Hi, great blog! Was Tina white/caucasian? Or she was half latina half white? (I read her mum was white Latina but I am not sure). What do you think of Tina playing a gypsy or a first nations woman in some of her roles and not real gypsies or first nations people playing them? I know this debate maye didn't happen in the 60s/70s but I am curious what you think. Did she ever say something about it? Thanks!
Thank you very much for your question, a very interesting one...
As far as I know Tina was more white/caucasian than latina but her mum was white latina because we know that all María Montez family from her dad side came from Spain, but we don't know anything from her mum's side, so it's quite a mystery, I hope little by little we discover more things from her mum's family cause it's the only part from the family we really don't know anything about...
Although Tina makes a great job in this film and her mum, and maybe some of her distant relatives by mum's side could have been natives (which I don't know), I think this role would fit much better with a native American woman, since I think in the 60s they acted in some films.
Tina Aumont as the gypsy Carmen
Well, I think there's no problem in this role because the story is set in Spain and she's a Spanish Gypsy called Carmen, and Tina had some roots from Spanish origin, however, I think a real gypsy could fit as well.
Tina as the Princess Leila
Here in this role I see that Tina is really pale for this role, I think with her natural dark hair and a darker skin she would have fit much better in the role. I think as the best an arabian woman shoud have done this paper, but I like it's Tina cause in that way we have another film she is in.
I know being an actress is great because you can portray someone else, someone you are very different but I think that some things should be respected. It's true that in the 60s this debate didn't happen, and Tina said she didn't like to portray exotic women because she didn't want to be compared to her mother, but the fact is that she played some exotic women in film and this was a role she fit in, that's why (I guess), she got the parts.
Nowadays, I think directors and filmmakers would respect more the origins of the actors, and I agree it's better to have a native actor doing the part, however, if the actor or actress chosen by the filmmaker is not available, I understand they can have second choices and maybe they want to put lots of make-up in an actor and do the characterization as this could be important for the film.
I don't know if I gave you a proper answer to this very interesting question, I hope so. I know it's quite hard, sometimes to explain myself, plus English is not my mother tongue, but I hope you can understand quite well my explanations :)
Thank you very much for your question, ask more if you need it so :)
