Black Women, White Men: Interracial Romance in the Movies

list of theatrical and made-for-TV movies that feature romantic

relationships between black women and white men. Prior to the 1960s, it

was very common for light-skinned black characters to be portrayed by

white actors

TITLE YEAR WOMAN MAN

200 Cigarettes 1999 Nicole Ari Parker Ben Affleck

24 Hours in

London

2000 Anjela Lauren

Smith

Gary Olsen

25th Hour 2002 Rosario Dawson Edward Norton

28 Days Later … 2002 Naomie Harris Cillian Murphy

3-Way 2004 Joy Bryant Dominic Purcell

Action Jackson 1988 Vanity Craig T. Nelson

Ace Ventura:

When Nature

Calls

1995 Sophie Okonedo Jim Carrey

A Diva’s

Christmas Carol

2000 Vanessa Williams Brian McNamara

After the Sunset 2004 Naomie Harris Woody Harrelson

Alfie 2004 Nia Long Jude Law

All Night Long 1961 Marti Stevens Paul Harris

Alexander 2004 Rosario Dawson Colin Farrell

American Flyers 1985 Rae Dawn Chong Kevin Costner

America’s Dream 1996 Tina Lifford Tate Donovan

Angel Heart 1987 Lisa Bonet Mickey Rourke

Annie 1999 Audra McDonald Victor Garber

Antibody 2002 Robin Givens Lance Henriksen

A Perfect Fit 2005 Leila Arcieri Adrian Grenier

Ash Wednesday 2002 Rosario Dawson Elijah Wood

Ashanti 1979 Beverly Johnson Michael Caine

August 2008 Naomie Harris Josh Hartnett

Austin Powers in

Goldmember

2002 Beyonce Knowles Mike Meyers

Bachelor, the 1999 Mariah Carey Chris O’Donnell

Bamboozled 2000 na Michael Rapaport

Band of Angels 1957 Yvonne De Carlo Clark Gable

Barbershop 2002 ? Troy Garrity

Besieged 1998 Thandie Newton David Thewlis

Better Dayz 2002 Shantell Cargle Thomas Odell

Big Bird Cage,

the

1972 Pam Grier Sid Haig

Big Hit, the 1998 Lela Rochon Mark Wahlberg

Birth of a Nation,

the

1915 Mary Alden Ralph Lewis

Black Rose of

Harlem

1996 Cynda Williams Nick Cassavetes

Blade 1998 Sanaa Lathan Stephen Dorff

Bleeding Hearts 1994 Karen Kirkland Mark Evan Jacobs

Blood and

Concrete

1991 Jennifer Beals Billy Zane

Bodyguard, the 1992 Whitney Houston Kevin Costner

Boiler Room 2000 Nia Long Giovanni Ribisi

Borat 2006 Luenell (Campbell) Sacha Baron Cohen

Boy Meets Girl 1993 Jasmine Guy Reed Diamond

Break, the 1995 Rae Dawn Chong Vincent Van Patten

Breaking In 1989 Lorraine Toussaint Burt Reynolds

Breaks, the 1999 Paula Jai Parker Mitch Mullany

Brewster’s

Millions

1985 Lonette McKee Stephen Collins

Bride, the 1985 Jennifer Beals Sting

Bringing Down

the House

2003 Queen Latifah Eugene Levy

Bronx Tale, a 1993 Taral Hicks Lillo Brancato

Bulworth 1998 Halle Berry Warren Beatty

Busted Up 1986 Irene Cara Paul Coufos

Captive Heart:

The James Mink

Story

1996 Rachael Crawford Peter Outerbridge

Carbon Copy 1981 na George Segal

Carrie 2002 Kandyse McClure Tobias Mehler

Catch That Kid 2004 Jennifer Beals Sam Robards

Catwoman 2004 Halle Berry Benjamin Bratt

Chaindance 1990 Rae Dawn Chong Michael Ironside

Cheetah Girls,

the

2003 Raven (-Symoné) Kyle Schmid

Choose Me 1984 Rae Dawn Chong Patrick Bauchau/Keith

Carradine

Chronicles of

Riddick, the

2004 Thandie Newton Karl Urban

Cinderella 1997 Whoopi

Goldberg/Brandy

Victor Garber/Paolo

Montalban

Cloud Atlas 2012 Halle Berry Tom Hanks

Cold Around the

Heart

1997 Stacey Dash David Caruso

Colombiana 2011 Zoë Saldaña Michael Vartan

Color-Blinded 1998 Luella Hill Luke Vitale

Commando 1985 Rae Dawn Chong Arnold Schwarzenegger

Condition Red 1995 Cynda Williams James Russo

Constellation 2005 Gabrielle Union Daniel Bess/David Clennon

Cora, Unashamed 2000 Regina Taylor Kohl Sudduth

Corrina, Corrina 1994 Whoopi Goldberg Ray Liotta

Courage to Love,

the

2000 Vanessa (L.)

Williams

Gil Bellows

Covenant, the 2006 Jessica Lucas Taylor Kitsch

Curiosity Kills 1990 Rae Dawn Chong C. Thomas Howell

Dance With Me 1998 Vanessa L.

Williams

Chayanne

Daddy Day Care 2003 Leila Arcieri Steve Zahn

Dangerous

Evidence: The

Lori Jackson

Story

1999 Lynn Whitfield Richard Lineback

Dark Blue 2002 Michael Michele Scott Speedman

Dead Connection 1994 Lisa Bonet Michael Madsen

Dead On Sight 1994 Jennifer Beals Daniel Baldwin

Death at a

Funeral

2007 Regina Hall James Marsden

Death of a

Gunfighter

1969 Lena Horne Richard Widmark

Demon Knight 1995 Jada Pinkett

(Smith)

Billy Zane

Die Another Day 2002 Halle Berry Pierce Brosnan

Dinosaur Hunter,

the

2000 Enuka Okuma Christopher Plummer

Diva 1981 Wilhelmenia

Fernandez

Frédérick Andréi

Doctors’ Wives 1971 Diana Sands Richard Crenna

Drum 1976 Pam(ela) Grier Warren Oates

Eiger Sanction,

the

1975 Vonetta McGee Clint Eastwood

Engagement: My

Phamily BBQ 2,

the

2006 Tenique Mathieu Andy Gershenzon

Eraser 1996 Vanessa L.

Williams

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Executive

Decision

1996 Halle Berry Kurt Russell

Exiled 1998 Nicole Ari Parker Chris Noth

Fall Into

Darkness

1996 Tatyana Ali Jonathan Brandis

Fantastic Four 2005 Kerry Washington Michael Chiklis

Fast Girls 2012 Lenora Crichlow Bradley James

Fatal Beauty 1987 Whoopi Goldberg Sam Elliot

Feast of All Saints 2001 Bianca

Lawson/Gloria

Reuben

Alec McClure/Peter

Gallagher

Final Breakdown 2002 Regina King Craig Sheffer

First $20 Million

Is Always the

Hardest, the

2002 Rosario Dawson Adam Garcia

Flashdance 1983 Jennifer Beals Michael Nouri

Flintstones 1994 Halle Berry Kyle MacLachlan

Flirting 1991 Thandie Newton Noah Taylor

Foreign Student 1994 Robin Givens Marco Hofschneider

For One Night 2006 Aisha Tyler Jason Lewis

Forsaken, the 2001 Phina Oruche Johnathon Schaech

Framed 2002 Kandyse McClure Sam Neill/Rob Lowe

Frankenfish 2004 K.D. Aubert Matthew Rauch

Frogs 1972 Judy Pace Nicholas Cortland

From the Rough 2012 Letoya Luckett Tom Felton

Futuresport 1998 Vanessa L.

Williams

Dean Cain

Fuzz 1972 Tamara Dobson Yul Brynner

Gang in Blue 1996 Cynda Williams Josh Brolin

Gang Related 1997 Lela Rochon James Belushi

Georgia, Georgia 1972 Diana Sands Dirk Benedict

Get Over It 2001 Zoë Saldaña Shane West

Getting Straight 1970 Brenda Sykes Elliott Gould

Girlfight 2000 Shannon Walker

Williams

Santiago Douglas

Glitter 2001 Mariah Carey Max Beesley

Good Shepherd,

the

2006 Liya Kebede Eddie Redmayne

Gospel Hill 2008 Nia Long Adam Baldwin

Grambling’s

White Tiger

1981 Deborah Pratt Bruce Jenner

Great Moments in

Aviation

1993 Rakie Ayola Jonathan Pryce

Gridlock’d 1997 Thandie Newton Tim Roth

Guess Who 2005 Zoë Saldaña Ashton Kutcher

Hamlet 2000 Lisa Gay Hamilton Campbell Scott

Hard Corps, the 2006 Vivica A. Fox Jean-Claude Van Damme

Harlem Nights 1989 Jasmine Guy Michael Lerner

Haunted Mansion 2003 Marsha Thomason Nathaniel Parker

Haven 2004 Zoë Saldaña Orlando Bloom

High Crimes 2002 Paula Jai Parker Michael Shannon

High Fidelity 2000 Lisa Bonet John Cusack

Homesteader, the 1919 Iris Hall William George

Honky 1971 Brenda Sykes John Neilson

Hotel Rwanda 2004 ? Joaquin Phoenix

House Divided, a 2000 Lisa Gay Hamilton Sam Waterson

House of the

Dead

2003 Enuka Okuma Tyron Leitso

How Stella Got

Her Groove Back

1998 Suzzanne Douglass Philip Casnoff

How to Make an

American Quilt

1995 Maria Celedonio Jared Leto

How U Like Me

Now

1993 Salli Richardson Scott Goodrich

Ice Spiders 2007 Vanessa Williams Patrick Muldoon

Idle Hands 1999 Vivica A. Fox Jack Noseworthy

Idiocracy 2006 Maya Rudolph Luke Wilson

I Passed For

White

1960 Sonya Wilde James Franciscus

If You Could See

What I Hear

1982 Shari Belafonte(-

Harper)

Marc Singer

Illegal in Blue 1995 Stacey Dash Dan Gauthier

Indiscreet 1989 Gloria Reuben Luke Perry

Introducing 1999 Halle Berry Klaus Maria

Dorothy

Dandridge

Brandauer/Brent Spiner

Island in the Sun 1957 Dorothy Dandridge John Justin

Jackie Brown 1997 Pam Grier Robert Forster

Jefferson in Paris 1995 Thandie Newton Nick Nolte

Joey Breaker 1993 Cedella Marley Richard Edson

John Tucker Must

Die

2006 Ashanti Jesse Metcalfe

Jo Jo Dancer, Your

Life Is Calling

1986 Paula Kelly Michael Ironside

Josephine Baker

Story, the

1991 Lynn Whitfield Rubén Blades/David Dukes

Journey of August

King, the

1995 Thandie Newton Jason Patric

Joyful Noise 2012 Keke Palmer Jeremy Jordan

Jumpin’ Jack

Flash

1986 Whoopi Goldberg Jonathan Pryce

Jungle Fever 1991 Tyra Ferrell John Turturro

Killing of a

Chinese Bookie,

the

1976 Azizi Johari Ben Gazzara

King of Comedy 1983 Diahnne Abbott Robert DeNiro

King of New York 1990 Theresa Randle Christopher Walken

Kings Go Forth 1958 Natalie Wood Frank Sinatra

Kings of

Brooklyn, the

2002 Lauren B. Martin William McNamara

Knights and

Emeralds

1986 Beverly Hills Christopher Wild

Lake House, the 2006 Cynthia Kaye

McWilliams

Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Lakeview Terrace 2008 Kerry Washington Patrick Wilson

Landlord, the 1970 Diane Sands/Marki

Bey

Beau Bridges

Last Don, the 1997 Lark Voorhies Jason Gedrick

Last King of

Scotland, the

2006 Kerry Washington James McAvoy

Last Place On

Earth, the

2002 Tisha Campbell Dana Ashbrook

Lathe of Heaven,

the

1980 Margaret Avery Bruce Davison

Lathe of Heaven,

the

2002 Lisa Bonet Lukas Haas

Leading Man, the 1996 Thandie Newton Jon Bon Jovi

Learning Tree,

the

1969 Mira Waters Zooey Hall

Legal Deceit 1997 Lela Rochon Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Lethal Weapon 1987 Traci Wolfe na

Liberation of L.B.

Jones, the

1970 Lola Falana Anthony Zerbe

Liberty Heights 1999 Rebekah Johnson Ben Foster

Life Size 2000 Tyra Banks Jere Burns

Live and Let Die 1973 Gloria Hendry Roger Moore

Lone Star 1996 LaTanya

Richardson

Stephen J. Lang

Long Run, the 2000 Nthati Moshesh Armin Mueller-Stahl

Lost World, the:

Jurrasic Park

1997 na Jeff Goldblum

Love Actually 2003 Olivia Olson Thomas Sangster

Love Song 2000 Monica (Arnold) Christian Kane

Love’s Labour’s

Lost

2000 Carmen Ejogo Matthew Lillard

Macbeth in

Manhattan

1999 Gloria Reuben David Lansbury/Nick

Gregory

Mad Room, the 1969 Carol Cole Michael Cole

Made in America 1993 Whoopi Goldberg Ted Danson

Mahogany 1975 Diana Ross Anthony Perkins/Jean-

Pierre Aumont

Malibu’s Most

Wanted

2003 Regina Hall Jamie Kennedy

Mandingo 1975 Brenda Sykes Perry King

Maniac Magee 2000 Kyla Pratt Michael Angarano

Marple: Ordeal

by Innocence

2007 Gugu Mbatha-Raw Bryan Dick

Mephisto 1981 Karin Boyd Klaus Maria Brandauer

Mercy 1996 Amber Kain Sam Rockwell

Métisse 1993 Julie Maudeuch Mathieu Kassovitz

Miami Rhapsody 1995 Naomi Campbell Kevin Pollack

Milk and Honey 1988 Josette Simon Lyman Ward

Mirrors 2008 Paula Patton Kiefer Sutherland

Miss Dial 2013 Robinne Lee Sam Jaeger

Miss Firecracker 1989 Alfre Woodard Tim Robbins

Mission:

Impossible II

(MI2)

2002 Thandie Newton Tom Cruise

Mistress 1992 Sheryl Lee Ralph Robert DeNiro/Danny

Aiello

Mixing Nia 1998 Karyn Parsons Eric Thal

Moment of

Danger

1960 Dorothy Dandridge Trevor Howard

Mona Lisa 1986 Cathy Tyson Bob Hoskins

Monster’s Ball 2001 Halle Berry Billy Bob Thornton

Moonraker 1979 Emily Bolton Roger Moore

Mr. & Mrs.

Loving

1996 Lela Rochon Timothy Hutton

Mumford 1999 Alfre Woodard Jason Lee

My Last Day

Without You

2011 Nicole Beharie Ken Duken

Mystery Men 1999 Jennifer Lewis William H. Macy

Napoleon

Dynamite

2004 Shondrella Avery Aaron Ruell

National Security 2003 Robinne Lee Steve Zahn

Neo Ned 2004 Gabrielle Union Jeremy Renner

Never Die Alone 2004 Aisha Tyler David Arquette

Never Too Young

to Die

1986 Vanity John Stamos

New Centurions,

the

21972 Rosalind Cash Stacy Keach

New Eden 1994 Lisa Bonet Stephen Baldwin

Next Time 1998 Jonelle Allen Christian Campbell

Night of the

Quarter Moon

1959 Julie London John Barrymore

Noah’s Ark 1999 Sydney Tamiia

Poitier

Alexis Denisof

Nothing Lasts 1995 Vanessa L. Chris Noth

Forever Williams

Nowhere 1997 Rachel True James Duval

Odyssey, the 1997 Vanessa L.

Williams

Armand Assante

Omega Man, the 1971 Rosalind Cash Charlton Heston

Once Fallen 2010 Taraji P. Henson Brian Presley

On Thin Ice: The

Tai Babilonia

Story

1990 Rachael Crawford Charles Stratton

One False Move 1991 Cynda Williams Bill Paxton/Billy Bob

Thornton

Out of Africa 1985 Iman ?

Out-of-Sync 1995 Victoria Dillard Ramy Zada

Out of the

Furnace

2013 Zoë Saldaña Christian Bale

Out of Time 2003 Sanaa Lathan Dean Cain

Palookaville 1995 Lisa Gay Hamilton Adam Trese

Parenthood 1989 na Tom Hulce

Pariah 1998 Elexa Williams Damon Jones

Penthouse, the 1989 Robin Givens David Hewlett

Perfect Stranger 2007 Halle Berry Bruce Willis

Pilgrim 1999 Gloria Reuben Ray Liotta

Pink Panther, the 2005 Beyoncé Knowles Steve Martin

Pinky 1949 Jeanne Crain William Lundigan

Pirates of the

Caribbean: at

World’s End

2007 Naomie Harris Bill Nighy

Prêt-à-Porter 1994 Georgianna

Robertson/Tara

Leon

Rupert Everett

Pride and Glory 2008 Carmen Ejogo Edward Norton

Prisoner of Love 1999 Naomi Campbell Eric Thal

Pulp Fiction 1994 Venessia Valentino Quentin Tarantino

Q & A 1990 Jenny Lumet Timothy Hutton/Armand

Assante

Queen 1993 Jasmine Guy/Halle

Berry

Tim Daly/Victor Garber

Queen of the

Damned

2002 Aaliyah Stuart Townsend

Quest for Fire 1981 Rae Dawn Chong Everett McGill

Rags 2012 Keke Palmer Max Schneider

Real World

Movie: The Lost

Season, the

2002 Shani Pride John Henry Reardon

Restaurant 1998 Lauryn Hill/Elise Adrian Brody/Simon Baker

Neal (-Denny)

Rich Man’s Wife 1990 Halle Berry Christopher McDonald

Road Trip 2000 Mia Amber Davis DJ Qualls

Roble de Olor 2002 Lia Chapman Jorge Perugorría

Robot Jox 1990 Anne-Marie

Johnson

Gary Graham

RocknRolla 2008 Thandie Newton Gerard Butler

Rocky Road 2001 Nicole A. Smith Will Wallace

Romuald et

Juliette

1989 Firmine Richard Daniel Auteuil

Rooftops 1989 Troy Beyer/Tisha

Campbell

Jason Gedrick

Roots: Next

Generations, the

1979 Fay Hauser Richard Thomas

Rosewood 1997 Akosua Busia Jon Voight

Ruby Jean and

Joe

1996 Rebekah Johnson Tom Selleck

Ruby’s Bucket of

Blood

2001 Angela Bassett Kevin Anderson

Run Fatboy Run 2007 Thandie Newton Simon Pegg

Sally Hemings:

An American

Scandal

2000 Carmen Ejogo Sam Neill

Saratoga Trunk 1945 Ingrid Bergman Gary Cooper

Score, the 2001 Angela Bassett Robert DeNiro

Secret Laughter

of Women, the

1999 Nia Long Colin Firth

Senseless 1998 Kenya Moore/? Matthew Lillard/Rip Torn

Serenity 2005 Gina Torres Alan Tudyk

Serpent and the

Rainbow, the

1988 Cathy Tyson Bill Pullman

Sexual Life 2005 Kerry Washington Eion Bailey

Sgt. Pepper’s

Lonely Hearts

Club Band

1978 Stargard The Bee Gees

Shade 2003 Thandie Newton Stuart Townsend

Shadowboxer 2005 Mo’Nique Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Shadows 1959 Lelia Goldoni Anthony Ray

Shame 2011 Nicole Beharie Michael Fassbender

Show Boat 1936 Helen Morgan Donald Cook

Show Boat 1951 Ava Gardner Robert Sterling

Silverado 1985 Lynn Whitfield Jeff Goldblum

Sin City 2005 Rosario Dawson Clive Owen

Sioux City 1994 Salli Richardson Lou Diamond Phillips

Sister Act 1992 Whoopi Goldberg Harvey Keitel

Skyfall 2012 Naomie Harris Daniel Craig

Slaves 1969 Dionne Warwick Stephen Boyd

Snow Dogs 2002 na James Coburn

Soldiers of

Change

2001 Stacey Dash Heath Freeman

Solomon 1997 Vivica (A.) Fox Ben Cross

Solomon

Northrup’s

Odyssey

1984 Rhetta Greene John Saxon

Something New 2006 Sanaa Lathan Simon Baker

Soul Man 1986 Rae Dawn Chong C. Thomas Howell

Soylent Green 1973 Paula Kelly Chuck Conners

Spawn 1997 Theresa Randle D.B. Sweeney

Speed Racer 2008 Nayo Wallace Matthew Fox

Squeeze, the 1987 Rae Dawn Chong Michael Keaton

Star Trek 2009 Zoë Saldaña Zachary Quinto

Star Trek Into

Darkness

2013 Zoë Saldaña Zachary Quinto

Step Up 2006 Drew Sidora Josh Henderson

Stompin’ at the

Savoy

1992 Vanessa Bell

Calloway

John D’Aquino

Strange Days 1995 Angela Bassett Ralph Fiennes

Substitute 2:

School’s Out, The

1998 Michael Michele Treat Williams

Supernova 2000 Angela Bassett James Spader

Swordfish 2001 Halle Berry John Travolta/Hugh

Jackman

Taking the Heat 1993 Lynn Whitfield Tony Goldwyn

Talking About Sex 1994 Kim Wayans Daniel Beer

Tales From the

Darkside

1990 Rae Dawn Chong James Remar

Tamango 1957 Dorothy Dandridge Curd Jürgens

Taxi Driver 1976 Diahnne Abbott Robert De Niro

Tempo di

uccidere

1990 Patrice-Flora Praxo Nicolas Cage

Tennessee Nights 1989 Stacey Dash Julian Sands

Terminal, the 2004 Zoë Saldaña Diego Luna

That Thing You

Do!

1996 ? Ethan Embry

Things We Lost in

the Fire

2007 Halle Berry David Duchovny

Think Like a Man 2012 Gabrielle Union Jerry Ferrara

Three in the Attic 1968 Judy Pace Christopher Jones

Through the

Glass

2008 Stephanie Okereke Garrett McKechnie

Time Machine 2002 Samantha Mumba Guy Pearce

Time Runner 1993 Rae Dawn Chong Mark Hamill

Today You Die 2005 Mari Morrow Steven Seagal

Tom & Thomas 2002 Inday Ba Sean Bean

Trade Winds 1993 Michael Michele Michael McLafferty

Trauma 2004 Naomie Harris Colin Firth

Truth About

Charlie, the

2002 Thandie Newton Mark Wahlberg

Tube Tales 1999 Carmen Ejogo Hans Matheson

Twist of Faith 2013 Toni Braxton David Julian Hirsh

Under the Gun 1988 Vanessa L.

Williams

Sam J. Jones

Un dimanche à

Kigali

2006 Fatou N’Diaye Luc Picard

Under Suspicion 1992 Alphonsia

Emmanuel

Michael Almaz

Vampira 1974 Teresa Graves David Niven

Vampire’s Kiss 1989 Kasi

Lemmons/Jennifer

Beals

Nicholas Cage

View to a Kill, a 1985 Grace Jones Christopher Walken/Roger

Moore

Wake in 1999 Victoria Rowell Vincent Pagano

Providence, a

Walking Dead,

the

1995 Lisa Walker Roger Floyd

Waterproof 1999 April Grace Gil Johnson

Wedding, the 1998 Halle Berry Eric Thal

Wedding Dress,

the

2001 Kathryne Dora

Brown

Neil Patrick Harris

Welcome to

Collinwood

2002 Gabrielle Union Andrew Davoli

When the Party’s

Over

1992 Rae Dawn Chong Brian McNamara

Where the Truth

Lies

1999 Regina King Linden Ashby

White Teeth 2002 Naomie Harris Philip Davis

Wilder 2003 Pam Grier Rutger Hauer

Wild Sargasso

Sea

1993 Karina Lombard Nathaniel Parker

Wing Commander 1999 Ginny Holder Matthew Lillard

Within Our Gates 1920 Evelyn Preer Charles D. Lucas

Wonderful World 2007 Sophie Okonedo Matthew Broderick

Words, The 2012 Zoë Saldaña Bradley Cooper

Young Americans 1993 Thandie Newton Craig Kelly

Zebrahead 1992 N’bushe Wright Michael Rapaport