Family of jazz legend Dr. Don Shirley has a lot of problems with how he is portrayed in Peter Farrelly’s film, calling it a “symphony of lies.”
“Green Book” may have won over the Hollywood Foreign Press Association with five Golden Globe nominations, but the family of Mahershala Ali’s character, Dr. Don Shirley, is not happy with the film at all — to the point where the Oscar winner called them to apologize.
In an interview with Shadow & Act, Edwin Shirley III, nephew of the late jazz legend, called watching “Green Book” a “jarring” experience, while Don’s brother, Dr. Maurice Shirley, called it a “symphony of lies.” They said that no one in Shirley’s family was consulted during development of the film, which tells the story of a growing friendship between Shirley and his hired escort, Tony “Lip” Vallelonga.
A friendship that the Shirleys say didn’t exist.
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“You asked what kind of relationship he had with Tony? He fired Tony,” said Maurice Shirley, “which is consistent with the many firings he did with all of his chauffeurs over time.
