Source: Jeanise Jones / Facebook/GoFundMe
In the history of movie cinema Black people are often used to reinforce outdated and racist tropes which serve to strip them of complexity and humanity.
Black women especially are routinely subjugated to take roles that reduce them to the sassy friend, or the film’s moral compass.
That’s exactly what happened to Jeanise Jones, a 62-year-old grandmother who claims she was cast under false pretenses in the newly released satirical Borat film, where she appears as a hired babysitter for the title character’s daughter “Tutar,” played by actress Maria Bakalova, 24.
Jones, who is unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic only made $3,600 for her appearance in the film and says she feels “betrayed.” She said she found out about the movie’s true premise last week when her cousin showed her the trailer on Amazon Prime.
Jones says the filmmakers never told her that the movie was a satire, and led her to believe that Tutar was 15 years-old. Jones was recruited through Ebenezer Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
“They told me it was a documentary for this young lady to understand she has rights and she can do whatever a man can do,” Jones told The New York Post.
Her pastor, Derrick Scobey launched a GoFundMe page for Jones with the goal of raising $100,000.
“This was not scripted for Jeanise,” Scobey wrote on the crowdfunding page. “It all came from the heart. She is one of the most authentic people I’ve ever met. One good thing that has come from this is that Jeanise doesn’t have to worry about ‘Tutar’ anymore. She has worried about this young lady for a year.”
Throughout the film Jones assures Tutar that she is worthy and doesn’t need to do things to appeal to men including plastic surgery. Jones also opposes “Borat” played by actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who is focused on marrying off Tutar to an older man.
“I’m feeling like she’s from the Third World and that kind of stuff does happen where they sell women. I’m thinking this is for real so I felt kind of betrayed by it,” she said.
“I felt pain for her and tried [to see] if there’s any way we can get through to her that she doesn’t need to do all that,” Jones continued.
Jones also said that she along with her church members continued to pray for Tutar even after filming wrapped.
Scobey says the Borat team owes Jones an apology and better compensation and we couldn’t agree more.
