The Niche Actress vs. The Versatile Leading Man

There are rumors flying around that basketball superstar LeBron James is circling a deal to star in a sequel to the beloved 90s movie Space Jam. The rumor comes James' deal with Warner Bros., who owns the Space Jam rights. Look I loved Space Jam as a kid. LeBron James is obviously a mega star and not just on the court. I haven't seen Trainwreck yet but his comedic supporting role is getting a lot of praise. On the surface, James starring Space Jam 2 seems like a golden idea.

But deep down it reveals a major problem regarding Hollywood sexism. Trainwreck is supposed to be writer/star Amy Schumer's big break into mainstream. It's a hit movie with rave reviews. So why is LeBron James the one walking away with more prospects as a movie star than THE STAR AND WRITER OF THE MOVIE Amy Schumer? Questions like this have been popping up in my mind a lot lately as I've seen this pattern come up a lot.

Look at Spy. That film featured a career best performance from Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy and a ferocious mean-girl performance from Rose Byrne. But Jason Statham walked away with the highest praises, with everyone surprised that an action star could do comedy (though seriously anyone who knows anything about Statham should not have been surprised).

Let's look at Ant-Man. Paul Rudd is known for his comedic turns in I Love You, Man, Knocked Up and Role Models. So how does he get to star in a major franchise where his co-stars Rashida Jones, Katherine Heigl and Leslie Mann are playing wife/girlfriend roles in comedies. Ryan Reynolds went from Two Guys and a Girl, Waiting, The Change-Up, Just Friends to Green Lantern, Deadpool and Self/less.

Here's my theory: when casting directors/producers/Hollywood power players see a guy do well in a movie, it's like "let's find him his own starring vehicle." This is especially true when the guy is a woman's 2nd lead (as if it's a reward for taking backseat to a chick). It's easy to see any man in any leading role. And that's partly because there are just more out there. Or actors will have leading roles written and catered to their strengths.

But a woman who does well in a movie? The solution is finding more projects of the same niche (Amy Schumer's next movie will likely be another R rated comedy). Or they'll get her to play a love interest in a bigger movie. That's why Emma Stone went from a starring, award-nominated role in Easy A to Peter Parker's girlfriend in the Amazing Spider-Man movies. Bryce Dallas Howard went from The Help (and other solid roles) to Jurassic World. Gugu Mbatha-Raw had two great breakout roles in 2014 with Belle and Beyond the Lights. Where is her franchise?! Where is her big star-making role?!

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Beyond the Lights

Let's look at some exceptions, ok? Elizabeth Banks was known as a strictly comedic actress in the early 2000s. But she started to expand her range, then became producer and later director of one of the most profitable franchises, the Pitch Perfect movies. Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain have also cashed in on their success to star in a wide range of films, sometimes evens as the lead. Meryl Streep is the lone actress who has the power of a male movie star. Maybe Sandra Bullock too?

If LeBron James is offered Space Jam 2 and he wants to take it, he should. Sexism in Hollywood is not his responsibility. But that his work was noticed and he is now being groomed for a franchise reveals a major problem in Hollywood. It's the idea that the media and the Hollywood are quick to shower him with praise for work in a female-friendly movie and ostensibly the breakout for a female talent. I'm not saying that James doesn't deserve the praise. But my issue is rather the fact that men seemed to be catered to all too quickly and given opportunities that female stars could desperately use.

And I don't even know what Schumer's career goals are. Maybe she doesn't want her own franchise or to star in some kind of action movie. I certainly can't picture her in some kind of "Jurassic World" type blockbuster. Or have I been conditioned to only see her in a specific niche?

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