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Jordan Peele: "I'm not going to cast white males in leads. I've seen that movie before."

posted 6 years ago by samoanjoes (57058)
191 replies | jump to latest

He actually said this. There are so many things wrong with this. First, there is definitely subconscious bias. Everyone has it. That's why you so often see white directors casting white leads, black directors casting black leads and so on. But to say that you're actively not going to cast a specific demographic is no longer
subconscious bias, it's discrimination. And worse, he has no problem saying it out loud.

Second, does this mean he's not even allowing white men to audition? What if he does and they have a riveting audition? Is he just going to go with a black dude even know he wasn't the best fit for the role?

Third, what if a white man auditions and he is disabled? Is he going to show him the door? Disabled actors are given less opportunity than any other demographic. Imagine the headline now: "Jordan Peele ignores disabled actor for being white". Such optics surely wouldn't look too good.

Four, it's funny how he chooses race as his standard because he's claiming to give minorities a chance. But when it comes to directors, straight, able-bodied males are the overwhelming majority of directors out there and Jordan Peele is all three of those. So it's not okay to hire a white male for a role because there are too many of them, but he is completely okay with being a straight, able-bodied male director.

I hate when people try to be a voice for oppression, but end up being more ignorant than the people they're claiming are.

Here's a link to the article:
https://theplaylist.net/jordan-peele-white-dudes-leads-20190327/

[–] Stratego (30581) 6 years ago

Well, I guess it's good he revealed himself as a racist. At least now we know where he stands. Another reason not to see any of his new movies.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

Amen!

😎

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

And yet he will pay no price for making that comment.

[–] samoanjoes (57058) 6 years ago

Yeah. And people will say he said nothing wrong because white people do it all the time. White people do it because of subconscious bias. Unless a white person said that they only wanted to cast white people, they'd have a point, but I don't recall any white director saying that.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

Of course not, because he's black, and they and the PC Morons think it's okay for blacks to be racist, but not whites.
It's a double standard, and it's wrong!

😎

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

What a stupid thing to say.

If that's what he wants to do, that's his prerogative, but why explicitly say it in an interview and potentially alienate millions of people? It makes no sense.

Personally, I champion his decisions to cast POC as the leads in his films. We haven't really seen that often in genre films, and so it does make for a welcome display of diversity, but a blanket policy that says 'no white men as leads' is not merely an unnecessarily provocative stance, is creatively limiting.

Spike Lee, another black filmmaker who has quite rightly pushed for greater diversity, has made a few of his best films with white leads and predominantly white casts (e.g. 25th Hour and Summer of Sam). By pledging to uphold some stringent supposedly woke policy, Jordan Peele has simply limited his scope as a storyteller. And yes, there are millions of stories he can tell that feature black leads, and in theory there's no reason why he'd ever need to make a film with a white male one, but who knows how he might feel in a few years time, and who knows what type of compelling story will come his way that demands a white male lead. Maybe, as the new overseer of the Twilight Zone he might one day get an urge to remake the ill-fated 'Time Out' segment (the one that led to Vic Morrow's death) of Twilight Zone: The Movie.

[–] samoanjoes (57058) 6 years ago

I also question his statement of "I've seen that movie before" as if white people are making the same movie. I hope he's aware movies with white casts come from different countries. I'm going to wait until he has a few more movies under his belt to see if he casts a Hispanic actor, Asian actor or gay actor to see if he's showing his own bias or not. If his casts are always black, he's not better than white directors who only cast white people.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

I agree, it was a stupid thing to say considering he needs to sell tickets...
His first movie was really good though and I'll certainly watch his new one despite his personal agenda

The guy does appear to be very talented and it's no skin off my nose if he wouldn't give me the time of day

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Very true. I agree pretty much agree with everything you say here, with one caveat: Peele is not saying he hates white men or that he wouldn't give you or I the time of day. Bear in mind that Get Out and Us do feature white male actors, just not as leads.

I still think his statement was poorly phrased (then again, I also suspect he said exactly what he intended to say), and that he should have framed his point in a positive way (i.e. 'I want to specifically cast people of colour and women as leads in my films because I haven't seen enough films featuring such scenarios', rather than 'I'm not going to cast white men as leads'), but he's not saying 'f*** white men'.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

I took it that way too
His motivation is to make films about and with black characters...not a problem for me
He could have stated his point better but whatever, I liked his first and I'll surely watch his new one, no worries on my end

People really do get worked up these days!

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

We do get worked up.

That said, whilst I appreciate that the vast litany of injustices black people have to contend with far, far outweighs anything white people, particularly white men, have to deal with, on a matter of principle, if not anything else, I don't think anyone should feel bad or made to feel bad for an identity they had no choice in.

I'm not saying that Peele is trying to make white men feel bad, but there is an underlying implication to his words and Brie Larson's 'I don't need to know what a white man thinks of A Wrinkle in Time' statement, that it's okay to verbally criticise certain people simply on the basis of an identity they had no say in.

Whilst I am not arguing against identity politics wholesale (often one does need to highlight issues that specifically, or disproportionately, affect women or black people or the LGBTQ community), I do think we should all avoid concertedly seeking to divide or demonise anyone on account of identities they have no control over.

That's partly why I do tend to prefer talking in terms of values and principles, rather than identities. We can seek to change the racist and sexist values of many white men. What we can't, and shouldn't, expect them to do is change their race and gender, or even feel bad about it.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

I don't feel bad about much at all (I did get wasted at my bro-in-law's wedding and made quite a commotion lol) and I like most people, whatever they may be

Not worried about any of this race, politics, religious and gender stuff...it's all very stupid, people are just people
I know all types and most people are good sorts

[–] samoanjoes (57058) 6 years ago

I agree with you guys. I don't think he hates white guys, but he's being far too "woke" (I hate that word) that he's actually being ignorant. Not every white actor is racist and to automatically not include them is no different than a white director always casting white leads.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

Oh, a white director would be broken on the wheel in the public square for such a comment, crowds would form and applause would be heard!

Still, we can't let this dumb stuff get to any of us
The guy can write and direct and that's enough for me
He made a dumbass comment and I'd bet he'd take it back if he could
We've all said stupid things...

[–] catsidhe (1649) 6 years ago

People really do get worked up these days!

I must be in the minority. I always think "so fucking what" every time I see people here freak out over something someone said. Who cares? 😅😅😅

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Completely with you on this. I mean a black writer/director writing stories that are about black protagonists....the horror! Honestly I've been watching horror movies my entire life and I've seen almost entirely white survivors throughout them. Jordan Peele is free to do what he wants and I will gladly go see his films. Also the OP uses quotation marks but doesn't even use the actual quote which was:

“I don’t see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I don’t like white dudes,” he said. “But I’ve seen that movie.”

The subtle changes really makes a difference in tone to the whole thing.

[–] catsidhe (1649) 6 years ago

“I don’t see myself casting a white dude as the lead in my movie. Not that I don’t like white dudes,” he said. “But I’ve seen that movie.”

The subtle changes really makes a difference in tone to the whole thing.

Wow, is that all it took for everyone to have a collective fannywobble? 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

I'm inclined to feel the same way😉

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

Well said sir, and Amen! It shows that he's stupid, AND a racist.

😎

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I have no problem with him casting only black people in lead roles. As long as they are good actors and the movie is entertaining, I have no objection to black people in the lead role in all his films. He wants to tell stories focusing on black people because there have been so many films made with white leads. I get what he is saying and personally I don't see anything wrong with it.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I have no problem with him only casting black leads either, but he could have phrased it that way and made a virtue of positive discrimination (i.e. 'I am going to specifically cast black people and/or women as leads in my films').

The problem is that he and Brie Larson think there is a virtue in effectively saying 'fuck off whitey', when surely none of us should be held to account for any identity, whether it is in terms of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and so on, we were born with.

I don't deny that white privilege and male privilege exists; what I do object to is the idea that white people and men should feel guilty for privileges they didn't ask for, and, beyond challenging that privilege via their own day-to-day behaviours, have little control over.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I don't think he is trying to saying "fuck off whitey." He does cast white people in his films, just not in the lead role. I agree with you that no one should feel guilty for their race or identity. I think some people who have a problem with his statement are reading into it something that he wasn't saying.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

You're right. He wasn't saying 'fuck off whitey', and in fact I argued that point in another post on this thread.

Like you say, Peele does cast white people in supporting roles, and from what I've seen of him he gets on with white people.

I was simply using the Peele and Larson examples to make a wider point about how it's perceived as acceptable and okay to say things about white people and men that you wouldn't think twice about saying with respect to other groups.

Of course white people and men have a disproportionate amount of power, of course we need to talk about, and of course it needs to be challenged, but I also think there are ways we can have that conversation that frames the argument more in terms of increasing diversity and inclusion, and elevating the interests of minorities, including black people, than in terms of dismissing white people and/or men.

Perhaps I'm reading it wrongly here, and correct me if I am, but I do get the impression that it's seen as a virtue by some people to dismiss or even badmouth white people and men. Admittedly, I've done it myself, on these very forums. And I get it, to some extent. I'm just interrogating whether it's objectively right to ever negatively discriminate on the basis of an identity no-one has any control of.

Maybe it is, but I do think we need to have that conversation and intellectually justify why it is.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

I respectfully disagree. It shows that he's stupid and racist, and I have decided to boycott all his future films. Two wrongs do NOT make a right.

😎

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Yeah, I don't see the problem. I agree with him. I want to see movies with women in the lead roles. Doesn't mean I'm sexist.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Would be better if he focused on making a movie that is actually watchable.

[–] Martoto (5049) 6 years ago

I don't care. He's just saying that he, as an artist, knows what he needs to see and therefore to do, so that's what motivates his choices.

[–] somesunnyday (2078) 6 years ago

Couldn't agree more

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

How will the white men cope, only playing 94% of starring roles, instead of 95%!

[–] samoanjoes (57058) 6 years ago

That's not the point. As I stated above there are different variables. You can be white and disabled, white and gay, white and transgender. Can you imagine if a disabled director says they're only going to cast disabled actors as leads? Sure non-disabled people can cope, but that doesn't change the fact that someone is being ignorant toward a demographic just for being born the way they were.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Actually, it is the point. Something like 95% of starring roles are played by white men, able-bodied putatively-straight cis-men.

And FYI it's unseemly to whine about losing something, when you have more of it than anyone else. It's disrespectful to those who have to make do with little, or nothing.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

All of this is extremely true.

I just wish we could frame it more as 'we're going to give more priorities to black and female actors', rather than 'we're going to exclude white male actors'. I appreciate that in reality that this is a drop in the ocean, and white male privilege will still be very (and unfairly) safe for the time being, but as naïve as it may sound, I would like to aim for a society in which we are as colour and gender-blind as possible, and where we say, unless there is a compelling reason why a lead needs to be of a certain race or gender, that we're going to be as open to casting a genuine diversity of actors as we can.

[–] samoanjoes (57058) 6 years ago

But like I said in my original comment:

when it comes to directors, straight, able-bodied males are the overwhelming majority of directors out there and Jordan Peele is all three of those. So it's not okay to hire a white male for a role because there are too many of them, but he is completely okay with being a straight, able-bodied male director.

He's literally benefitting off of being a straight, able-bodied male director with the only caveat is that he's black all while he's criticizing the same thing but only because white actors are the white version of it.

You said that 95% of starring roles are played by white men. Well, how many directors are able-bodied? I can't think of a single one that's disabled. So seeing how Jordan Peele is an able-bodied director, should he not get an opportunity to direct and give it to someone with a disability? Or course he should, but he's cherry-picking his argument.

It's easy to claim "I have a lack of representation" while not representing others. It's okay to be white and disabled/gay/transgender, but they shouldn't get their opportunities taken away because they're white.

[–] Stratego (30581) 6 years ago

"able-bodied putatively-straight cis-men"

🙄

[–] ducksoup (3933) 6 years ago

Around here we just call them ABPSCM. Whew, boy am I sick of them!

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I like the 'putatively-straight' part.

Since I was bullied as a kid, partly on the assumption I was gay (because of my interests rather than the way I spoke or my body-language), I think that rules me out.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

I had to look up 'putatively' and 'cis men' lol
I can't keep up with this stuff, go on without me😆

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Nailed it.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

Well said, sir. It proves that he's stupid and racist. Two wrongs do NOT make a right.

😎

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

lol white dude here who is fine with Peele's comments. White men are not in danger of becoming underrepresented in film and as long as he keeps making movies like Get Out and Us I will happily watch whatever it is he makes.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Yeah, he's just one director, and a lot of directors make film after film about a narrow section of society. Woody Allen makes films about New Yorkers, Sophia Coppola makes films about rich girls, Spike Lee makes films about racial politics, and if Jordan Peele wants to make films about African-Americans, he's following a well-established filmmaking tradition.

And since nobody is offering any of us starring roles in movies, this isn't an issue that any of us should be taking personally.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77571) 6 years ago

Agreed Sam, I'll see his movies, differences of opinions notwithstanding

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14488) 6 years ago

Hey Peele, I want you to look into this electron microscope. It shows stuff at near-atomic level, so what you're looking at is REALLY tiny. See that violin? Can you hear it? It's playing just for you. Remember that next time you make foolish statements for everyone to hear.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

Well said, and f**k Peele. I've decided to boycott all his future films.

😎