Award Season Roundtable Series: The Directors Part 2

'Shame' director Steve McQueen gives us his opinion on directors not hiring black or latino actors in lead roles. Plus the other directors talk about the lack of woman and minority directors being hired to do feature films.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• roundtable
• THR
• Jason Reitman
• award season
• Alxander Payne
• youtube
• steve mcqueen
• directors
• Michel Hazanavicius
• HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
• Mike Mills
• Bennett Miller

[Tigerlily21]

lmao. The awkward silence speaks volumes. Kudos to McQueen for having the balls to raise an interesting point like that!

Bbut you know all of them are going to go back to the standard "he's pulling the race card". No he's speaking truth. Your films can't reflect reality if you're shooting in large cities and don't acknowledge diversity exists there. And the sad thing is had McQueen started off with films that featured Idris Elba, distributors wouldn't give him the time of day.

[anjelheaven]

"I'm not stepping into that" "I don't know" They're just going to cop-out without any kind of serious thought or debate?

[soverysad]

wow! what massive bitchassness!! not 1 of the 6 these "grown-ass men" even had the sack to state, good or bad, why they make the choices they do for THEIR work!? hm, pretty embarrassing!!

[googlyarsetube]

Why didn't McQueen cast a black actor as the lead in Shame again? That part was rather more interchangable in terms of race than the roles for Hunger. McQueen seems to have his fans here, but I've never really liked the guy since way back when he won the Turner Prize, he's always came across as pompous and distastefully self-righteousness in interviews. Didn't care for Shame either, why did he depict Brandon at his lowest because he 'resorted' to sex in a gay nightclub. Very condescending film.

[shawoody]

FUCKING COWARD MOTHERFUCKERS.... "Not stepping into that."

[AlphaJace]

@Tigerlily21 You're right and, correct me if I'm wrong, but none of those other directors had black actors in their films....

[TheTuula]

I'm sorry but WHAT?

He has only ever cast Michael Fassbender, a white male, as his lead. His first film Hunger focused on Bobby Sands and the IRA so no room for launching any black actors. Then Shame easily could have had a black lead and black actress playing his sister, but he chose Michael again and Carey Mulligan, a very 'English rose' actress.

Also I don't think you can ever argue race when it comes to film. It should be purely about creativity and talent, not being 'fair' and 'liberal'.

[Sciencespipo]

@HalfPastDopeTV Yeah their reaction disgusts me. I mean, just say it: yo don't want to hire non-white actors/actresses because you think it won't put asses in seats. That's what it is about: money. But who knows? If they actuakky took a risk and cast a non-white actor as the lead, maybe no one would care and still go see the movie. But they won't find out if they dont start. And good point on no female directors. Only white straight dudes.

[Sciencespipo]

@cinemarob She's latina?? Oh I didn't realize that, I mean for me she's French and latina doesn't really mean anything in France to be honest. But that's cool. Also she's Michel Hazanavicius's wife so of course he chose her ;-)

[cinemarob]

@ashleyg325 I totally agree with you except I give director, Hazanavicius (The Artist) a pass. The question was directed toward American cinema and he's a Frenchman who did cast academy nominee, Berenice Bejo (The Artist) who is Latina.