Woody Allen says he won’t hire black actors unless his movie “requires” it.
Woody Allen has been nominated over 24 times and won four Academy Awards. Allen won three for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Director (Annie Hall). But, Woody Allen is no longer America’s favorite director any more. After an open letter by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in which she detailed the alleged sexual abuse she suffered by her father, now Allen’s comments regarding the lack of diversity of films is getting him in hot water.
A journalist for the New York Observer asked Woody Allen why he didn’t hire more black actors, he argued that he doesn’t do it unless it’s required:
“Not unless I write a story that requires it. You don’t hire people based on race. You hire people based on who is correct for the part. The implication is that I’m deliberately not hiring black actors, which is stupid. I cast only what’s right for the part. Race, friendship means nothing to me except who is right for the part.”
It makes sense that certain roles require a particular race, gender, or ethnicity. But, his answer seems problematic. It begs the question, if you only hire black actors for roles that require black actors, then why do your movies never have roles for black actors? You can read the full interview here.
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Photo Credit: BBC Films/ “Scoop”
