Harold Perrineau's lovely daughter, rising actress Aurora Perrineau, got her first dose of the dark side of fame recently. Online haters slammed the actress for not being "Black enough" to play the African-American character in the film Jem and the Holograms (for those of you born after the 1980s, the movie is based on a popular cartoon series centered on a Hannah Montana-esque rockstar living a double life as an average girl). 
Now, her daddy is stepping in to defend her.
In an essay published on The Wrap, Perrineau speaks out against his daughter's critics, who claim she's not fit to play a beloved Black character because she's only half Black. "The reason I'm so angry right now (and I'm sure that many people will be able to understand this) is that I feel like my daughter – MY CHILD – is being attacked," he writes. "She is being harshly and unfairly judged during a time when she should be relishing her accomplishments." 
Rather than fan the flames, however, Perrineau appeals to the haters to turn their energies into creating content that better reflects them, rather than pick on his daughter. "Can we stop looking to Hollywood to define who we are and find ways that we can define ourselves?" he asks, adding that he hopes to "reach the folks writing these articles and pointing fingers at young artists like my daughter and get them to use all of that creative fire and create characters that look, sound and feel like yourselves." 
He continues: "We live in an incredibly creative time, where it may not be necessary to have big money and power to have your voices heard. Why not use your power there? Why not put out images you want to see for the reasons you feel are important."
Aurora seems poised to make her mark on Hollywood just like her father has, so we don't think a few negative comments will slow her down. 
To see how another young actress handles pressure from both sides of the color line, watch Zendaya on 106 & Park, below:

(Photo: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)

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