Penny Johnson Jerald — best known as
President Palmer’s diabolical wife on 24 — is joining the ABC
hit show Castle as a series regular. She’ll play Captain Victoria Gates, a
by-the-book former Internal Affairs investigator who instantly clashes with
Castle. Her nickname is “Iron Gates,” so she’s clearly not someone you want to
mess with. Jerald replaces Ruben Santiago-Hudson, whose Captain Roy Montgomery
was killed off in last May’s finale. Now Castle is a show I watch every now and
then, but the hiring of Penny to play the ‘tough’ captain made wonder, will Hollywood
ever avoid this stereotype? I thought they got the message more than two
decades ago that it should feature more roles for black people and other
minorities, but…
Am I overreaching, should I just accept the fact that this is the way things are in Hollywood for minority actors? Should I just watch the damn show and be happy that Penny has a job? What are your thoughts?