19. In an interview with Vulture, Thandie Newton revealed she turned down the part of Alex, explaining she as uncomfortable after conversations with Amy Pascal, then the head of Sony Pictures.
“She’s basically reeling off these stereotypes of how to be more convincing as a Black character,” Newton said. “Everything she said, I was like, ‘Nah, I wouldn’t do that.’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, but you’re different. You’re different.’ That was Amy Pascal. That’s not really a surprise, is it? Let’s face it: I didn’t do the movie as a result.”
20. Nia Long also addressed her issues with the casting process for the movie, alleging to Insider she was told she “too old” next to Barrymore and Diaz to be cast as Alex. (Long is two years younger than Liu.)
“I was like, ‘What?” Long reflected. “I love Drew Barrymore, I think she’s amazing, but I think that was just a nice way to say you’re a little too Black. Personally, that’s what I think. Because if you notice there were no brown skin [actors]. I mean, honestly, I would have been the blackest thing in the film.”