Star Wars actor Billy Dee Williams expressed support for actors donning blackface, noting performers should be able to do "anything" to play a role.
Williams, 87, who portrayed Lando Calrissian in 1980's Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back and its 1983 sequel Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, spoke with Bill Maher about his experience in the industry during a Sunday appearance on the comedian's podcast, Club Random.
The Star Wars alumni noted Laurence Olivier donned blackface while playing the titular character in 1965's film adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello.
“When he did Othello, I fell out laughing,” Williams said. “He stuck his a-- out and walked around … because black people are supposed to have big a--es."
"I thought it was hysterical. I loved it," Williams added.
WATCH:
Maher agreed, though noted the performance of blackface could not be recreated for modern audiences.
“Why not? You should do it,” Williams asked. “If you’re an actor, you should do anything you want to do.”
Maher pushed back on Williams, noting the actor "couldn't play the part [he] should have played" in 1965, to which Williams said he didn't want to live his life like a "victim."
Williams noted the same was true for Jewish actors and other ethnic performers.
“The point is, you don’t go through life feeling like, ‘I’m a victim,’” Williams said. “I refuse to go through life saying to the world, ‘I’m pissed off.’ I’m not gonna be pissed off 24 hours a day.”
Later, Maher commented on race relations saying, "Life is such a complex mixture of advantages and disadvantages."
"I'd rather be black and have a great personality, certainly in this year, than white with a bad personality," Maher said, to which Williams said. "Get off of that."
The actor has provided his voice for several animated adaptations throughout the Star Wars franchise, including video games. In 2019, Williams reprised his role as Calrissian in Star Wars: Episode VIIII - The Rise of Skywalker.
