The Watermelon Woman

6.863

85 minutes

3/5/1997

Overview

A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.

Cast List

Cheryl Dunye
as Cheryl
Guinevere Turner
as Diana
Valarie Walker
as Tamara
Lisa Marie Bronson
as Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards
Cheryl Clarke
as June Walker
Irene Dunye
as Self
Brian Freeman
as Lee Edwards
Ira Jeffries
as Shirley Hamilton
Alexandra Juhasz
as Martha Page
Camille Paglia
as Self
Sarah Schulman
as CLIT Archivist
V.S. Brodie
as Karaoke Singer
Shelley Olivier
as Annie Heath
David Rakoff
as Librarian
Toshi Reagon
as Street Musician
Christopher Ridenhour
as Bob
Kat Robertson
as Yvette
Jocelyn Taylor
as Stacey
Bill Wayterra
as Photographer
Elaine Freeman
as Bride's Mother
Erin Cramer
as Bride
Wellington Love
as Groom
Toni Nash
as Groom's Mother
Zoe Goldberg
as Little White Girl
Calder Goldberg
as Little White Boy
Shanell Johnson
as Little Black Girl 1
Olivia Bokelman
as Little Black Girl 2
Madelyn Bokelman
as Little Black Girl 3
Barry Swimar
as Relative in Yamulke
Sara Vogt
as "Plantation Memories" Mistress / Cassandra Brooke (photo)
Ana Margaret Sanchez
as "Souls of Deceit" Mulatto
Eve Oishi
as Karaoke Cute Girl / Woman in Audience (photo)
Joy Malinowski
as Emcee
Anthony Christopher
as Black Banker on the Street
Suzi Nash
as Black School Teacher on the Street
Earl Pittman
as Sorry Rosie 1
Jonathan Ellis
as Sorry Rosie 2
T. LaMonte McKinnon
as Sorry Rosie 3
S. Elizabeth Evans
as Leather Girl on the Street
Amadee Braxton
as Bus Stop Girl 1
Denise Sneed
as Bus Stop Girl 2
Robert Reid-Pharr
as Street Queen in Library Line / Fred DeShields (photo)
David Hanson
as Grungy White Boy
Rita Porter
as White Woman at Produce Truck
Brian Baisemore
as Produce Man
Gail Lloyd
as Diana's Black Date
Tatum Kendall
as White Girl Student 1
Tania Galloni
as White Girl Student 2
Jake Carlo
as White Boy Student
Zanobia Webb
as Poet
Nana Korantemaa
as Drummer
Nana Akousa Agyiriwah
as Percussionist
Virginia Manning
as Annie's Girlfriend
Patricia Ellis
as Mrs. Page-Fletcher
Lillie Hayes
as Her Maid
James Charles Roberts
as Newsreel Narrator (voice)
Robert Sciasci
as Police Officer
A. Ron Marigna
as Police Officer
Donnita Hamilton
as June's Next Door Neighbor
K. Brent Hill
as J. Liberty Wells
Jody Benjamin
as Josie
Claudine Benoit
as Butch at Party
Zoe Bissel
as White Bar Dyke
Anna Blume
as Eleanor Van Clyde
Mark Breitenberg
as Claude Thornton
Kenrick Cato
as Ray Blake / NAACP
Kristina Deutsch
as Sandra Vincent
Charlene Gilbert
as Card Playing Dyke
Reggie Griffin
as Hambone Jones
Valerie Manenti
as Rent Party and White Bar Dyke
Lilly Marnell
as Femme at Party
Fawn McGee
as Bobbi / Willa Clarke
Darrell Moore
as NAACP
Luciana Moreira
as Set Stylist
L.M. Doria Roberts
as Reba Richards / Banana Skirt
Linda Salerno
as Margaret Fitzgerald
Carolyn Shapiro
as White Actress
Julia Zay
as White Bar Dyke