Part 6/12:
Libby also discussed his intention to challenge the "magical negro" trope—a recurring character type in Hollywood where Black characters serve mainly to support white protagonists without their own fully fleshed-out stories. Instead of reimagining these characters as complex individuals, he proposed a provocative strategy: flipping the trope so that white characters become stereotypical caricatures—“magical crackers”—with exaggerated flaws and superficial traits.
This approach, critics argue, not only fails to address the root issues of racial representation but also insults the intelligence and dignity of white characters, reducing them to buffoonish, self-centered stereotypes.