Elizabeth Banks Apologizes For Forgetting That Steven Spielberg Directed ‘The Color Purple’
“Never say never,” said Justin Bieber ft. Jaden Smith once but how could Elizabeth Banks have known that he was speaking directly to her?
In a tweet last night, Banks addressed the remarks she made while collecting an award for women in filmmaking. She criticized Steven Spielberg for “never” having made a movie with a female lead and was quickly called out for forgetting that Spielberg directed the popular film “The Color Purple.”
“I messed up,” wrote Banks in a tweet. “When I made the comments, I was thinking of recent films Steven directed, it was not my intention to dismiss the import of the iconic #TheColorPurple … those who have the privilege and honor of directing and producing films should be held to account for our mistakes, whether it’s about diversity or inaccurate statements. I’m very sorry.”
— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) June 15, 2017
Of course, Spielberg doesn’t deserve a cookie for having made a film or two with a lady protagonist and it’s not on his behalf that the indignant masses are going to war (save for a few passionate men’s rights activists). Rather, people are upset that Banks forgot such an important movie with a black female lead.
We all make mistakes and Banks delivered a classy apology. Maybe now she’ll take Justin Bieber up on his very sage advice.
Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter at @arr_scott
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30