A Rabbi has today defended Dame Helen Mirren amid a ‘Jewface’ row over her casting as Israel’s former prime minister Golda Meir.
Rabbi Jonathan Romain, director of Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire, today took to Twitter to express his view, saying: ‘You don’t have to be Jewish to play a Jew’.
He made these comments after Maureen Lipman who is Jewish said that Helen, 76 years old, shouldn’t be asked to perform the role of Ms Meir in Golda.
According to Dame Maureen, the Jewish Chronicle felt uncomfortable about the casting of multi-award winning actress Maureen, as she isn’t Jewish. This is because of the “Jewishness” of Meir’s character.
Today’s fans pointed out that Dame Maureen (75), a winner of the Olivier Prize, was once an actor playing the role of a Church of England vicar, in a Comedy Special of The Vicar of Dibley.
Dame Helen was also defended by prominent Jewish figures from the UK, such as Rabbi Romain, Stephen Pollard, editor of Jewish Chronicle, and others.
Rabbi Romain (67) took to Twitter and wrote, “We had a conversation on this topic at Maidenhead Synagogue 2 weeks ago. The unanimous verdict was that actors should act, that is what their skill.”
You don’t need to be Jewish in order to be a Jew, orphan, orphan. It is wise to consult an advisor regardless of the situation.
Today Rabbi Jonathan Romain from Maidenhead Synagogue, Berkshire took to Twitter and expressed his opinion on the matter, writing: “You don’t need to be Jewish in order to play a Jew.”
Actress Maureen Lipman (left), stated that Helen Mirren (right), was not the right person to play Golda Meir as she felt uncomfortable about the casting.
Publicity image from the movie Golda showed Helen, Dame Helen’s character in Ms Meir in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. She was covered with prosthetics to make her look like the politician.
Pictured in 1969, Ms Meir was fourth Prime Minister of Israel. She held this position between 1969 and 1974.
Fans were quick to remind Dame Maureen that she had been a vicar during a Red Nose Day 2015 special of The Vicar of Dibley. Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Emma Watson were competing for the position of archbishop. Dame Maureen was pictured in the centre.
Mr Pollard was the editor of the weekly paper until last month. He tweeted, “I adore Maureen Lipman. She couldn’t have been more wrong on that.”
She stated, “The only role an actor can take on is their own.”
Nicole Lambert, a journalist, replied that the position was’more nuanced.
“I believe a more nuanced view is that these roles of brilliant Jewish woman should sometimes be played sometimes by Jewish women,” she wrote. They never have been.
This row follows a conversation between Dame Maureen and the Jewish Chronicle in which she gave her opinion on casting.
An image from the movie Golda in November showed Helen with her prosthetics on to appear more like Ms Meir.
Ms Meir, who held this position between 1969 and 1974 was Israel’s fourth prime minister.
Concerning the casting of the role, Dame Maureen stated that the Jewishness is integral to the character.
“I am sure that she will be amazing, but Ben Kingsley would not be permitted to portray Nelson Mandela. It was impossible for you to even consider going there.
Fans pointed out, in response to Dame Maureen’s remarks that she was a vicar for a Vicar of Dibley 2015 Red Nose Day Special.
In the comedy special, Dame Maureen’s character competed with Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Emma Watson and Ruth Jones, Annette Crosbie for the job of archbishop.
Later, it is revealed that there are five open positions and Dawn French is the one who has not been selected.
Her return to Dibley finds her role as vicar has been filled by Fiona Bruce, a presenter.
The decision comes after Tamsin Creig said that last month, she probably shouldn’t have played the role of a Jewish mom in Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner. While Ms Greig does not have Jewish roots, she practices Christianity.
Patrick Marber is a playwright, who also directed the Sir Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt. He said that it was not appropriate to consider ‘lived experience when casting for parts.
According to him, forcing actors to live lives that are similar to those of the characters they portray would make it impossible for them to take on the role of another actor.
Sarah Silverman (a comedian from the United States) has previously criticised the casting of Kathryn Hahn, a non-Jewish actress, as Joan Rivers. She called it “Jewface”.
Elliot Levey plays a German Jew as Cabaret at the West End.
Helen, known as Dame Helen, is a strong supporter Israel and signed an open letter condemning the cultural boycott.
She was promoting The Debt in which her character plays a Mossad agent who is now retired. The New York Times asked her if she could be considered a secret Jew.
She replied that she would not be surprised.
Internet trolls called Dame Helen racist and described her last year as an ‘Israel-worshipper and Zionist well-known’, after she assumed the role of wartime prime Minister Ms Meir.
Golda was made during 1973’s Yom Kippur War, which saw Arab countries attack Israel.
Meir was described as a ‘fierce, intransigent, and powerful leader’ by Dame Helen. She also said that it was a ‘great challenge’ to portray her during the most extraordinary moment of her life.
Social media critics criticized the production calling it ‘fascism, sick’ and tasteless’.
One user on Twitter, who claimed they were Palestinian and proud, said: “How sick is it to make a biopic about criminal Golda Mesr? And yes, no surprise Helen Mirren, the racist, is content to play the pure, distorted version of an infuriating individual.”
One other wrote, “Helen Mirren making a movie about the first woman prime minister of Israel is an insult to the Palestinian people. They are celebrating the takingover of Palestine, taking their families out of the homes and murdering their children. A tasteless film
This is after Tamsin Greig, (pictured right), said last month that she “probably shouldn’t” have been playing a Jewish mother on Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner. Although Ms Greig has Jewish heritage, she is an orthodox Christian.
One user on social media said that Helen Mirren was being a disappointment and another stated, “More fascism is needed to demonstrate how wonderful Israel is.”
Meir, who was born in Ukraine 1898 but moved to the USA as a child and became Israel’s first ever female prime minister in 1969.
Soon, she caused international outrage by stating that “There was no such thing as Palestinians.”
Israel’s Meir was heavily criticised for not adequately preparing for the possibility of war, even though it had been reported that Syrian forces were ready for an attack.
Meir, who was criticized for handling the war poorly, resigned in 1974. At 80, she died.
In the past, Dame Helen was criticised for saying she believed in Israel and rejecting calls to boycott it.
Call My Agent stars in the film! Camille Cottin plays Meir’s personal secretary and Lior Ashkenazi, Israeli chief of staff.