Last month we told you that Jennifer Hudson has been cast to star in the forthcoming biopic about Winnie Mandela, wife of former political prisoner and president of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
But Jennifer's casting has angered local actors, who say the role should have gone to a South African.
Oupa Lebogo, general secretary of the Creative Workers Union of South Africa said: "This decision must be reversed, it must be stopped now. If the matter doesn't come up for discussion, we will push for a moratorium to be placed on the film being cast in South Africa. We are being undermined, there is no respect at all....We can't allow this to happen. We have people who can play the role far better than Jennifer."
Protesters also argue Jennifer's inclusion in the film will hinder the country's development of its movie industry.
Florence Masebe, an actor, said the issue was far bigger than "Winnie and Jennifer".
She told a press conference: "Why do Americans and foreigners play the roles we hold so dear? The roles of people we respect. I don't think [anyone but a South African] can even begin to understand what we mean when we say Winnie is the mother of the nation. The industry doesn't take us seriously, producers don't take us seriously. At what point are we going to see that this is so wrong?"
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