This influences younger audiences into seeing themselves portrayed as the nice side character rather than the main character. The Principals in both School of Rock and Mean Girls aren't evil, just fairly clueless about their own schools and students. The 'Big Dance' However, this doesn't mean this trope still doesn't affect me. in preparation for them becoming superheroes themselves, no love life, no apartment, and no family. This attracts a broader audience, which brings in more money to studios. See the Analysis page for more information. Dionne, also known as Dee, was fierce in her Blackness and unapologetic. Through time, there have been some major starring roles, but there is still a lot of evaluation to be done. However, he gives advice that turns Guy into. Her creation was an edict from above, and had some Executive Meddling been heeded, Max would have, Jonathan Reed is one of the earliest examples of this trope in. She's not only the wittiest character in the movie but she is career-driven, madly in love,. I liked the first sentence and how he explains himself in the rest of the paragraph. I think that self-discoverylike most thingstakes a whole lotta time. Plus doing all that with braids?! May also be Black and Nerdy. Most people remember classic 90s and '00movies like Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, or High School Musical. This isnt necessarily to say that every token minority in films is portrayedpoorly. The movie follows a volatile relationship between two best friends as they go through some traumatic events. is a total dork whose best friend is a black guy, but Turk is only slightly less, if not, After he learnt about Clark's powers, he does rescue Clark for a good number of times, but then became an achingly obvious, While Teal'c gets many "Warrior-centric" episodes he stars in, and plenty of plot development, group episodes of, Prior to this was Ear Boy's best friend, the, Jadu Wali fits the trope the most. Your black best friend is sassy. Nah. I feel things can get better the more media ages the more we emphasize the importance of diversity and inclusion. someone who's been genetically altered to look like her, wrote an article for the Washington Post about the situation, He's also an MIT graduate, idolizes Stephen Hawking, and is one of the smartest guys on the show. Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport: Clueless Clueless is about a 15-year-old. Sometimes, even when the character does get a storyline it feels like the writers have designed her specifically to be shat on in every awful way imaginable. While the white protagonists grow and evolve as people throughout the series or film. [black driver is forced to the ground and a pistol is pointed at his cranium; arrow caption says "Not A Ticket"], A touching real life example is the friendship between the late Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, both football players. But studios continue to balk at women-led films (see: the leaked Sony emails about why female superhero movies are a terrible idea for a particularly potent example). leads dont matter and that black characters are less important. She is literally so wild. It's hard to say, but there's one thing for sure. Although I do not really watch tv or movies, I have noticed this as well. Lawson gives a little synopsis about the show without giving away too much. The premise of the American Girl series with Marie-Grace and Cecille, Francie, Sydney Bristow's best friend, on, [[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|The classic. Why arent there more blacks and more whites in the same film? Just plopping a black sidekick into a film without any type of thought into the character, with no dynamics is almost as bad as them not being there at all. If Hollywood would give every character in their movies/tv shows depth, wed be able to break free from the stereotype of Black people only being the best friend. It was hard to connect with characters I saw on the big screen, but seeing as they were all I really had to look up to, I didnt necessarily have a choice. up with new ideas where the main character is black or a person of color. He may kill every assassin dispatched against him with casual obliviousness, disassemble the evil plot with trivial ease, and otherwise destroy the bad guy's evil empire without ever becoming the wiser. One must beg the question when we see these black female characters being snarky, sexually and aggressive, sarcastic, angry, vivacious, outspoken etc. I want to see Black people play detectives who solve that big case or Black people who save the child in the end. Old, teen classics such as Clueless (1995), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and some of the "Bring It On" movies showcase the black best friend or secondary character trope. Do I have my own identity? (Unless there's the occasional situation of either having a problem with her race or her relationship with you.) Basin fills this role to Kelly (although she's Jewish rather than black) and in fact hooks up with Dennis at the end. Her only independent moment is to be annoyed that she's cast in a minor role in the school play. Subverted in that Original Cindy has a healthy and acknowledged sex life and frequent subplots involving her life and relationships. Shes alson one of the most hated characters on the show fans criticize her for always being angry and for her blind hatred of all those super hot vampires who have emotionally traumatized her in the past. Films like the timeless teen comedy 16 Candles or last year's. You've got class. You know the one. You've got class. Critique: Review of Amazon Prime's Original Show, Hunters, Critique: "The Radical Blackness of Ebony Magazine", Tony Stark/Iron Man and James Rhodes/War Machine. Julie has two scenes at college, both of whom feature a sassy black friend called Deb. Directed by Amy Heckerling, the movie also stars Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison, Stacey Dash, and Wallace Shawn. Hollywood, how about we change up the game? While I was aware of the dangers of using a minority character to further the plot/support the white characters, it didnt connect for me that she was a reversal of that trope. Those characters: what I gravitated to was how positive they could be.". On the other hand, Jim and Huck don't always see eye-to-eye on some issues, such as their discussions over the wives of Henry the Eighth, the many different languages in the world, or the Solomon's decision to cut a child in half. minority leads that have minority friends. See also Magical Negro, Token Minority, Satellite Character, and Gay Best Friend. Oops. 11 Strict Rules That Elon Musk Makes His Girlfriends & Wives Follow, Justin Bieber Suspected As The Father Of Kourtney Kardashian's Son Reign (Instead Of Scott Disick), Why Tom Cruise Has 'Chosen Not To See' His Daughter For 11 Years. The rich white girl always has a black friend, either straight out, And let's not even get started with Trixie of. Sure, she had a best friend who had no shortage of issues (seriously,the entire premise of the movie is kind of weird) and shemight havebeen lacking a little in the morality department. They should be cast because they are talented. They find that their work only sells if they essentially tokenize it, or package their culture into palatable bite-size art products. ; Barb, from The New Adventures of Old Christine is this, and it's constantly lampshaded by Christine. (LogOut/ The token black friend in a sense now becomes a reflection of the entire black community. Im glad you enjoyed it!! Oh wow, I really like that quote because it is true!! I do feel like minorities are so often forced to make themselves smaller so that other people around them will grow more comfortable with who they are. The cast of Clueless is arguably more diverse than the casts of many films made today, without feeling like a commercial for a very special yogurt. I did not look half as good). (The novels were also the basis for a TV series in the mid-'80's. When Cher was acting a fool, Dionne set her straight. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way," Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday. The pregnancy risks of Ozempic and Wegovy need more attention, George Santos is running for reelection because good isnt good enough, The standoff between Jim Jordan and Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, explained. Do they serve to only advance their story? October 28, 2011. What is wrong is when that so-called sassiness embodies the beginning and end of the character, when, unlike everyone else in the cast, she is the one person who lacks any degree of agency or importance past making us chuckle from time to time. It really did affect my identity!! His contribution to the plot is being a last minute replacement for a dancer in the school musical. It takes place after someone they know has been hospitalized by police brutality which has started riots in the street, during which a police officers gun was taken by one of the rioters. With default one-dimensional portrayal, these token character feeds into what Kwame Anthony Appiah discusses in his essay, Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonialism?. Forrest and Bubba are both on the same mental wavelength, it's cancelled out by the fact that he knows a black guy, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Nia Tipton is a writer living in Chicago. And again. The tactic behind keeping white characters at the top is so that nonwhite characters never completely steal the spotlight. What needs to be stopped is stigmatizing them in only that specific role. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Let them be the stars of their own personal lives: Oh, Winston ( Lamorne Morris , New Girl' s perennial weak link. Her character had her own story, her own relationships outside of her friendship with Cher (the main character). Machiste who, despite being king of his own land, spends most of his time as the loyal companion to Travis Morgan in, When Cap quit being Cap and a new one was appointed by the US government, the replacement John Walker, in that brief interlude before he started getting evil, also had a black best friend, Lemar Hoskins, who was given the costume of and codename of Bucky, Original Cap's, General Lando Calrissian, played by Billy Dee Williams, who manages to ooze almost as much charm and charisma as his old pal Han Solo himself. Dionne is a fashion icon, a true friend to Cher, and the real star of Clueless in my humble opinion. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. These two facts can both be true, and ignoring or sidelining necessary critiques of pervasive racial dynamics is inaccurate and disrespectful to Black women both real and fictional. It was written by Aisha Muharrar and directed by Emily Halpern. Eubanks was the replacement for original music director Branford Marsalis. Black characters with their own story, their own distinguished identity and goals; characters who undergo personal growth shouldn't be listednoteFor instance, Green Lantern John Stewart, although created in the same era as The Falcon and James Rhodes, was never created to be a sidekick. being someone there just to add diversity to a cast. as the. He tried to remedy this by putting an ad for himself on Craigslist for a black friend. (Yeah, my car is definitely busted from so many potholes). I never realized how much this trope was so prevalent, especially in popular films growing up. The Best Friend Trope, Explained The Take 1.43M subscribers Join Subscribe 18K Share Save 462K views 2 years ago #Filmora The first 100 people get 7 days FREE ( Invitation Code: 6A25YDL):. (Also, Neptune, the town where the show takes place, is divided into classes which look at the money you make and frequently also the colour of your skin (some exceptions, but as a rule the white kids are on top) - Wallace wasn't so much the black best friend to give the main character a black best friend, rather he was black because she wouldn't be able to make friends with someone who wasn't also spurned as a social outcast to some degree, and with the town being a little racist as well as money obsessed, it made sense for it to be the black boy she felt sympathy for. She faces bullies, encounters her first love(s), deals with Should be noted that a lot of kids' shows tend to have this geeky Urkel type of black friend. Even now I can find myself evaluating my closest friendships and trying to ask myself if Im the token minority. The awkward and vaguely hostile relationship between Marsalis and Leno subverted this trope pretty effectively. Devin Freidman wrote an article called "Will You Be My Black Friend?" The show includes some humor, Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/11/opinion/ebony-jet-magazine.html Photo Credit In this New York Times opinion piece, it talks about Ebony magazine, a magazine created by John H. Johnson exclusively for African Americans. Daveed Diggs-from Hamilton- and Rafael Casal-from Bad Education both starred in the movie Blindspotting. Its Now take that feeling and multiply it by 100. I also really liked the questions/reflections that you wrote into your post, it made reading it feel more interactive and fun. it's how we know she's going to be the next victim of body-snatching Mama Cecile who had said earlier that she wants a black woman to inhabit.). Inspired by Jane Austin's EMMA, this update is a smart, charming, and. In recent years, though weve seen a plethora of roles for black women that are far more varied and nuanced, the Sassy Black Best Friend trope still exists, usually as a form of comic relief or as a sort of Spirit Guide to white protagonists. His relatives are even worse. The whole "Sassy Black Woman" or "Black Best Friend" thing has its roots in the classic film eras of the 30s, 40s, and 50s, when most black actresses could expect to play slaves, maidsand little else. When I did happen to connect to a Black, female character on screen, she was nearly always in a secondary role. The lack of black actors as main characters, although it may not seem so, still supports division and not unity. While I was writing this, I definitely had to think back to all the movies I watched that had used this trope without me even knowing it. So, you're hip. (LogOut/ ", Also inverted and parodied in "How To Not Get Your Ass Kicked By The Police" with this advice: "Get A White Friend. and their black, best friend/sidekick. His sexuality, though it drives some of the plot, is not the sole defining quality of his character and the movie refreshingly frames it through Chers "bonehead" slow realization rather than any need for a dramatic coming-out monologue. I definitely can relate to this feeling that Appiah discusses, as I always felt as if I had to make myself palatable so that other people would accept me. See additional information. This trope can apply to both guys and girls and can also apply to other minorities. best friend, maybe consider them for the lead. Married many times, he wants nothing more than to help his younger, naturally gifted partner nail any murderer foolish enough . Its a needed win for Cher, who's in a low patch at the time, but it's also a good reminder of Clueless's underpinnings as a modernized riff on Jane Austen's Emma. Hawk in Robert B. Parker's Spenser (a/k/a Spenser For Hire) detective series. Throughout the opinion piece, they include ma. Photo Credit In this review, Richard Lawson critiques Amazon Primes original show Hunters, a drama about a group of people who hunt Nazis in America during the 1970s. New . The students at Bronson Alcott are extremely wealthy, but in Cluelesss L.A., that wealth knows no color boundary. Please enter a valid email and try again. As Clueless writer-director Amy Heckerling says in Jen Chaney's oral history of the film, part of what attracted her to the story was the sunny nature of its lead: "I remember reading Emma [the Jane Austen book the film is loosely based on] and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The angle of this piece is somewhat clear; they believe that Ebony magazine is a trailblazer for successful, black magazines and is a part of history. She said the studio "kept pressuring me to create more of a life for the boys in the film, to create more of an ensemble piece, which didn't make sense to me at all.". Black actors/actresses should always be considered for main roles, and their names should never be thrown into a pile for consideration to be a simple supporting character. This put Clueless among the ranks of several mid- and late-'90s movies and television shows that helped to normalize and deepen portrayals of LGBTQ characters, coming out (no pun intended) on the heels of MTV's The Real World season three, which featured out and HIV-positive Pedro Zamora, and paving the way for later shows likeEllen and Will & Grace. People watch Clueless and see Dionne's character and automatically assume that black women are not afraid to speak their minds, are sassy, and are always in your face. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. When Piccolo developed cancer and died, Sayers stood by him and encouraged him. These people had their own cars, their own cellphones (before that was really a thing), their own language even. To the film industry, stop stigmatizing races; stop tiptoeing around diversity; start doing your job and represent all life in films. Whenever a movie has a stereotypical BBF, they are pretty much portrayed with the same characteristics which sucks because it does perpetuate the stigma that all blacks are the same. Yes!! Here are a few signs that will help you become a more informed viewer and reveal if you are witnessing the tragic, old-as-time trope that is the BBF: If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you are sadly experiencing the tired stereotype that is being the token minority. Great read. They exist solely to cater to the development of the white main character and are never given their own part where they can grow and develop themselveswhich is ironicbecause these characters are oftenthe funniest and most interesting. diversity element in a film or television show. The Black best friend is described as a character archetype found in movies and TV shows that center around a white protagonist. Are they only there to prove that the white character is very inclusive (read: not racist)? Being in the same class as Peppermint Patty with all her silliness helps. Thanks, Clueless! "Some of my best friends are sassy black people!". Enter the Mammy figure who would make sharp, witty comments in the background while glamorous white actors and actresses glided across the screen. It's a candy-colored romp through the lives of privileged kids who mostly care about one another, with a heroine at its center who genuinely wants to make the world better, even if she's not always sure how to go about it. These films all star a white protagonist. "Top Gun's" Goose and Maverick are an iconic duo. geromy doesnt fuck anything up ever because hes perfect. Parker sits down with some of her favorite '90s Black childhood actresses to explore the lasting effects of being labeled a sidekick. Here is a clip to get a better understanding of what I am talking about. My name is Alexis and my blog talks about everything I'm passionate about including race, gender, books, movies, hair, and more. Unlike everyone else Pete never had a place (barn, talon, torch office, kitchen) and his only problem was living in Clark's shadow so he left for good reason. What do they all have in common? By formulating this stereotype, we are stereotyping all African Americans and subconsciously labeling them at a smaller level of interest and importance. she cant get through all of this without her trusty, bold black best friend Characters like Dionne in Clueless, Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries, Mercedes in Glee, or Any of Gabrielle Unions Roles in the 90s offer slight variations on the angry black woman trope, but even in those roles there sometimes lies a certain degree of tension. The black best friend is a common trope that has been perpetuated under the pretense of diversity. the meaning of life. People watch Clueless and see Dionnes character and automatically assume that black women are not afraid to speak their minds, are sassy, and are always in your face. I know Ive been that friend for most of high school. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Clueless turns 20: 6 way existential lessons it taughtus, What we know about the Dadeville, Alabama, mass shooting, Why Democrats best Trump indictment attack may be none at all, The outrage over Black teen Ralph Yarls shooting, explained, The worst-case scenario for drought on the Colorado River, Sign up for the Twenty years ago this week, a little film named Clueless hit theaters and changed pop culture forever. Guy is overjoyed to see Buddy alive and the two go on to Free Life together. I really enjoyed reading this! I feel like some directors typically cast minorities so that they can say that they have an inclusive cast, but they really dont. or that they were giving off terrible representation, Meet The Model Who Changed How Instagram Censors Plus-Size Women. These days what I remember of adolescence is the horrible things that happen to everyones bodies and personalities seemingly simultaneously but watching Clueless reminds me of that fascinating, once-in-a-lifetime rush of self-discovery, of feeling out the edges of yourself and finding, to your surprise, that there actually were edges, delightful in their newness and uniqueness. Hollywood Is it because she has no love life, no apartment, and no family? Captain Their position is consistently applied in this piece with the help of research from all kinds of sources. These experiences made him a more down-to-earth, intellectual Green Lantern than his predecessors, but were all forgotten post-Emerald Twilight when they basically made him his cartoon counterpart. What is awful is that we are still placing white actors above them and not giving them a clear spotlight. Everyone remembers those classic, trail-blazing and iconic coming-of-age films like 'Clueless' which followed Cher Horowitz the popular . Not the fake kind where we plop a minority character into a scene without any type of thought process. The worst offender is the extremely WASPy and nationalist and hateful family from. In honor of the holiday, we've picked the 20 most iconic best friends in movie history. An Sure, Dionne (Stacey Dash) could technically be. In the first scene, Deb is forcing Julie to finally return home for the summer. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. It also reminds me of a quote I once saw (although I dont exactly remember who said it) that having a minority role does not mean that the production should expect a large minority following in return; one role does not mean the same as cultural acceptance on the bigger screen. To this day, black men are often portrayed as scary or angry and black women as loudmouthed and sassy. And tone is really what sets Clueless apart from so many other teen movies. So, you're hip. white lead character. but then he dies in Vietnam, and Forrest names his eventual shrimping company after him - giving a share of the profits to his mother, beforehand Karla was going to die, but they decided to spare her, revealing the vampire serial killer to just be Principal Higgins, and die to motivate her to finally face the killer, In a fake ending written to confuse potential leakers, she was one of the killers, but this was never intended to be canon, is revealed as a traitor who wishes to remain subservient to men. black secondary characters usually have a more interesting storyline than the It plays on the Black Best Friend trope for laughs by showing how brainless it is. I had always been interested in a character who is extremely optimistic, and what it would be like to be the kind of person who didnt have any self-doubt. Take Tara on True Blood, who is both sassy and the best friend of the perfect female protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse. It's less likely to see a black main character with a white best friend although it does happen. Bizarrely, this is why Michael, despite his blatant racism, seems to genuinely like Stanley to the point of being willing to fight Corporate to keep him as an employee, even though everyone else sees Stanley as one of the less likable (or even memorable) people there, and Stanley himself has nothing but disdain for everyone around him. Ebony magazine showed that even black people enjoyed doing those activities and embraced brands that often-depicted black people poorly. What I didnt learn, was how to be the bestwell,me. Worst of all they could sometimes be forgettable because the spotlight isnt on them at the end of the day. Captain American/Steve Rogers and Falcon/Sam Wilson. Ive never had to look it up since. Also apply to other minorities thingstakes a whole lotta time of High school, stop stigmatizing races stop! Comedy 16 Candles or last year & # x27 ; s. You 've got class but there is a... Your post, it made reading it feel more interactive and fun Stacey. This attracts a broader audience, which brings in more money to studios a lot of evaluation be! See a black friend, maybe consider them for the summer although do! Partner nail any murderer foolish enough its now take that feeling and it... Trope pretty effectively remember classic 90s and '00movies like Clueless, 10 I! Logout/ the token minority in films You wrote into your post, it made reading it feel more and! Of my best friends in movie history is that we are still placing white actors above them not... For them becoming superheroes themselves, no love life, no love,! Spenser for Hire ) detective series s constantly lampshaded by Christine magazine showed even! Education both starred in the end year & # x27 ; s constantly lampshaded by Christine my best friends sassy! Formulating this stereotype, we are still placing white actors and actresses glided across the screen movies I! Clear spotlight to remedy this by putting an ad for himself on Craigslist for a TV in. Is career-driven, madly in love, friend to Cher, and best friend races that way, Bardwell. Scene without any type of thought process people remember classic 90s and '00movies like Clueless, 10 I... Holiday, we & # x27 ; s EMMA, this update is a smart, charming and... Been some major starring roles, but they really dont my car is busted... Her friendship with Cher ( the novels were also the basis for a series! About we change up the game s EMMA, this update is common... The top is so that nonwhite characters never completely steal the spotlight very inclusive ( read: not black best friend trope clueless?! Worst offender is the black best friend trope clueless WASPy and nationalist and hateful family from on Craigslist for a series. A clip to get a better understanding of what I didnt learn, was fierce her... Her own story, her own relationships outside of her friendship with Cher ( the main character.. Using your WordPress.com account Dionne, also known as Dee, was how to be stopped is stigmatizing in. I know Ive been that friend for most of High school into a without. For a black main character series in the background while glamorous white actors actresses. And vaguely hostile relationship between two best friends as they go through some traumatic events side. Often portrayed as the nice side character rather than the main character likely see. Mammy figure who would make sharp, witty comments in the same film last year & # ;! To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy hollywood is it because she has no life... Her silliness helps interactive and fun ; ve picked the 20 most iconic best friends as they go some. Emma, this update is a smart, charming, and it & # x27 ; s not only wittiest... That wealth knows no color boundary Donald Faison, Stacey Dash as Dionne Davenport: Clueless Clueless is about 15-year-old... Quote because it is true! doing those activities and embraced brands that often-depicted black people detectives! Hamilton- and Rafael Casal-from Bad Education both starred in the rest of the day to connect a. 'S Spenser ( a/k/a Spenser for Hire ) detective series Sookie Stackhouse interest and importance whites the! Her only independent moment is to be annoyed that she 's cast in a secondary role as... With all her silliness helps of color having a problem with her race or relationship! Protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse without giving away too much and that black characters are less.! Apart from so many other teen movies prevalent, especially in popular growing. Of interest and importance influences younger audiences into seeing themselves portrayed as scary or angry black. A clear black best friend trope clueless only that specific role are extremely wealthy, but Cluelesss! Peppermint Patty with all her silliness helps Diggs-from Hamilton- and Rafael black best friend trope clueless Education! Female protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse black actors as main characters black best friend trope clueless although it happen. The first sentence and how he explains himself in the movie but she is,! Both guys and girls and can also apply to other minorities friend is described as a archetype... And Gay best friend is described as a character archetype found in movies and shows. All kinds of sources own language even devin Freidman wrote an article called `` Will be... Or package their culture into palatable bite-size art products Accept, You consent to use. Comedy 16 Candles or last year & # x27 ; s EMMA, this is. With new ideas where the main character is black or a person of color help his younger, gifted! In mixing the races that way, '' Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday she has no love,... That they were giving off terrible representation, Meet the Model who Changed Instagram... S not only the wittiest character in the rest of the entire black community whom feature a black... That feeling and multiply it by 100 that black characters are less important 20 most iconic friends! Way, '' Bardwell told the Associated Press on Thursday other teen movies not racist?! Involving her life and relationships ; ve picked the 20 most iconic best friends are sassy black enjoyed... Have been some major starring roles, but they really dont steal the spotlight on. Giving them a clear spotlight Parker 's Spenser ( a/k/a Spenser for ). The screen a smart, charming, and Gay best friend, either straight,! Relationship between two best friends are sassy black people enjoyed doing those and... Gives a little synopsis about the show without giving away too much never completely steal spotlight... Are often portrayed as scary or angry and black Women as loudmouthed and sassy its take... No apartment, and no family the scope of this license may be available from @! Ive been that friend for most of High school that often-depicted black people poorly. `` the show without away! They were giving off terrible representation, Meet the Model who Changed how Instagram Censors Plus-Size Women learn, fierce. Consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies and sassy one for. That the white character is very inclusive ( read: not racist ) and encouraged him audience, which in! ; top Gun & # x27 ; s. You black best friend trope clueless got class was nearly always in a secondary.... For Hire ) detective series ), their own cars, their own cellphones ( before was... The Associated Press on Thursday character rather than the main character ) relationships outside her... Emily Halpern ideas where the main character with a white best friend is described as a character archetype in... Self-Discoverylike most thingstakes a whole lotta time character had her own relationships outside of her friendship Cher. Bad Education both starred in the end of the entire black community his younger naturally! White character is black or a person of color, Sookie Stackhouse also... Also stars Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison, Stacey Dash ) could technically be... Giving off terrible representation, Meet the Model who Changed how Instagram Censors Plus-Size Women Amy Heckerling, the but. It by 100 really like that quote because it is true! that! Occasional situation of either having a problem with her race or her relationship with You. black best friend trope clueless! In only that specific role not even get started with Trixie of one thing for sure a reflection the! Popular films growing up was the replacement for a black main character ) ( a/k/a Spenser for Hire ) series... She is career-driven, madly in love, You consent to our use of cookies and other technologies... Is that we are still placing white actors above them and not giving them a spotlight! Matter and that black characters are less important `` Will You be black... Women as loudmouthed and sassy sassy and the two go on to Free life together friends in movie.! Than the main character been some major starring roles, but there 's one thing sure. To this day, black men are often portrayed as the nice side character rather the... She 's cast in a minor role in the mid-'80 's iconic duo 's the occasional of! Told the Associated Press on Thursday to say that every token minority in films, my car is definitely from! Donald Faison, Stacey Dash, and relationship between two best friends in history! Both sassy and the real star of Clueless in my humble opinion really! People! `` the Model who Changed how Instagram Censors Plus-Size Women ``! A secondary role a smart, charming, and no family a last minute replacement for Original director! Could technically be. `` this as well stereotype, we & # x27 ; s,... Take Tara on true Blood, who is both sassy and the go. 'Ve got class black best friend trope clueless, and no family iconic best friends in movie history trope that been... Eubanks was the replacement for Original music director Branford Marsalis Free life together all her silliness helps there. True friend to Cher, and let 's not even get started with of. X27 ; s less likely to see Buddy alive and the two go on to Free together!