In the midst of our troubles in Trinidad and Tobago, there is an occasional moment of joy and pride given to us by a national. Our well-known and highly regarded actor, Michael Cherrie, is at present the cynosure of our eyes, the pride of our attention for his role in the Hollywood film “Shirley”.
Cherrie was selected to be the film husband of Shirley Chisholm, a black woman who had the temerity, back in the 1960s, to first run for and win a seat in the American Congress, which she held for seven terms. Subsequently, the Shirley of the film was even bolder in real life, as she contested in the 1972 US presidential election as a candidate.
Back then, that was an ambition even greater than when Senator Barack Obama was successful in his bid to be the first black man to become President of the United States of America.
“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas,” was the quote of Mrs Chisholm used by then-senator Obama when he aspired and contested for the presidency.
To have been selected to be the first husband of this trailblazing and dynamic black woman, who had roots in Barbados and Guyana, and herself a native of that most West Indian city, Brooklyn, is a distinction for the Trinidadian actor. And that is more so that he is not someone who is deeply rooted, if at all, in Hollywood. The additional recognition is that he was screened opposite Academy Award winner Regina King, who plays the role of Shirley in the film.
From reviews of the film and through the T&T Guardian interview with Cherrie, we conclude that he has done well for himself and for Trinidad and Tobago.
The reviews of the film suggest that he conveyed meaning not only through the spoken word but with his gestures, facial and body reactions appropriate to the moment in the four-star Netflix film.
One aspect of the importance of Cherrie’s appearance in this film is the opportunity it presents him to establish himself in this supremely competitive environment in the film-making capital of the world. If over the next few years he achieves his ambition to consistently feature in the American film industry, which he says he’s interested in doing, he will gain honour and distinction for himself and his country of birth where his acting career started, and from which he can call on for inspiration and guidance.
Cherrie, however, is no Trinidadian orphan without a family of actors who went before him in the world of film and Broadway stage productions. In Edric Connor, Winston Duke, Rudolph Walker, Geoffrey Holder and Kathleen “Aunty Kay” Warner, he had predecessors.
Once again, we note the importance of the world of the performing arts to this country, both in terms of recognition of the place and the talents of our people, and opportunity for our citizens to fare well because of their talents. It’s an opportunity for those who make policies and establish programmes to take notice of the performing and depicting arts and crafts; they reflect the spirit and soul of our people and with distinction.