“Star Wars” icon Billy Dee Williams said actors should be free to do blackface performances in an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, published Sunday.
Maher and Williams discussed Laurence Olivier’s infamous portrayal of Othello in blackface, and Williams commended the performance.
“When he did Othello, I fell out laughing,” he said on the podcast. “He stuck his ass out and walked around with his ass, you know, because Black people are supposed to have big asses. I thought it was hysterical. I loved it… I love that kind of stuff.”
The conversation took a turn when Maher delved into the history of doing blackface. “Here’s the thing, today, they would never let you do that,” Maher said. (RELATED: ‘Let’s Not Argue About Stupid Things’: Bill Maher Tells Key Nikki Haley Backer That Trump Has Nomination Locked Up)
“Why not? You should do it,” Williams told the political talk show host. “As an actor, you should be able to do whatever you think you can do, you should be able to do it.” Maher then responded, “Not to bring up your sore point but you actually lived in a period where you couldn’t do that… That’s a great attitude but it did still happen.”
“The point is that you don’t go through life feeling like, ‘I’m a victim,’” Williams continued. “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.”