Whoopi Goldberg got part in 'Outlaw Posse' after storming out of home to complain about loud neighbors
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mario Van Peebles bemoaned Hollywood's elimination of 8000 black cowboys and their histories in the closing caption of his revisionist western 'Posse.' 'Outlaw Posse' makes an uneven attempt, three decades later, to shed light on the rich and varied history of the Old West.
Now, director Mario Van Peebles claimed that 'The View' host Whoopi Goldberg landed the movie role after she stormed out of her home to protest about loud activities on her street.
Mario Van Peebles said Whoopi cast herself in 'Outlaw Posse'
Speaking of his latest Western 'Outlaw Posse' to the new outlet, director Van Peebles said, "I did not cast Whoopi. Whoopi cast herself."
"I was directing a show on the [Hulu drama] 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' in New Jersey, and this neighbor came over all irate yelling, ‘Who is making all that racket,’ and it was Whoopi."
"When she realized I was directing, I asked her what do you want do next," Van Peebles recalled. "She said, ‘I want do a Western’ and I said ‘I’m getting ready to do a Western.’ Then she said, ‘Do you know who Stagecoach Mary is?,’ and I said ‘Yes.'"
Goldberg portrays Stagecoach Mary in 'Outlaw Posse', a mail carrier who made history by being the first Black woman hired as a major route postwoman in the US, per Page Six.
He said, "She did not do it for free. I still had to pay her and I would not want her to do it for free, but she did it for the right reasons."
"I have my own rule when it comes to casting for a movie: No matter who or what the person is… if we were all at camp and we were twelve years old, would I wanna play with you? If the answer is yes — ‘She will be fun to play with! — then, yes, you are in the movie," Van Peebles added.
Mario Van Peebles's captivating lead performance as focal point of western 'Outlaw Posse'
'Outlaw Posse' is not a sequel to the 1993 western, and the director is no longer directly responding to Hollywood's whitewashed version of America's past.
Conversely, Van Peebles responds to the binary era of today by offering a Western that values variety and the part it must play in creating the rich country that those early Wild West settlers originally promised.
In addition to closely emulating the work of directors such as John Huston and Sergio Leone, Van Peebles (Chief) is creating a picture that is connected to his family's history in cinema, per The Screen Rant.
The strong supporting cast of 'Outlaw Posse' effectively balances the captivating lead performance by Van Peebles. Actress Whoopi Goldberg portrays the real-life Wild West figure "Stagecoach" Mary Fields, and she steals the show in every moment.
Mandela Van Peebles, who played Jigsaw, is starring alongside Van Peebles in 'Outlaw Posse' as Decker, the estranged son of Chief. Their portrayals as Chief and Decker are made more authentic by the relationship between the real-life father and son.
'Outlaw Posse' falls short in portraying either of the two stories—the narrative of slavery reparations or the appalling treatment of Native Americans—in a fair manner. Although there is a good message about multicultural harmony, the film never really accomplishes anything with it.
Despite its flaws in terms of political content, Van Peebles' performance is what makes 'Outlaw Posse' so captivating.
'Outlaw Posse's fantastic cast of characters and the meta-textual aspects of the Van Peebles film dynasty provide a memorable experience, though it eventually contributes nothing new or inventive to the genre.
