Since the beginning of film-making, directors have cast actors and actresses into roles based significantly on talent, often letting factors like age fall by the wayside. Age ain’t nothing but a number in Hollywood, and that’s evident when a 41-year-old Barber Streisand was cast to play a 17-year-old in Yentl, or a 34-year-old Stockard Channing was cast to play an 18-year-old girl in Grease. Let’s see what other actresses and actors are old enough to father or give birth to some of the characters they’ve played–or at least be a young aunt or uncle to them.

DONALD GLOVER

Image Source: WENN.com

Donald Glover, who currently stars as 24-year-old college student Troy Barnes on Community, is just marginally older than his character by 5 years, making Glover 29 years old.

Black actors have come a long way in the last few decades. These stars may be one of the only black actors on their shows but not only do they hold it down, they steal almost every scene they are in. If you haven’t tuned in to any of these shows, click through for a reason to.

Image Source: WENN.com

RZA

Last year, RZA gave us a reason to watch Californication, a show starring David Duchovny as a boozing writer who slores around town. In it, RZA plays a rapper named Samurai Apocalypse (of course). Since RZA is basically playing himself — a ride or die preacher/prophet with a sharp tongue — he is a lot of fun to watch.

Photo Credit: DJDM / WENN.com

We love star gazing! And we know you do too. Check out these photos of our favorite black celebrities out and about!

Source: emilsina.blogmentions.com

At 26 years old, Amber Riley is tired of playing a high school student on the Fox sensation “Glee” and she tweeted that she’s leaving the hit show for a much needed vacation and a career change.

“That’s a wrap on Amber Riley! Just closed a chapter in my life, the only thing I’ve known day in and day out for three years,” the actress wrote on Twitter.

“I’m going to miss the whole Glee family, seeing them everyday,” she continued. “I have so many brothers and sisters now But I am looking forward to a much needed and deserved summer vacation! SCHOOL’S OUT Glee Kids! Let’s play!”

Amber plays the character Mercedes on the show, and is the only black character I believe. There had been much talk about adding a love interest for the character this season and developing Mercedes’ role more but now as one of the many seniors graduating later this month on the FOX musical drama, this will be her last bout with the character—maybe. Amber sent out another Tweet that makes it sounds as though she could reprise the role for another venture in the future.

“Stay tuned to see what’s next for Mercedes,” she tweeted.

Just last week Amber fainted while on the red carpet for a Fox Upfronts event and she’s been in good spirits since but we’re thinking ending this chapter with “Glee” couldn’t have come at a better time for the young starlit.

Will you miss her character on “Glee?”

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

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shierlyrichard.com

Rapper Khia must’ve started something with the release of her single “My Neck, My Back” because ever since, that’s just about all our favorite celebs like to show off on the red carpet. From see through mesh and nude fabrics to the lack thereof; here’s our gallery of fashionable hotties who have mastered the neck and back reveal.

Source:Ontheredcarpet.com

Amber Riley is getting her Jennifer Hudson on. The 26-year-old “Glee” star showed up at the NAACP Image Awards looking slimmer than usual in a blue sequin gown, and she recently let People magazine in on the secret—she’s dropped two dress sizes.

Amber said she started her transformation last July after chronic stomach pains led her to the doctor. It was then that she said, “I decided I was going to make a change and eat healthier,” which included cutting out fast food and other junk that she said “were attacking my stomach.”

Seven months later, she’s gone down two sizes and said “I’m a lot more comfortable in dresses, especially gowns.” She’s also enjoying the perks of new clothes, since her “Glee” costumes had to be reworked for her new figure. “They bought a lot of new clothes for me and we have to take in a lot of my pants and dresses,” she said.

While she’s enjoying her new body, Amber made it a point to say her diet change was about health, not vanity. “I’ve always been comfortable with my size, I just decided it was time to get healthy.”

Kudos to her!

What do you think of Amber’s slim down?

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

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With another awards show under Hollywood’s belt, it’s only natural that we do our part and congratulate judge the actors even further. You know why you’re here…it’s time for another ‘Best Dressed’ list featuring some of Hollywood’s most fabulous women of color! On Sunday, most of these ladies opted for a variation of white or black gowns, but some folks chose a pop of color. Check out our favorite looks as well as some we we’re not too crazy about.

Have you ever noticed how often black women are used to meet the “big girl” quotas in advertisements and television programming? The Dove beauty commercials in which the only black woman is plus-sized immediately comes to mind.

And, while this sort of typecasting is certainly nothing new, it seems like it has received a jolt of energy since Gabourey Sidibe’s Oscar-nominated performance in Precious. A performance that I, honestly, am not sure was so moving because of her acting abilities or the prowess of the casting director, but because her physical appearance was the perfect portrayal of the character.

Like Howard Stern (but in very different words), I didn’t see her getting much, if any, subsequent work. But Sidibe has managed to land roles in Showtime’s The Big C, Tower Heist with Eddie Murphy and the Sundance Lab project Yelling to the Sky alongside Zoe Kravitz, where she plays a bully.

She is indeed a working actress and, perhaps, to credit for Amber Riley’s roles on Glee, who received a nod from E! channel’s Fashion Police as one of the best dressed at the 2010 Emmy Awards. You see, the media’s love affair with Gabourey Sidibe opened the door wider for heavier (okay, obese) black girls everywhere as if people wanted to see more, forgetting two things: It is an unfair representation and obesity is very unhealthy.

Black women are constantly fighting the general assumption that most of us are fat, and the last things we need are more big girls on television and in film. It’s not that they do not deserve representation, but black women shouldn’t carry the big-girl torch as our norm. It only validates the belief that (a lot of) extra meat on your bones is okay. And in reality, it’s not. Two hundred pounds doesn’t look good on any woman. There is a reason Sidibe’s ELLE magazine cover was practically a headshot.

Furthermore, it is an early death sentence. Diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, colon cancer, gallbladder disease—you can have them all if you’d like. Women with a BMI index greater than 30 are considered obese, and roughly 51 percent of black women ages 20 and over qualify. Obesity is a real health concern in our community. And while the successes of women like Sidibe should be celebrated, someone should also be pushing her to lose weight—for life’s sake. Two years later, I should be applauding her for shedding pounds, not watching late-night promotional appearances and totally missing her cute personality because I’m thinking, “Wow…she’s really big. That can’t be healthy.”

Black women are not “naturally” bigger than other groups of women, and it is time that this is projected through our entertainment and media figures. But, first, they have to drop the weight. When that happens legions of fans will be empowered to do so, too.

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Tracy Morgan and his girlfriend look classy in black and white.

The 62nd annual Emmy Awards were held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Jimmy Fallon hosted the show and while there were no Madame winners, there were some fabulous dresses on the red carpet. We saw some white gowns, but the color of the night seemed to be black. Who wore it well?

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