Why do Jewish people never play non-Jewish people in movies and also they get Jewish people to play Jewish people for example all Adam Sandler characters are Jewish?

Answer 1

Answer 1

First of all, the original thesis of the question is faulty. Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas and his son Michael, Red Buttons, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, David Duchovny, Sara jessica Parker, Rachel Weisz, Matthew Broderick, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, George Burns, Mila Kunis, Sara Paxton, Natalie Portman, Daniel Radcliff, Sacha Baron Cohen, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, River Phoenix, Summer Phoenix, Debbie Reynolds, Jerry Stiller, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and a host of other Jewish performers have portrayed plenty of characters whose cultural or religious background were either non-Jewish or undefined.

It might be instructive to discuss the second part of the question in regard to the given example of Adam Sandler, who has played roles of both non-Jewish and Jewish characters. Here are some factors to consider:

1). Adam Sandler has arrived at the stage in his career where he chooses the projects he wants. In some cases, they are projects that he writes and produces. If the project features a Jewish character, then that's how Sandler wants the character portrayed, and if he wants to play the character, then that's his choice as writer/producer.

2). When a movie is being cast, "they get" cast members who can best portray the character and make the character most believable on the screen. Anyone who wins a part has to audition for it, and has to convince the director that he can best make the character believable. If the character's religion is important to the story, then it's possible that an actor with the same religious background as the character's may well have an edge in his ability to bring the character to life.

Answer 2

Most Jewish actors do not play Jewish characters most of the time. Here are some 100% Jewish actors: Logan Lerman, Zachary Gordon, Jonathan Lipnicki, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Kat Dennings, Odeya Rush, Bar Refaeli, Anton Yelchin, Alden Ehrenreich, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Debra Winger, Bette Midler, and James Wolk. There are many more.