On Friday, we discussed Charlotte Rampling’s comments on the #OscarsSoWhite issue. Rampling was giving an interview to Europe Radio 1, and while it seems like the interview was pressing her to say something, it also seems like she answered the questions honestly, as in that was how she really felt. When asked about the Oscars boycott, she said: “It is racist to whites. One can never really know, but perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list.” She went on about it too, and ended her thought with “But do we have to take from this that there should be lots of minorities everywhere?” Well, some publicist somewhere must have grabbed her immediately, because within hours, she was trying to take it back. Here’s her statement to CBS Sunday Morning:
“I regret that my comments could have been misinterpreted this week in my interview with Europe 1 Radio. I simply meant to say that in an ideal world every performance will be given equal opportunities for consideration. I am very honored to be included in this year’s wonderful group of nominated actors and actresses. Diversity in our industry is an important issue that needs to be addressed. I am highly encouraged by the changes announced today by the Academy to diversify its membership.”
This is the sort of half-assed non-apology that does twice the damage, I think. I mean, if she didn’t feel like apologizing, sure. Just let your original comments stand. Don’t claim that you were misinterpreted and offer a mealy-mouthed “diversity is important, blah blah, boiler plate, you get the idea.”
As for her last sentence, she’s making reference to the Academy’s announcement on Friday afternoon that they would be changing up the Academy’s voter rolls, recruitment, etc – you can read about the new initiative here.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
We interpreted what you said perfectly. And we know how to interpret your “correction.” It means, “Please don’t hate me, I really wanna win this Oscar that I totally deserve, which none of the actors of color–who were deservedly ignored because they are just not of my caliber–do!”
Always with the sorrynotsorry bullshit.
–TheRealPinky
She doesn’t want her statements to impact her Oscar chances. Too Late! She has been labeled a racist globally and the AMPAS members will never vote for her now.
Even Chelsea Clinton blasted her.
Actually with her original comments she was a shoo in to win.Cuz the more I think about clearly the Academy was giving a middle finger to last years protesters by going into the two black films and picking out ONLY the white people i.e Stallone in Creed and the Screen writers for SOC
Ooh look at that a perfect idiot to honest translation done by Pinky.
Indeed pinky, I’m tired of idiots indirectly blaming others for their own misinterpretations 😒
She knows exactly what she said and what she meant, for once, I’d like bigots to stand by their words instead of backpedaling…
The silver lining to this whole debacle is I’m very much learning on who gets my dollars and time.
The comments she made about racism against whites will not hurt her with the academy voters. I think it’ll actually help. They will sympathize with her. They will consider her a victim of PC culture. These are people whose distorted thinking leads them to believe that POC having a disporportionate amount of socio-political and economic power. In this way, they are similar to Trump supporters.
They will keep their delusions alive because there is no accountability for ignoring poc. or acting out your prejudices.
Particulary as the whole process is anonymous.
Translation: This is probably my last chance to get an Oscar, and this is the only way I can spin the racist sh*t I said to kind of even remotely make it sound less horrible than it was. Hopefully I will still be in the running for the statuette.
That’s okay, because she didn’t really say any of this; her publicist did.
Spot-on, WATP!
Exactly!
Oh Charlotte. No amount of back pedaling is going to save you. We all know you’re a racist.
But you can be unaware of other struggles with a race outside of your own and not be a racist.
This word has become hyperbole and horribly and wrongly used to highlight the users ignorance. It’s NOT about race. That’s the lazy interpretation. See my post below.
SMH.
As I said yesterday, I knew she would give a nonapology apology. Because she doesn’t really understand that what she said was appalling and she never will. How exactly was what she said “misinterpreted” anyway? It wasn’t “interpreted” at all. It was reported as she said it. She’s disgusting.
Right on. And for some weird reason she reminds me of Leona “only the little people pay taxes” Helmsley. Can’t shake it. In any case, she was exceedingly clear and there’s a lot more reason to think she meant the words that came out of her mouth than the words that were ‘issued’ by her publicist.
Somebody else had an awesome apology this week…was it that Backstreet Boy? “I’m sorry I’m not perfect.” That’s epic–apologizing for something that applies to everyone instead of the thing you did that only applies to…you.
Man, it’s hard being misinterpreted when people read your comments exactly as you said them.
Bye Felicia, just. bye. Stop.flapping.your.publicist’s.gums
Second of all Lady, You sucked in Dexter
No kidding. First she insults her peers who didn’t get the recognition they deserve only because they are not white; now she insults the intelligence of pretty much everyone.
Lol. I forgot she was in Dexter! Yeah she super sucked.
But she was great in Broadchurch!
I did really like her in BroadChurch, I just binge watched the 2nd season
That’s 1 of those shows I get sucked into instantly. I try to stretch them out, but end up binge watching.
Serious question: If she wins the Oscar, would she be eligible to be a Academy voter ?
She became eligible to vote in the future through the nomination. All nominees are eligible.
She already is a member of the AMPAs.
@lilacflowers and Cornyblue
Thank you for answering my question.
How do you misinterpret ” racist to whites” ? Is that possible ?
The thing that most interest me about when issues like this become a talking point.. is that for many people the mask they wear to hide behind is finally lifted a bit and you get to glimpse the true person they are behind it. I hope more and more of them speak out. Just shows how so many of them are liars and fakers.
So let the loose lips keep flapping
MTE! Expose them!
Most of them are fakers. They haven’t said anything before (about racism, etc) & they’re quite willing to listen to a load of crap about them from the likes of Gervais as well.
Exactly, people swear up and down they’re not part of the problem. That they’re intelligent and enlightened and then things like this happen and you do see their true colors.
I MUCH prefer knowing the truth to unknowingly supporting someone who thinks being black is so awesome cause we don’t get criticism.
I always think it is true..Actions speak louder than words.
What you do is the true measure of who you are. Not the PC words that you say to cover your ass. What do you live each day.
There’s people who are truly racist. Truly hateful. And there’s people who do not have that hate in their hearts. They are not aware of the real struggles others deal with. They are not exposed to it. And it’s not something you can understand by being told. It’s something some have to experience to understand. Because they lack understanding IS NOT hate.
Even MLK jr. spoke to this as the wrong way. That hate breeds more hate and it hardly helps a racist or a person who is simply ignorant to the real issues see the truth.
So, all this malice only perpetuates the issue. *slow clap*
Racism is an insidious element in our culture and we are ALL taught it at various levels because it’s that deeply entrenched in our traditions. My problem with calling someone a racist is that it often implies its something contained and only found in others we find repellent. The reality is that we all need to accept that we all have learned to racialize and if we only assign that to others, we don’t acknowledge how pervasive it is even within ourselves. Having said that I feel her statements are very sketchy and don’t think she is ignorant but arrogant and obstinate with her words, and that her remarks are galling. Katie Perry came off ignorant when she did a bunch of gross things regarding Asians. But Ramplings attitude is a whole different animal and one that is harder to forgive because it’s so dismissive. If her apology was more genuine, I wouldn’t judge too harshly, but that statement just makes me side eye her more. Helen Mirren wouldn’t ever pull this shit!
She didn’t have to speak, but she did and now she has to deal with it.
Exactly! Perfect example of “when in hole, stop digging”. I am so disappointed with this lady. I really have loved her work for YEARS, and she does have a great body of work to recommend her, IMHO. I am at odds to try and separate the actress from her loathsome actions.
Alright. Now, we’re all “reverse racists” (I really can’t with that expression) AND idiots who can’t understand an “upper class”, privileged white, “über intelligent”, incredibly arrogant French (???) actress comment.
Merci, mademoiselle Rampling, j’avais besoin de votre critique imbécile. Just, not really!
Charlotte should probably reconsider attending this year’s Oscars. She’ll never win now, and the questions on the red carpet will be uncomfortable. If I knew her I would look forward to insincerely expressing my sorrow at her loss. “I’m sorry if losing the Oscar made you sad. This racism against old hateful white actresses is just terrible.”
This is her first (and last) nomination, of course she will be there. She can just decline interviews if she really wants but red carpet interviews are hardly in depth interviews.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Lots of Minorities Everywhere! Sounds like a NY Post headline.
OK
Just from a new perspective… From this statement… It’s a solid point.
Facors of skin color or ethnicity should not factor in on noms or votes. And it’s a biproduct of Hollywood and consumers that we have more White actors getting noms and votes over any other variety. Not because there’s equal amounts from all pools of diversity and only the lightest get picked. It’s unbalanced to begin with. Which is a much larger issue.
And in many cases people are reading into this issue as non-white actors should be factored in ONLY to bring diversity and not because of performance. Which isn’t fair and I can see that side.
I have no hate to anyone on their opinions here. Just that many are not aware that their perspective is sheltered. Which is more than some can say. Because hate is always a solid retort.
Exactly. Agreed!
But people aren’t asking for noms for diversity s sake. They are wanting to acknowledge black performances that don’t involve subservient, non threatening characterizations that seem to be the only performances that always get the noms, like driving miss daisy or the help. Beasts of no nation and straight outta Compton for instance don’t fit those perimeters, and if the voting body was more diverse, those perimeters would be broadened to fit more than the black version of the virgin whore complex(noble servant/thug ) that the mainly old white male academy members are comfortable seeing and rewarding.
Please explain to me how people can say this stupid stuff? Is it so hard to say “this has clearly touched a nerve and you can never go wrong with being more inclusive”?
I still hope she wins. She had the best performance this year IMO and that’s the only thing that should count when it comes to an acting award like Oscars. Actor’s/actress’s age, race, sex or sexuality as well as their ability to be a great performing monkey so they could please the audience should never be even considered.
Her comment was disappointing so I understand why people are upset. But wishing her to loose because of her comment does nothing from an artistic point of view.
I admit that I’m not as generous as you. When she was nominated I wanted her to win for this performance and also as a nod to a long successful career. Now I feel that a victory for her would be doubly insulting, considering the all white Oscars and her tone deaf remarks.
Oh, now it was misinterpreted. Yeah, sure it was. Just stop talking, you contemptible dolt.
Wow. I’m feelin’ there are a lot of closed minds reacting to each of Ms. Rampling’s statements.
And I empathize with Ms. Rampling.
I have no stakes in who wins the Academy Awards, but I do care about being misunderstood, and people imposing misinterpretation upon others’ intentions.
There’s a level of pure ignorance that wish to misdirect their strong feelings on this topic to the nearest outlet. Not the cause and not the symptoms, but 1 Single Person to take the brunt of it all. The superior tones used to call another racist with other awful and hateful terms… You’d think Rampling stood at the Gates of the Academy and said this is how it is to be. And all did as she said. Like she’s the source.
I’m just amazed at the level of ignorance and hate going about as superior and flawless even though it’s still hate. I can’t. You can’t argue with ignorance and hate.
Well, that’s what you get for talking. Meanwhile no one has given a side eye to the tons and tons of former noms and winners that have voted for decades. No one has looked at Hollywood and casting outside of the in the moment article.
Meanwhile the Academy will appease by this year and next year accomidating more noms of diversity. And when everyone is satisfied and onto the next issue everything will revert back as it was. Because there’s a bigger cause here. And it’s not Rampling.
Damn, I wish she had held the line. You’ve said it….now ‘own’ it.
Attempting to explain woefully, does not make people believe you did not mean what you said, it just makes you look…..well….woeful. Hold your position lady, you have a right to an opinion even if most of us do not agree with you…
I don’t even know why celebs do these non-apologies. Nobody is buying them and all it does is make her look even worse.
If you don’t actually mean it, don’t apologise.
I thank Charlotte because of the knee-jerk response I get when I hear racism rear it’s head, and realize that it is easier to be ignorant than wise; hate than love. Because of this, I’ve heard discussions on whether Racism is learned or natural.
That’s not the point. It is – however, it is manifested – a personal flaw that the individual is responsible for addressing within her or himself. None of us is immune to this flaw. I need to keep my side of the street clean from “rubbish” as the English would say.
Thank you for making me better Charlotte.
If you hear a 2 year old tell you that the Milky Way is named after the candy bar, are you really going to get incensed and argue? We all know true history of Hollywood before and beyond, so why get up in arms when you encounter a mental infant saying different?
Latin/Hispanic Desi Arnaz (Desilu Productions Studio) always had black professionals (doctors, lawyers, entertainers) on I Love Lucy in the 1960s. Jewish Goldwyn and Mayer (MGM) continuously cast blacks in uplifting, intelligent roles. All minorities are equal in this land of opportunity.
Yes, Charlotte, there is a Santa Clause, and his name is Cecil Rhodes.