The Top 25 (Best) Times Gentiles Played Jews -

The Top 25 (Best) Times Gentiles Played a Jewish Character

March 15, 2023

The debate. Should gentiles play Jews? The debate over gentiles playing Jewish roles is heating up again with the news that Bradley Cooper is using a prosthetic nose to play Leonard Bernstein in a biopic of the famous conductor, composer and pianist. Some critics argue that giving Jewish roles to non-Jews is Jewface.

The term Jewface originated in the 19th century during vaudeville acts. It describes a situation when a gentile negatively portrays a Jewish person often using classic antisemitic tropes.

My simple answer. My answer to this question is that casting Jews to play Jewish roles should absolutely be a priority. However, what is also true, is that there have been many instances when non-Jews have played Jews in sincere, conscientious and heartfelt ways.

Some actors, such as John Turturo, Helen Mirren and Daniel Craig have been cast in multiple Jewish roles. Turturo famously played Primo Levi in The Truce, based on Levi’s autobiography The Reawakening. More recently, he played Rabbi Lionel Bengelsdorf in David Simon’s adaptation of Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America. Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Golda Meir in Golda is coming out this August, but before Golda, she already played a Mossad agent in The Debt and a Holocaust survivor in Woman in Gold. Daniel Craig, who is probably most recognized for playing James Bond, has twice played a Jewish hero in Defiance and Munich.

Below is a list of just 25 other times a gentile has played a Jewish role in a meaningful way. I hope this post helps to positively contribute to this ongoing discussion.