Fired Color Purple actress sues for religious discrimination- Page 3

[binau]

Posted: 10/2/19 at 12:15am

That Hicks thing is just weird. I don’t know if you can just ‘clear’ that up with a flippant Instagram apology. Especially given the LGBT community is the only reason she has a career. .

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/2/19 at 12:45am

I guess the thing that surprises me is why the Christian entertainment producers haven't stepped into offer her work. Make no mistake- there are old school hell and brimstone guys out there doing " boy falls from       Grace ( not gaydom)boy, sees the light, is redeemed  and Grace again."(   and their films have followings, and make money.  I met a couple of producers in TO , nice enough fellows and they had just rec'd funding ( this was 20 yrs ago) of 8 million dollars to produce their film. A couple of the stunt guys asked if you SPECIFICALLY had to be  a practising Christian to be employed by them ( Discrimination!) they were very careful to say that it wasn't a requirement but obviously people who held the same views as their audience were most likely to be able to create a film that would satisfy that audience. 

I realize she has been a theatre performer and yes that would be a tad more awkward but seriously if Miz Madam wants to work- that's the direction she's have to go in.

Christian movies:

https://www.christiancinema.com/digital/movie/let-there-be-light?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=ccweekly

https://www.christiancinema.com/digital/movie/i-believe?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=ccweekly

 

https://www.christiancinema.com/digital/movie/mountain-top?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=ccweekly

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 10/2/19 at 11:39am

Olivia11 said: "Too little too late on the apology. You’re sorry you got caught."

 

My, how "Christian" of you!  LOL

[binau]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 12:16pm

Alice Walker's writing in response to this is very nice and very brave - while also being quite civil and respectful, 

" I have been urging a questioning and reconsideration of all the so called “holy” books for over forty years. The Bible, like the Koran, like the Talmud, and others that claim to teach the best way for people to live, must be interrogated, questioned, and respectfully deconstructed."

 

[SamG88]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 12:38pm

This woman's father is a vocally anti-gay preacher who has promoted conversion therapy. I spent 6 months studying in the UK last year and I became aware of him somehow. I don't recall if it was by reading about him or if someone told me about him. When I read about this I recognized the surname and I wondered if she was related to him and bingo, she's his daughter. I am very surprised she was willing to take on the role in the first place. With her family background, however, it doesn't surprise me at all that she was not willing to make an apology or try to backtrack. 

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 4:27pm

Go ahead, believe in whoever/whatever created this place called Earth. If you want to believe in words from long ago when those words belonged to another time--go ahead.

If you want to float around above or on the clouds one day and it gets you through the day--go ahead.

You don't need any of that poppycock, really, just a little common sense and a genuine love and understanding for what that person passing by[or the check-out-chick] might be going through.

You just need to try and give love compassion understanding to all. Religion? Go ahead, if you must.

[Olivia11]

Posted: 10/13/19 at 9:30pm

JSquared2 said: "Olivia11 said: "Too little too late on the apology. You’re sorry you got caught."



My, how "Christian" of you! LOL"

I never claimed to be Christian (or any organized religion). However, I don’t believe hate or discrimination is a true Christian value. I don’t believe it is a family value either. 

The idea that you can be incredibly hurtful and then, when it benefits you, apologize without any true actions tied to your apology, doesn’t sit well with me. 

[A Director]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 2:27am

qolbinau said: "Alice Walker's writing in response to this is very nice and very brave - while also being quite civil and respectful,

"I have been urging a questioning and reconsideration of all the so called “holy” books for over forty years. The Bible, like the Koran, like the Talmud, and others that claim to teach the best way for people to live, must be interrogated, questioned, and respectfully deconstructed."

Sorry, Alice Walker isn't very nice and isn't very brave. Please read this. https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/20/18146628/alice-walker-david-icke-anti-semitic-new-york-times

 

[Dave28282]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 5:12am

How on earth is being called out on hurtful and hateful behaviour "religious discrimination"?

I don't care where your hate comes from, you are a person with responsibilities and your behaviour has consequences.

This just shows how religion keeps people away from developing a healthy and stable world view. She clearly thinks the religion is her identity, while in fact, the real identity starts where religion ends.

Updated On: 10/14/19 at 05:12 AM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 9:06pm

Back to the actress...Her dad being an anti-gay preacher explains A LOT. I’m a drama teacher and teach a lot of kids from very religious families. Some kids are able to form their own opinions by the time they are in high school, but others are just brainwashed. Part of me feels sorry for her even though she ultimately brought this on herself.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 9:09pm

Double post.

Updated On: 10/14/19 at 09:09 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 10:27pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Back to the actress...Her dad being an anti-gay preacher explains A LOT. I’m a drama teacher and teach a lot of kids from very religious families. Some kids are able to form their own opinions by the time they are in high school, but others are just brainwashed. Part of me feels sorry for her even though she ultimately brought this on herself."

I struggled with the same thing with college freshmen and women: "No, Blanche DuBois' so-called 'tragic flaw' is NOT that she had sex outside of marriage. No, extramarital intercourse didn't drive her insane."

I admit I wasn't always as patient as I should have been. But I had the same evangelical indoctrination as a kid and teen: it didn't stop me from thinking.

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 10:57pm

As a child, everyone[collectively speaking] wanted/needed to believe in Fairy Stories.

As one grew older, reality intruded but most held on to the Fairy Stories for as long as possible. Then the natural process of common sense takes over.

Religion, whichever one, is the same. It's a collection of stories to entertain, sooth, control and inform. Intelligence then steps in to help sort out the fact from the fiction.

Even in adulthood a good story still entertains but when the juvenile story becomes a doctrine for the adult, 'you got trouble my friends, right here in......'.

[ModernMillie3]

Posted: 10/14/19 at 11:20pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Back to the actress...Her dad being an anti-gay preacher explains A LOT. I’m a drama teacher and teach a lot of kids from very religious families. Some kids are able to form their own opinions by the time they are in high school, but others are just brainwashed. Part of me feels sorry for her even though she ultimately brought this on herself."

I agree. Any pictures of her with her Father on social media, she just has this glazed, bizarre look in her eye. Sometimes kids get out, sometimes they never do. I don't feel sorry for her, but I can understand how it happens. 

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 4:28am

How hate happens is sometimes explainable - but never excusable. And Alice Walker is a moron. 

[lilpunkin]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 7:56am

The actress was Interviewed on the Today Show a couple of weeks ago and explicitly stated she planned to and would have insisted on playing the character as heterosexual because her beliefs meant she couldn’t play an LGBT character. She was cast playing a character who falls in love with another woman! How did she intend to play that character straight, flat out change the dialogue?

If she refused to play the role as written then of course she should be fired.

Allegedly she also made anti-gay comments in rehearsals which created a hostile working environment for some other members of the cast and crew. She wasn’t fired just for some years old tweets.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 10/15/19 at 8:27am

She sounds so awful. Couldn't have less respect for people who are hateful then say "But my religion!!!" Like good lord, doesn't Jesus teach you to love everyone? Full of hypocrites who hide their hatefulness behind Religion to seem like good people. Its beyond pathetic and they're the worst people of society. 

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 4:28pm

Hearing has begun. Seems like she thought she was doing the film - even though reportedly she'd already done a "concert" version of the musical. And she now says she wouldn't have accepted the role if she knew the character was gay - or that the director intended to have Celie portrayed as gay. BBC on Omooba Hearin
If that link does not work, here is the url.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55885720

Updated On: 2/3/21 at 04:28 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 4:32pm

I can’t believe we’re still talking about this idiot.

[binau]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 4:35pm

How does she think saying she would have walked away if she knew the character was gay supports her case? In my opinion it just shows that it was the right decision to end her employment, clearly she didn't want to play the role and it was practically a mutual decision. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 5:53pm

She is sounding more and more like a complete idiot. Forget the bigotry, I wouldn’t hire her because she is a total moron. She’s doesn’t even research the parts she is auditioning for and cast. I don’t think she’ll have to worry about any more parts coming her way. Well maybe Kirk Cameron can cast her in one of his totally straight Christian films.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 6:05pm

Bigoted dolts are the worst kind. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 9:55pm

Bettyboy72 said: "She is sounding more and more like a complete idiot. Forget the bigotry, I wouldn’t hire her because she is a total moron. She’s doesn’t even research the parts she is auditioning for and cast. I don’t think she’ll have to worry about any more parts coming her way. Well maybe Kirk Cameron can cast her in one of his totally straight Christian films."

 

Exactly. It is not like the show is a brand new work. It has been around since the book in 1982 in 3 different forms. Her Lawyer is evidently using the movie as a basis saying the lesbian theme is not present at all. So he just ignored it.

But it is The Color Purple. I find it very hard to believe that as a stage actress she didn't know about the musical or what it was about. What made her audition for it? But then, maybe she has no clue.

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 10:37pm

uncageg said: "Bettyboy72 said: "She is sounding more and more like a complete idiot. Forget the bigotry, I wouldn’t hire her because she is a total moron. She’s doesn’t even research the parts she is auditioning for and cast. I don’t think she’ll have to worry about any more parts coming her way. Well maybe Kirk Cameron can cast her in one of his totally straight Christian films."



Exactly. It is not like the show is a brand new work. It has been around since the book in 1982 in 3 different forms. Her Lawyer is evidently using the movie as a basis saying the lesbian theme is not present at all. So he just ignored it.

But it is The Color Purple. I find it very hard to believe that as a stage actress she didn't know about the musical or what it was about. What made her audition for it? But then, maybe she has no clue.

"

She said she auditioned for Nettie. But that does not explain accepting Celie when offered..

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/3/21 at 11:29pm

In her defense, from what I understand, the film version of the book really tones down the lesbian relationship between Celie and Shug. If before auditioning for the show and accepting the role of Celie she had only say, seen the movie and listened to a few songs from the OBC, it's entirely plausible that she didn't realize Celie is queer/bi/lesbian. She certainly wouldn't be the first actor to accept a role with only that level of knowledge of the show.

Something I've been thinking a lot about recently is the fact that everyone - both liberal and conservative - are products of their upbringing and their community. There are a lot of fundamentalist Christians out there who (idiotically) think homosexuality is a sin. If the majority of a child's family, friends, and acquaintances believe this, then the child will be almost inevitably led to believe it too. Although many theater people from conservative backgrounds end up becoming more liberal because of the new friends and colleagues they make as adults in the performing arts, some still manage to stay in their conservative "bubble" and are never properly challenged to think a new way.

She really should never have sued the producers over this. I'm sure her family, friends, and fellow members of her church encouraged her, and that she simply does not know enough gay people to have any realistic perspective on homosexuality. And although I can understand her not reading the entirety of the script to the musical when accepting the role, the fact that she only recently read it (after what, a year?), and has not only admitted this but is using it as part of her case...what a sad, pathetic person. I hope she likes singing in church because she ain't going to be singing in the professional theatre - and that's a choice she has consciously made. You can't be openly anti-gay and be a theatre professional - not outside of say, Utah and South Carolina. I just hope she doesn't actually get any money out of this idiocy.