Anika Noni Rose Will Be Thandie Newton's Twin In "Half Of A Yellow Sun" Film Adaptation; Shooting Underway

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• Eddy Tare | June 22, 2012 11:21 AMReply

  I read the book and I must confess to be somewhat disappointed by the casting but I am willing to discard that because all the actors as much as I know about them- They are fantastic. I am willing to take a bet on them. They would most definitely deliver what they are suppose too... Well, I hope the Igbo accent would be what I expect it to be because there is bound to be some level of 'rubbish' in the way they pronounce the words. As I said before, I am willing to take a risk on them, all of them in fact...
  I just hope I dont get disappointed!!!!! Ciao!

• anon | May 20, 2012 1:35 PMReply

  just seen a pic of joeseph mawle hes da**n ugly hes supposed to be really handsome in the boolk lol! I thought it was richard madden that was the one now hes hot!

• Alex | May 18, 2012 8:39 AMReply

  WAIT! Joseph Mawle is in it alongside Ejiofor and Nnaji?? YES!
  
  
  I wonder if Anika's role in Ladies Detective Agency had a tipped the heavy pros scale in her being casted.
  She is beautiful onscreen, and Thandie has been excellent in the past save a few questionable films of late. This is just an adaptation people, it's not a carbon copy. It will be as faithful to the STORY as it can, not to the aesthetics described and imagined by readers; and with a cinematographer like John de Borman, acting talent as those above and source material such as the book itself I'd say we were in for a treat. I wish them goodluck in producing a top class film for the masses to enjoy, not the scornful few.

• noel | May 19, 2012 1:08 PM

  by "scornful few" I believe you refer to those who signed the petition and as someone who wasn't excited about thandie joining the cast I think it is offensive. Didn't sign the petition tho but my wife did for good reasons. People have rights to protest against things they feel is not right, it doesn't make them scornful, pls refrain from abuses. Am glad genevieve is in the project, with a talent like her my wife and I always felt she is abused in nollywood. We are hoping to enjoy the film and see it on the oscars list.

• dl | May 17, 2012 2:09 PMReply

  lol! a aa woman playing A HALF WHITE (british) WOMAN'S twin are you kidding me?! not to mention neither are nigerian- this film is getting more and more absurd!

• Kay | June 3, 2012 9:59 PM

  You obviously never read the book. Maybe you should before you disparage the casting!

• SegunAspiringFilmmaker | May 16, 2012 12:56 PMReply

  @KIA 10:19 Genevieve Nnaji is supposedly a top Nigerian actress, perhaps she might assist Newton and Rose with the Igbo dialect albeit TAMBAY's 'Synopsis' didn't give us any info concerning the role Genevieve is supposed to play but I'm sure this is like the big break she's always wanted...

• noel | May 15, 2012 2:59 AMReply

  Cooper may not still be attached to this project. He was in negotiation to play Richard the role Mawle is now attached to.

• Lauren | May 14, 2012 9:28 PMReply

  I haven't read the book but no way do these actresses look like twins; fraternal or otherwise.

• noel | May 15, 2012 3:04 AM

  "I haven't read the book"- that sums it up. The twins don't share any resemblance. The main problem here is thandie has no business playing an Igbo woman though am over that now

• Ladybug | May 14, 2012 9:23 PMReply

  This casting is so wrong . . . just wrong from Thandie to Anika . . . did they read the book before they decided to cast it.

• akhuheni | May 14, 2012 1:48 PMReply

  Great book! To be such a young author, Chimamanda deftly navigates the history of her country through very interesting and thoroughly engaging characters. I'm very pleased to hear that this book will be made into a film. I'm not sure who will be playing which roles but definitely looking forward to it!

• michaboa | May 14, 2012 10:35 AMReply

  Anika is a great actress but, I really don't see her as kainene. If I recall correctly, kainene is described as really dark, tall and really slender. I think Genevieve would have made a more convincing kainene based on the physical description of the character. I love the book but, I'm willing to give this film a shot.

• noel | May 15, 2012 3:10 AM

  Genevieve is a great actress too. Can see her pull of Kainene but doesn't fit into "tall and really slender" tho. So that would have been a bizzare.

• Ladybug | May 14, 2012 9:22 PM

  There is talent in this film . . . but the casting is so off . . . not feeling Anika as Kainene either . . . and I am a fan. Sigh! I really enjoyed this book too

• Kia | May 14, 2012 10:19 AMReply

  I'll chime in on the book vs casting choices. Having had the pleasure of reading such a powerfully sensual and engaging tale of political strife as seen through the eyes of a handful of appealing characters, I'm excited to see this story come to life on the big screen. That's saying a lot from a person who is not in favor of these kinds of stories, especially when the setting is Africa. Is there nothing going on in Africa, but war--I think not. If the writer and director can focus on the plight of the individuals and less on the "warfare" then we're in for a treat folks.
  
  As for the casting, I was gung-ho to see Thandie choose a role that had some meat in comparison to her current list of disappointments. This could be the part that showcases the talent we know exists. So in that regards, I can't wait. I'm somewhat lukewarm about choosing an American to play the twin sister. I understand Thandie's casting--some projects just need the star power--I get that, although I'm concerned about her mastering the dialect, which was very prominent in this story. However, could they not pair Thandie with one of Nigeria's top female stars? As I mentioned, dialect was almost a character in the story, so it shouldn't be downplayed at all.
  
  I highly recommend reading this book.

• BluTopaz | May 14, 2012 4:35 PM

  They will probably feel the same way many people felt when Thandie jacked up the southern dialect in Beloved, and I don't recall her dialect in Journey of August King being all that great, either. Nothing has stopped her from being the go to actress for enslaved Black Southern American woman, so why all the pearl clutching about an American portraying a Nigerian with a specific dialect? Next someone will chime in with how Anika's features aren't exactly right for that group of Nigerians--Black folks, I swear.

• Kia | May 14, 2012 4:02 PM

  @Blutopaz Wasn't aware that Thandie was in W. until after I watched it. Pulling off an American accent cannot be compared to not only attempting a distinct dialect, but speaking the language in a believable way is far more difficult. Who knows maybe this will finally be the movie were the African accents are not carbon copied... I certainly do hope so and I'm just a plain ole Yankee. So imagine how Nigerians may feel if the language is jacked up.

• BluTopaz | May 14, 2012 11:17 AM

  Were you also lukewarm about Newton being cast as Condoleeza Rice?
  
  Anika Rose is very talented, and has access to the same caliber of dialect coaches the Brits have when they take on American roles.