The Watermelon Woman backdrop

The Watermelon Woman 1997 Directed by Cheryl Dunye

Sometimes you have to create your own history.

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

Country USA
Production Country USA
Language English
Spoken Language English
Gneres Comedy , Drama , Romance
Production Company Dancing Girl
Release Date 5 March 1997
85 mins
Cast
Lisa Marie Bronson Fae "The Watermelon Woman" Richards
Cheryl Clarke June Walker
Brian Freeman Lee Edwards
Ira Jeffries Shirley Hamilton
Alexandra Juhasz Martha Page
Sarah Schulman CLIT Archivist
V.S. Brodie Karaoke Singer
Shelley Olivier Annie Heath
David Rakoff Librarian
Toshi Reagon Street Musician
Bill Wayterra Photographer
Elaine Freeman Bride's Mother
Toni Nash Groom's Mother
Zoe Goldberg Little White Girl
Calder Goldberg Little White Boy
Shanell Johnson Little Black Girl 1
Olivia Bokelman Little Black Girl 2
Madelyn Bokelman Little Black Girl 3
Barry Swimar Relative in Yamulke
Sara Vogt "Plantation Memories" Mistress / Cassandra Brooke (photo)
Ana Margaret Sanchez "Souls of Deceit" Mulatto
Eve Oishi Karaoke Cute Girl / Woman in Audience (photo)
Anthony Christopher Black Banker on the Street
Suzi Nash Black School Teacher on the Street
Earl Pittman Sorry Rosie 1
Jonathan Ellis Sorry Rosie 2
T. LaMonte McKinnon Sorry Rosie 3
S. Elizabeth Evans Leather Girl on the Street
Amadee Braxton Bus Stop Girl 1
Denise Sneed Bus Stop Girl 2
Robert Reid-Pharr Street Queen in Library Line / Fred DeShields (photo)
David Hanson Grungy White Boy
Rita Porter White Woman at Produce Truck
Brian Baisemore Produce Man
Gail Lloyd Diana's Black Date
Tatum Kendall White Girl Student 1
Tania Galloni White Girl Student 2
Jake Carlo White Boy Student
Nana Akousa Agyiriwah Percussionist
Virginia Manning Annie's Girlfriend
Patricia Ellis Mrs. Page-Fletcher
Lillie Hayes Her Maid
James Charles Roberts Newsreel Narrator (voice)
Robert Sciasci Police Officer
A. Ron Marigna Police Officer
Donnita Hamilton June's Next Door Neighbor
K. Brent Hill J. Liberty Wells
Claudine Benoit Butch at Party
Zoe Bissel White Bar Dyke
Anna Blume Eleanor Van Clyde
Mark Breitenberg Claude Thornton
Kenrick Cato Ray Blake / NAACP
Kristina Deutsch Sandra Vincent
Charlene Gilbert Card Playing Dyke
Reggie Griffin Hambone Jones
Valerie Manenti Rent Party and White Bar Dyke
Lilly Marnell Femme at Party
Fawn McGee Bobbi / Willa Clarke
Luciana Moreira Set Stylist
L.M. Doria Roberts Reba Richards / Banana Skirt
Linda Salerno Margaret Fitzgerald
Carolyn Shapiro White Actress
Julia Zay White Bar Dyke