenstein and the new Simpsons movie.

Recognize yourself in this article?:
Area Woman Emotionally Invested In Jennifer Aniston's Well-Being

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/54085

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WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT????? Yeah I've heard about this annon and to be honest you do sound like her. She's very obsessive about Aniston and she always talk about Friends and the divorce..blah blah blah,..

This post isn't about friends darling, get over friends, it's about the mighty heart, oh by the way I'm french but I have no idea where OC is from, lol.

I recognise you Annon fully.

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This post is about angelina jolie and how she has tanked the mighty heart. YEP ANGELINA JOLIE HAS TANKED THE MIGHTY HEART AND NOW SHE'S FUNDING MARAINE PEARL'S COURT CASE TO KEEP THE MIGHT HEART ALIVE PUBLICLY FOR THE BAFTAS AND THE OSCAR.

MARIANE PEARL IS JUST AS FAKE AS HER BEST FRIEND. WHY SUE NOW??? WHY SUE WHEN THE FILM HAS TANKED??? SHE HAS HAD ALL THOSE YEARS BUT SUDDENLY SHE WANTS TO SUE NOW??

MY GUESS IS SHE WANTS TO RAISE THE BOX OFFICE TAKING FOR PLAN B AND PARAMOUNT VANTAGE. SHE ALSO DOING IT TO GET JOLIE NOMINATED AT THE BAFTAS.

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Of course it's annon. Please stop pretending to be three different people online here.

To answer your question I don't recognise yourself in that article but I recognise you as ANNON like rambutan has suggested. You stalk aniston online and bad mouth her because you love angelina, by the way you're probably only 15.

Yep you are annon..There is no doubt in my mind AYDA IS ANNON.

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