You're both correct in that she (Hall) certainly appears white. And that she is a pretty and talented actress. But here is Ms. Hall's mother, whose parents are described by Wikipedia as, 'Hermina M. (née Veraar), was Dutch, and her father, Norman I. Ewing, was an American of Sioux Native American, Scottish and African-American ancestry.'
I think there is a conjurer's trick at play here.
'Oh, so you find this Jessica Hall girl attractive. Perhaps in the same way you found Jennifer Beals (or was that Jessica Biels?) attractive as she was doing her thing in 'Flashdance'. Yes, you liked that didn't you? Well, sad to inform, but Ms. Beals, and Ms. Hall, are black, at least by Amerikkka's horribly racist standards. Feeling a bit confused aren't we? If you can't tell the difference between a black and a white then how real can race be?'
It's all, I think, part of a plan. The slightest hint of African ancestry entitles one to endless bounty. Yet, when convenient, we are told to ignore race. If there were no advantage, nor disadvantage, to race then simply accepting Ms. Hall as a pretty, seemingly fair-skinned girl is harmless. But is that the world we live in?
Please note that Ms. Hall, for the sake of her career, was able to successfully play, without criticism, a black. I think she qualifies under the title of this thread, a black actor used in a white role.
Would the characters in 'The Town', in both the novel and the movie, have been so blase about race? 'Hey, Ben Affleck's character, I think it's really cool you're dating a black girl. I mean, she's almost white and everything. Almost as pretty as J Lo. I think all the races should get together. That's what prison taught me. I remember my first time in the pen for armed robbery. Blacks are people just like us. You know what I mean? Same hopes and dreams. Just trying to get by in this difficult world.'
Here's a story from the real 'Town' (hometown of Howie Long). Charlestown High School is less than 10% white, and has been for a long time. A Haitian 'student', rumored to be in his 20's, sucker punched a white kid. The whites went home, collected baseball bats, and returned to chase the blacks up and down the halls. Only then did the school administrators see fit to call the police. Ultimately the blacks agreed to be less black in their manner.
Edited by: Charlie 
