RACE + CINEMA

Netflix’s ‘Passing’ Reveals The Hidden Lives of Black People Living As White

But some people are missing the point. Let’s unpack this.

Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga in ‘Passing,’ a film adapted from a book and produced by Rebecca Hall | Credit | Netflix Trailer

“Passing,” which first aired at the 2021 Sundance Film festival, unearthed a lively story from the Harlem Renaissance era based on a novella written by Nella Larsen and reimagined by director Rebecca Hall. Netflix, which will air the film in November, released the trailer, and it’s causing quite a cultural stir.

Ironically, some casual critics claim the actresses in the film don’t actually “pass for White.” But, unfortunately, they’re missing the point. To pass for White, a Black person doesn’t have to look identical to a White person, just close enough to be mistaken for one.

“We wouldn’t have a world where ‘passing’ occurred if there were no incentives associated with ‘Whiteness.’”

These critiques modernize the story’s impact, highlighting the complexities of racial identity in America. Not accepting these women as “passing” — which they certainly would be in the 1920s — only proves society moved the bar since then, and that folks that passed back then, perhaps would not pass now. Proximity to Whiteness is coveted in America…