Black in Period Films

A major part of this blog and community involves fancasting would be films or series. Because there are so many stories that can be told, casting these potential movies with the actors of our choice has become a fun pastime. I spent some time trying to find an actor that could portray Alessandro de' Medici accurately. The great thing about this fancasting is that we have  portraits and written descriptions of him. I looked for actors that not only have a similar look as Alessandro and  talent enough to carry the role.  Here is my list in no particular order. 1) Regé-Jean Page Regé-Jean Page in Merchant of Venice The first role I saw Regé-Jean Page in was Chicken George in the 2016 re-imagined Roots. He was amazingly captivating and I am certain he would make a great Alessandro. He did a great job with the accent and I am sure he could do the same to sound like an Italian ruler. It must be noted that although the show takes place in Italy, Italian accents are

Book: The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de' Medici  Author: Catherine Fletcher  If I had to describe this book in one word, I would use the word BALANCED. Throughout the entire biography we get a balanced look at the life and times of Alessandro de' Medici, arguably the first black head of state. This is the first biography about the head of state, and unless new information about Alessandro is unearthed, I don’t see how any biographies that follow Fletcher’s will top it. The information provided, the pacing, and the structure of the biography are all excellently done. In the opening pages of the book, there are family trees detailing selected members of the junior and senior branches of the Medici family as well as a glossary of names. These features come in handy while reading. This is especially true for readers that are new to this period and these historical figures. The useful glossary is symbolic of Cath

Today is the 480th year anniversary of the assassination of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence. This event is relevant to the blog as Alessandro is considered by many to be the first black head of state in Europe. This is said because evidence points toward his mother (Simonetta da Collevecchio) being a servant of African descent. There is some debate over whether his father was Lorenzo II de' Medici or Giulio de' Medici (later Pope Clement VII). Alessandro was ruler of Florence from from 1531 until 1537. I first came across Alessandro de' Medici by way of a portrait. When I saw the picture, I knew I had to do more research on the man. Fortunately, there was an amazing book to help me along. The book The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de' Medici is by Catherine Fletcher historian and author. My interest in the man was further heightened by the Medici: Masters of Florence television series.