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Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Peter Andre accused of 'posing in modern blackface' after taking on Jamaican gangster role in 'profoundly disrespectful' new film
Peter Andre has been accused of 'posing in modern blackface' after playing a Jamaican gangster in a 'profoundly disrespectful' new film. The Mysterious Girl singer, 52, stars as lead character Gary Buckle in crime-comedy, Jafaican, which is set for release later this year. In the film, Gary is tasked with mastering a Caribbean accent and culture in order to pose as a Jamaican crime lord and pull of a heist to pay for his grandma's care. The Australian actor faced a large backlash after the trailer was released, which sees him don a dreadlock wig and attempt to speak in patois. Now, it's been reported that a Caribbean filmmaker reached out to complain to Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF) - who is hosting the premiere - to make an official complaint about the film. However, GCFF is said to have defended the movie, citing Peter's hit 1995 song Mysterious Girl which they said had 'strong reggae influences.' The complaint is said to brand Peter's role in the film as 'an appalling act of modern blackface and a shameful display of cultural mockery masquerading as comedy.' The Voice claims that the complainant - who has remained anonymous - went on to brand the film a 'modern-day minstrel show, a deeply xenophobic mockery of Caribbean identity. The cosplaying of Rasta identity, complete with dreadlocks, is profoundly disrespectful.' They added that reducing the Rasta culture to a 'comedic prop' was in fact a 'grotesque insult'. GCFF are claimed to have responded: 'Peter Andre has a long history of music collaboration with Jamaican musicians… and co-stars with prominent Caribbean musician Sizzla in the film. 'The film is set out to showcase Jamaican culture not to mock it.' MailOnline has contacted GCFF and Peter's representatives for comment. Peter promoted the film on X/Twitter last week but deleted the post after fan backlash. Tweets read: 'Peter Andre starring as the lead character of a film called JAFAICAN where he's pretending to be a Jamaican and wearing a dreadlock wig is not something I was expecting to see in the year of our Lord 2025 but here we are...'; 'There's a movie coming out with Peter Andre in a dreadlock wig pretending to be Jamaican. Is this really what we're doing in 2025?'; Peter has even deleted his Tweet sharing the trailer, prompting one fan to question whether this means the movie will be pulled Taking to Twitter to express their uproar fans asked: 'Did I wake up in 1998?' 'Pardon me? A film, starring Peter Andre, as a JAMAICAN man, is due for release shortly. What is this utter f***ery and whooooo thought it was ok to sign this off in the year 2025, please?'; 'Why on earth has YouTube just recommended me a trailer for a film starring Peter Andre about a man posing as a fake Jamaican? Did I wake up in 1998?'; 'This is actually so gross and I don't know why Jamaica is always everybody's punchline. Wishing the worst for everyone involved especially you Peter Andre'; 'Just saw the trailer for @MrPeterAndre new film disrespecting Rastafari - a religion in Jamaica - and mocking Jamaican culture in general, guess what he plays - a white Jamaican criminal. 'I want to know why these people don't find stereotypes about their own culture to film'; 'Who tf signed this off in 2025???? Nobody needs Peter Andre in fake dreads, pretending to be Jamaican'; 'Sorry a film where Peter Andre has to pose as a Jamaican gangster to pay for his Grans care home. It might just be peak art'. One fan noticed Peter had deleted his tweet in light of the backlash as they asked: 'So Peter Andre deleted his tweet, does that mean Jafaican is being scrapped?' However the trailer didn't receive all negative comments after other fans shared their excitement ahead of the films release. Peter first shared the trailer on his Instagram over the weekend as he announced: 'The OFFICIAL trailer for JAFAICAN has just dropped! Coming to cinemas soon….' Peter first shared the trailer on his Instagram over the weekend as he announced: 'The OFFICIAL trailer for JAFAICAN has just dropped! Coming to cinemas soon….' The trailer didn't receive all negative comments after other fans shared their excitement ahead of the films release Revealing his upcoming promo work for the film he confirmed the world premiere will be at the Gold Coast Film Festival on May 9 and he teased that news on a UK premiere would be coming soon. Excited fans penned: 'Peter that looks amazing can't wait to see this brilliant'; 'Oh yes!!!! looking forward to this @peterandre can't wait'; 'I wish I could have watched this being filmed'; 'Omg so gassed'. Meanwhile his son Junior added: 'Been waiting too long for this!!! Can't wait!!' The controversial film comes just a month after Peter blasted Disney's woke live-action Snow White for 'putting people out of work' after the film replaced dwarf actors with CGI. Wading into the topical debate surrounding he film in his New Magazine column, insisting: 'I think it's important to leave classic films as they were'. Back in 2023, the film was delayed for a major overhaul after negative reception to the film having seven 'magical (non-dwarf) creatures'. Instead, the seven dwarves were replaced through the use of CGI. Peter wrote: 'Disney has been involved in a bit of controversy over its new version of Snow White for things like using CGI for the 'magical creatures' instead of the original seven dwarfs. 'It's important to remember that the original stories and films were very much of their time and, yes, there are definitely things that don't sit comfortably with today's audiences. 'I think it's important to leave classic films as they were. New films can be as diverse as ever, but recreating classics and putting actors out of working for CGI is not the solution.'
Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
DARREN LEWIS: You'll have to watch the trailer for Peter Andre's new film Jafaican twice
You can only assume Peter Andre and everyone connected with his new film have lost their collective minds. Because it is hard to know where to start with even the trailer for Jafaican. In it – I kid you not – Andre stars as a Londoner called Gary 'Gazza' Buckle, who pretends to be a Jamaican gangster, wears a dreadlock wig and, yes, lampoons the Jamaican accent throughout. Buckle is a fraudster attempting to con his way to raising £35,000 in 21 days. Quite why or even how the Mysterious Girl singer convinced himself that an hour and 38 minutes of demeaning, harmful stereotypes about any race in the year 2025 would be appropriate is beyond anyone with even half a brain. DARREN LEWIS: 'Celebrity Big Brother's Mickey Rourke did exactly what he was paid £500k to do' How on earth was it even greenlit without a serious conversation around the tropes and how they could be interpreted? The movie is set to premiere at the Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF) on May 9. But the person who sat in a meeting, listened to him sounding like Ali G and said 'Yep, they'll love that. Take my money. I'll fund it!' will probably be keeping their head down on the night. The title, Jafaican, comes from a derogatory term used for non-Caribbeans trying to speak a fake version of Jamaican patois. You'll probably have to watch the trailer twice because you won't be able to believe it the first time. No wonder 52-year-old Andre, or someone in his circle, quietly pressed the delete button on social media after posting the promotional video and sparking an avalanche of anger. He is of Greek Cypriot heritage, loud and proud. Rightly so. Would he have done a movie besmirching that culture in the same way? You'd suggest not. And don't kid yourself that Andre's film gets a pass because they recruited a British Nigerian, Fredi Nwaka, to write and direct it. Fredi is respected and so much better than this. He has the awards and the body of work to prove it. He is in many ways an inspiration, having overcome difficult childhood circumstances to become a creative force. Defending the movie, the GCFF told Britain's biggest Black newspaper, The Voice: 'Jafaican reflects the authentic linguistic and cultural backdrop of the communities in which both Peter Andre and Fredi Nwaka grew up in.' The trailer, however, leaves you fearing you're trapped in a time machine, spinning you back to the Eighties. Andre has been on a blocking spree on social media, drawing the curtains on any critics who dares take justified umbrage. He'll probably pop up somewhere predictable on TV, suggesting he is being unfairly maligned. And, as ever with artists with anything resembling a profile, he probably has lackeys around him telling him to take no notice, suggesting his critics are probably haters. No, Peter, the critics are actually being the friends you need in your life. The kind of people who would probably have heard 10 seconds of the pitch and said: 'Nah, he isn't going anywhere near that.' Andre is a talented man who could easily have turned his hand to so many other things, serious things, maybe even comedy written by somebody living in the 21st Century. Maybe Jafaican emerged from a 4am kitchen chat with a few mates with all of them suffering the effects of a few too many drinks. Maybe it was a favour for a mate who doesn't care about blowing up the friendship. Because to say that it has gone down like a lead balloon here in the UK is a massive understatement. Good luck when it goes on general release out in the Caribbean next month. It's a fair bet there won't be a sequel.
