Line #62 Characters/Amistad


1	[[foldercontrol]]
2
3	[[folder: Sengbe Bieh/Joseph Cinque]]
4	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_705.jpg]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
6	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/DjimonHounsou
7	Erstwhile representative of the Amistad refugees, Sengbe was one of the leaders in the mutiny and ends up the prime witness of their kidnapping in the following court case.
8	!!Tropes:
9	* ActionDad: Has a wife and baby at home.
10	* AudienceSurrogate: His discovery of the horrific trans-Atlantic slave trade parallels a modern audience's exposure to it.
11	* BilingualDialogue: Speaks Mende for most of the film and only learns a few snatches of English.
12	* MrFanservice: Spends a lot of screentime shirtless or in a loincloth. Djimon Hounsou was an underwear model before he became an actor.
13
14	[[/folder]]
15
16	[[folder: Roger Sherman Baldwin]]
17	[[quoteright:337:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amistad_7.jpg]]
18	[[caption-width-right:337:]]
19	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/MatthewMcConaughey
20	The lawyer in charge of defending the Amistad refugees.
21	!!Tropes:
22	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Initially makes his pitch to Tappan and Joadson on the grounds that he'll be able to win the case quickly, but first, there's the matter of payment...
23	* PrettyBoy: Looks pretty young and dashing compared to his peers. This falls under ArtisticLicenseHistory.
24	[[/folder]]
25
26	[[folder: John Quincy Adams]]
27	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmtmynjm2mtg5mv5bml5banbnxkftztcwoda3otcxna_v1.jpg]]
28	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
29	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/AnthonyHopkins
30	Former 6th president of the United States, and an instrumental part of the Amistad defense when it goes to the Supreme Court.
31	!!Trope:
32	%%* CoolOldGuy
33	* TheCynic: Refuses to take the Amistad case early in the film since he's skeptical about it shaking out.
34	* DentedIron: Isn't as sharp as he once was
35	* GrumpyOldMan: Maintains a generally grumpy demeanor. He was in his '70's at this point.
36	%%* RetiredBadass:
37	* UnderestimatingBadassery: Is perceived as washed up by his peers, but is still smarter than the majority of his peers and can thrown down when he has to.
38	* WellDoneSonGuy: Is perceived as being this.
39
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder: Theodore Joadson]]
43	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amistad_1200_1200_675_675_crop_000000.jpg]]
44	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
45	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/MorganFreeman
46	A black abolitionist who becomes involved in the Amistad case early on.
47	!!Tropes:
48	* CompositeCharacter: Based on any number of black abolitionists of the time, most obviously Frederick Douglass.
49	* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Tells off Tappan when he considers losing the case to drum up abolitionist sentiment.
50	* ShellShockedVeteran: Seeing the chains and quarters aboard the ''Amistad'' leaves him very shaken, likely recalling his own enslavement.
51
52	[[/folder]]
53
54
55	[[folder: Lewis Tappan]]
56	[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/download_5601.jpg]]
57	[[caption-width-right:280:]]
58	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/StellanSkarsgard
59	A white abolitionist and wealthy businessman who becomes an advocate for the Amistad refugees early on.
60	!!Tropes:
61	%%* KickTheDog
62	%%* NiceGuy
63
64	[[/folder]]
65
66
67	[[folder: Yamba]]
68	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/amistad_movie_clip_screenshot_jesus_illustrated_story_large.jpg]]
69	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
70	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Razaaq Adoti
71	The second-most prominent member of the Amistad refugees.
72	!!Tropes:
73	%%* ConfidentlyIncorrect
74	%%* HeelFaithTurn
75	%%* TheLancer
76	%%* {{Troll}}
77
78	[[/folder]]
79
80
81	[[folder: Ensign James Covey]]
82	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2022_02_21_at_91625_pm.png]]
83	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
84	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor
85	An ex-slave and navy officer who speaks Mende, and is recruited to translate for the Amistad refugees.
86	!!Tropes:
87	* NiceGuy: Friendly, patient, an excellent translator, and sees the case through 'til its end.
88	* TranslateTheLoanWordsToo: Refuses to take the bait when asked if the Mende enslave as well and says their word translates better to "workers".
89	[[/folder]]
90
91
92
93	[[folder: President Martin Van Buren]]
94	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2022_02_21_at_91608_pm.png]]
95	[[caption-width-right:350:]]
96	--->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/NigelHawthorne
97	The 8th and current president of the United States of America, currently trying to get elected to a second term.
98	!!Tropes:
99	* AntiVillain: He chooses to support the case against the slaves partly to avoid a diplomatic incident with Spain, and partly because his re-election bid is already struggling, and not at least being seen to support the case will tank what little chance he has of winning another term. After the initial trial decides in favor of the slaves he's happy to let go of the matter, until John C. Calhoun threatens dire consequences if he doesn't take the case all the way to the Supreme Court.
100	* BeleagueredBoss: At the start of the storyline he's already having to deal with a terrible economy while fighting a re-election bid against [[UsefulNotes/WilliamHenryHarrison a more charismatic opponent]], and he openly complains that the ''Amistad'' case is something that he could have really done without.

Context Characters / Amistad