Thandie Newton Angry At Lack of Black Women Covering Vogue

October 31st, 2011 - By Brande Victorian

In a recent interview with Pride magazine, actress Thandie Newton was quite vocal about her disappointment with not having graced the cover of Vogue magazine, along with many other black women for that matter.

According to The Belfast Telegraph, Thandie told the mag:

“Don’t get me started on black people being on the cover on big magazines. It’s so preposterous. I mean, I’ve been on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar four times; I’ve been on the cover of InStyle four times, but Vogue, not once.

“And people say to me, I mean literally, people have said to me, ‘What have you got against Vogue that you don’t want to be on their cover?’ And I just laugh.

“They [Vogue] don’t feel the need to represent because it doesn’t make any sense to them. It’s just baffling to me, but as usual America will dictate the ways things go and a magazine like Vogue will just follow America,” she said. “But it’s like, don’t you want to trail blaze?”

I hear you Thandie. A writer for Shadow and Act seems to think the “For Colored Girls” star is just throwing a typical celebrity rant, saying, “In my opinion, Newton should be satisfied with all that she’s been able to do so far, because there are many white actresses who haven’t even made the cover of Vogue, let alone a black one,” but I disagree.

Just because she’s been able to accomplish a lot doesn’t mean she should be content with not being able to do more. And if Vogue indeed does have an issue putting black women on their covers and in the pages of their issues, which many have claimed before, they need to be called out.

Should Thandie just be satisfied that she’s covered Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle or is she right about Vogue and their lack of black representation?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

Tags:

, , , ,
More from StyleBlazer
More from MommyNoire

Comment Disclaimer

Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN

  • Kaydee-P

    Mad side eye for the trolls who think that since Jennifer and Rihanna make the cover once, years apart, this compensates for the other 11 months out of the year where white models (and the errant Latina who can pass) take the front page, Thandie isn't looking for validation so much as she's looking for respect. If you think you're going to sit here and tell me that the fantastic black actresses who have been shut out aren't more than worthy compared to their fly-by-night counterparts, think again.

  • Guest

    Thandie is beautiful and talented………..she should just find something else to do to occupy her time.

    Forget Vogue………they've been hatin on blaque women 4-ever due to their own insecurities…..

  • IllyPhilly

    Didn't J-Hud do Vogue? I don't read that magazine anyway.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1219361104 Tremayne DeShon Bew

    I think the bigger issue is the lack of black A-list celebrities (since they are the ones who usually cover American Vogue [which is why I hate that magazine anyway, the foreign versions are MUCH better]). Up until fairly recently, as far as leading black actresses went, we had Halle Berry and…. well, yeah Halle Berry. So really, what Thandie should be doing is advocating for the LARGER issue instead of going for the smaller issue. She should be attacking the causes, not the effects.
    Again, the larger issue is that there is a dearth of black A-list celebrities. A-listers and celebrities who have big budget projects to promote are the ones who land magazine covers in America. So if more of them were black, then perhaps more Black entertainers would be on Vogue covers.

  • https://www.facebook.com/nannaleen Anna Kabana

    Isn't Rihanna on the cover of UK Vogue though?!..

  • kayla

    well vogue doesn't need black woman to read their magazine anyways. why are blacks so pressed for white acceptance. It's sad

    • Stephanie

      Agreed!!!

    • IllyPhilly

      That's how some think they made. Just like celebs don't feel famous until they're American known even though they're big all over the rest of the world.

  • bosslasy

    Thandie Newton is definitely an A list actress. Please refer to her filmology on Wikipedia. She is much more of an accomplished actress than Zoe Saldana so the comparison someone made was stupid. However, I do agree with what an above person said, she shouldn’t rely on Vogue for validation, but I don’t blame her for being mad.

  • CLEME

    Vogue is known for that. Oprah barely got on and they asked her to loose weight. I mean she has only been on it once. Vogue will remain that way until that editor leaves and that won't happen anytime soon. She is known to not be the greatest person, so she will not bend for anyone, even if more diversity overall should be her standard. Look for Vogue Italia or others to represent before Vogue American.It starts with the editor and she believes she is the Jesus of magazine editors.I'm soooo serius…..

  • No disrespect

    Um, Thandie is an A-list actress and she has more than earned a Vogue cover. My only problem with her statements is that she seems to need a Vogue cover to valid her. Who cares if Vogue doesn't want you on the cover? It is their loss. She is making Vogue seem like it is the highest threshold of honor one can reach. It is just a magazine. It's only as important as you make it. We need to all stop buying into this b/s that these magazines mean something more than the paper they are written on and stop spreading that b/s propaganda. Not being on Vogue doesn't make her any less of an accomplish, beautiful, actress, but she makes it seem like it does. And, FYI, Jennifer Aniston (and her can't act/same roles self) can't hold a candle to Thandie so y'all need to fall back.

  • Angel Rossi Hanan

    I do understand what she is saying. It should be more women of color on Vogue, if they can put Jennifer Aniston, who I know is a "big star" and " beautiful" ( to me she is always "Rachel" and cute not beautiful ), they can give some other women a chance !!! However, Alexis, I do agree I love Thandie too, but maybe she is a bit confused as to where she is on the rating scale- Angela Bassett she is not………..

  • http://www.facebook.com/alexis.stodghill Alexis Garrett Stodghill

    I love Thandie, but personally don't think she realizes that she is NOT an A-List actress. Only A-List celebrities make the cover of Vogue. As pretty as she is, that she is not. MAYBE Zoe Saldana is on the level. MAYBE.

    • Bcheetah5

      just because she isnt sauntering around in our face every 15 mins and YOU dont know her well doesnt mean she isnt known, this lady has been around for awhile and according to her paycheck from the plays photoshoots and movies shes done shes up there, YOU BETTER ASK SOMEBODY 

      • t.wilson

        she’s known but she is not an A-list actress.

      • t.wilson

        she’s known but she is not an A-list actress.

      • t.wilson

        she’s known but she is not an A-list actress.

  • Shirl

    I don't read Vogue so who cares

Get the MadameNoire
Newsletter The best stories sent right to your inbox!
close [x]