Their Eyes Were Watching Halle

For a young minute, I've been hearing that Halle Berry is going to play Janie Starks in a television adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.   Some people I know have serious beef with the whole project, from the fact that it's going to be a made-for-TV movie, to the fact that Oprah is supposed to be behind it, to the selection of Halle as the protagonist.  I don't really have a problem with any of that, I'm just wondering why they can't give anybody else some shine.   This is the type of role that could be a real opportunity for a promising young actress.  Why are they giving it to a vet?  From what I understand, the director wanted Halle for the role.  I can definitely understand that, but for as much as we complain about how much work non-superstar Black actresses don't get, when the casting calls get made, we make the same choices.