Off-White Hollywood: American Culture and Ethnic Female Stardom

Off-White Hollywood investigates how the ‘ethnicity’ of white European-American actresses has played a key role in the mythology of American identity and nation building. Negra focuses on key stars of the silent – Colleen Moore and Pola Negri – classical – Sonja Henie and Hedy Lamarr – and post-classical eras – Marisa Tomei and Cher – to demonstrate how each star illuminates aspects of ethnicity, gender, consumerism, and class at work in American culture.