re: Beauty and the Beast thoughts and discussions

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I'm actually surprised that no one else is talking about the black characters in the movie. Yeah, I know it's a fantasy film, but it is a fantasy film based in history. And when you look at the history, the casting of black actors in main roles amounts to nothing but stunt casting.

Beauty and the Beast is set in the year 1740. Yet slavery is not abolished in France until 1794. Despite this, we have three very prominent black characters who would not have been able to climb as high as they did on the social ladder.

- Pere Robert, Catholic priest. The first black Catholic priest was not ordained until 1854.

- Madam Garderobe, the maestro's wife. Interracial marriages/relationships were not legalized in France until 1792. There's no way this marriage could have survived so openly in French court.

- Plumette, Lumiere's love interest. See above.

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