Elizabeth Banks is apologizing after she tried to call out director Steven Spielberg for ‘never [making] movies with female leads’ earlier this week.
Elizabeth Banks is apologizing after she tried to call out director Steven Spielberg for ‘never [making] movies with female leads’ earlier this week.
People were quick to point out that the 70-year-old filmmaker directed the iconic female-fronted film The Color Purple after the 43-year-old star’s inaccurate criticism on Tuesday.
The New England native acknowledged her error in an Instagram post Thursday, explaining that she totally ‘messed up’ and that she was not intending to ‘dismiss the import of the iconic’ 1985 film.
‘I messed up, ‘ wrote the Pitch Perfect star via a note posted on Instagram.
‘When referring to Steven Spielberg at the Women in Film awards, I framed my comments about his films inaccurately. I want to be clear from the start that I take full responsibility for what I said and I’ m sorry, ‘
Elizabeth’s apology continued, ‘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 The Color Purple.’
While at Tuesday’s Crystal + Lucy Awards hosted by Women In Film, Miss Banks had some harsh words for the ET auteur, telling the audience:
‘I went to Indiana Jones and Jaws and every movie Steven Spielberg ever made, and by the way, he’s never made a movie with a female lead. Sorry, Steven. I don’ t mean to call your ass out but it’s true.’
The problem is the Hunger Games actress was blithely overlooking Spielberg’s 1985 hit The Color Purple, which was lead by a powerhouse cast of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery.
In her note, the Magic Mike XXL actress also apologized for not listening to those who tried to correct her during her ill-informed speech.
‘I made things worse by giving the impression that I was dismissing [actress and daughter of Henry Belafonte] Shari Belafonte when she attempted to correct me, ‘ wrote Banks.
‘I spoke with Shari backstage and she was kind enough to forgive me.’
She finished her statement by taking full accountability for her errors, writing:
‘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.’
The Color Purple was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and lead Whoopi Goldberg was lauded for her depiction of the character Celie, a black woman struggling against society while living in the Deep South during the turn of the century.
