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PEOPLE & ARTSMonday 30 November 2015
‘Gods of Egypt’ studio, director apologize for white cast
LINDSEY BAHR In this March 9, 2009 file statement, first reported by ing the model of financ- outward signs of her ethnic-
AP Film Writer photo, director Alex Proyas Forbes. “In this instance we ing Hollywood movies for ity, while also apologizing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Gods attends a special screening failed to live up to our own his choices. He told trade to those who felt it was “an
of Egypt” director Alex of his film “’Knowing” in standards of sensitivity and publication Variety that he odd or misguided” choice.
Proyas apologized for cast- New York. Proyas, director diversity.” would not be able to get “So many of us are hungry
ing mostly white actors in of “Gods of Egypt,” his This self-aware response, the film financed by cast- for stories with more racial
his upcoming film based on upcoming film based on issued well in advance of ing “Mohammad so-and-so diversity, more truth in repre-
Egyptian mythology. Egyptian mythology, has the film’s Feb. 26 release, from such-and-such.” sentation,” added Crowe.
The filmmaker and studio apologized for casting mostly comes on the heels of re- “It’s always art against “I am anxious to help tell
Lionsgate issued separate white actors in the movie. cent whitewashing contro- economics,” Scott told The those stories in the future.”
statements on Friday ac- versies surrounding films like Associated Press last De- Hollywood has a long tra-
knowledging the contro- Associated Press “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” cember. “As soon as you’re dition of casting white ac-
versy sparked by the re- and “Aloha.” at the higher levels of bud- tors as other ethnicities,
lease of the film’s first trailer actress Elodie Yung, who is “Selma” director Ava Du- geting, you’ve got to get but lately the practice is
two weeks ago, featuring a French-Cambodian. Vernay took note of the the film made and the only not going unchallenged
cast led by Scottish actor “We recognize that it is our anomaly on Twitter. way to support the film is to and is often put under scru-
Gerard Butler and Danish responsibility to help ensure “This kind of apology never have actors who can sup- tiny as soon as castings
actor Nikolaj Coster-Wal- that casting decisions re- happens — for something port the budget.” are announced, as was
dau. flect the diversity and cul- that happens all the time,” Earlier this year, Cameron the case with Joe Wright’s
Australian director Proyas, ture of the time periods por- wrote DuVernay on Friday. Crowe’s romantic dramedy “Pan,” where Rooney Mara
who was born in Egypt, said trayed,” read Lionsgate’s “An unusual occurrence “Aloha” drew similar public played Tiger Lily.
it is clear that their casting worth noting.” disapprovals for casting An outright apology prior to
choices should have been Ridley Scott’s “Exodus: Emma Stone as a charac- a film’s release in the case
more diverse. Gods and King,” which fea- ter who is supposed to be of “Gods of Egypt” is per-
Lionsgate also said they are tured Christian Bale as Mo- of Chinese, Hawaiian and haps a sign that currents
deeply committed to mak- ses and Joel Edgerton as Swedish descent. are changing.
ing films that reflect the di- Ramses, was criticized last In a June message posted As Blacklist founder Frank-
versity of their audiences year for its predominantly on his website, TheUncool. lin Leonard noted on Twit-
and pledged to do better. white cast. com, Crowe explained that ter, Proyas’ and Lionsgate’s
“Gods of Egypt” also stars Director Ridley Scott the character was always apologies are both “too
actor Chadwick Boseman, brushed off condemna- intended to be someone little, too late” and also
an African American, and tions at the time, blam- frustrated that she lacked “kinda remarkable.”q
