Crazy Rich Asians Director Responds to Brenda Song's Claims - E! NEWS

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Refinery29

After Brenda Song claimed she was told her "image was basically not Asian enough" to audition for Crazy Rich Asians, the film's director, Jon M. Chu, took to Twitter to address the allegations.

"??Nope," the 40-year-old filmmaker tweeted after a follower shared the article in which Song made the comments. " I love @BrendaSong and that sucks if anything of that nature was ever communicated. It's gross actually. The fact is, obviously I know who she is and didn't need her to audition. I'm a fan of hers! Nothing more nothing less. Bums me out she thought it was anything but."

Chu reiterated this notion after seeing multiple outlets report on Song's claims, as well.

"Would these words ever come out of my mouth?" he tweeted. "Nope. Makes no sense. I feel horrible she thinks this is the reason. The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn't need her to audition because I already knew who she was!"

He also resurfaced a 2018 article about the movie's open casting call.

"One of my favorite memories of making #CrazyRichAsians was when we opened the auditions to anyone in the world with our open call," he tweeted. "We watched hundreds &hundreds of videos from very talented people from all around the world. Made us tear up many times."

Song made the comments during a recent interview with Teen Vogue. While she said she's a fan of the Kevin Kwan book and asked her managers if she could set up an audition, she said she "never got to read," for a part in the project.   

"Their reasoning behind that, what they said was that my image was basically not Asian enough, in not so many words," she told the magazine. "It broke my heart. I said, ‘This character is in her late to mid-20s, an Asian American, and I can't even audition for it? I've auditioned for Caucasian roles my entire career, but this specific role, you're not going to let me do it? You're going to fault me for having worked my whole life?' I was like, ‘Where do I fit?'"

The Disney Channel star, who played London Tipton on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, said she then decided to take some time off to travel.

"I got myself together and said, ‘Brenda, there is only one you, and you can't change who you are. You can't change your past,'" she said. "I am so grateful for every job that I've done. All I can do is continue to put good auditions out there, do the best that I can—that's all I can ask for."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMihQFodHRwczovL3d3dy5lb25saW5lLmNvbS9uZXdzLzEwOTU2MTgvY3JhenktcmljaC1hc2lhbnMtZGlyZWN0b3ItcmVzcG9uZHMtdG8tYnJlbmRhLXNvbmctcy1jbGFpbXMtc2hlLXdhcy1ub3QtYXNpYW4tZW5vdWdoLXRvLWF1ZGl0aW9u0gGHAWh0dHBzOi8vbS5lb25saW5lLmNvbS9hbXAvbmV3cy8xMDk1NjE4L2NyYXp5LXJpY2gtYXNpYW5zLWRpcmVjdG9yLXJlc3BvbmRzLXRvLWJyZW5kYS1zb25nLXMtY2xhaW1zLXNoZS13YXMtbm90LWFzaWFuLWVub3VnaC10by1hdWRpdGlvbg?oc=5

2019-11-21 13:09:00Z
52780442908602

Coldplay to put touring on hold for environmental reasons - CNN

Ahead of the launch of its new album, "Everyday Life," Martin said the group wants to take time over the next year or two to consider how future tours can be "sustainable" and also "actively beneficial."

"How can we harness the resources that our tour creates and make it have a positive impact?" Martin told the BBC.

Speaking from the Jordanian capital Amman, Martin said: "All of us, in every industry, have to just work out what the best way of doing our job is."

He admitted that "the hardest thing is the flying side of things."

The dream, he said, was to have a show with no single-use plastic and for it to be largely solar-powered.

Martin said it was a question of "just accepting that you have to do your best" and not be overly critical of others.

He also expressed optimism that others will "catch up... if you prove that it's easy to do it the right way."

Coldplay's last album tour, "A Head Full of Dreams," finished in November 2017.

The British band will give two performances in Amman Friday to mark the release of its new double album "Everyday Life."

The shows will be streamed live on YouTube.

Next week, the band will perform at the Natural History Museum in London.

According to the group's official website, all proceeds from the concert will go towards ClientEarth, a charitable organization which uses the law to protect the environment.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/21/entertainment/coldplay-stop-touring-environment-scli-intl-gbr/index.html

2019-11-21 12:07:00Z
52780443282200

Prince Andrew is a royal family 'nightmare' - Sky News Australia

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upxGsa6Hsow

2019-11-21 10:15:53Z
52780441613962

Apple’s first big TV Plus movie may be in jeopardy as company cancels premiere - The Verge

Apple has abruptly cancelled the premiere of The Banker, its first major movie for Apple TV Plus, after charges have emerged concerning a member of the family the film is based on, Deadline is reporting. The film was originally due to have its premiere on Thursday, on the closing night of AFI Fest in Hollywood, ahead of its theatrical release on December 6th.

“We purchased The Banker earlier this year as we were moved by the film’s entertaining and educational story about social change and financial literacy,” Apple said in a statement to Deadline. “Last week some concerns surrounding the film were brought to our attention. We, along with the filmmakers, need some time to look into these matters and determine the best next steps. In light of this, we are no longer premiering The Banker at AFI Fest.”

With a cast that includes Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, and Nia Long, The Banker is one of the highest profile films acquired by Apple for its streaming service. It was originally due to arrive on the streaming service early next year, but these plans are reportedly on hold pending an investigation by Apple.

The concerns are not thought to relate to any of the historical figures depicted in the movie. Instead Deadline reports that allegations have been leveled about Bernard Garrett Jr., the son of the character depicted by Anthony Mackie in the film. Garrett Jr. has been involved with promoting the film, and acted as a consultant during its production.

The Banker is one of three films Apple was set to release in 2019 alongside The Elephant Queen and Hala.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975617/apple-tv-plus-the-banker-premiere-cancelled

2019-11-21 10:06:29Z
CAIiEH9M0Y5c4augLN4wPG7lFKMqFggEKg4IACoGCAow3O8nMMqOBjD38Ak

Prince Andrew steps back from royal duties - CNN

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--equPjoDOE

2019-11-21 09:05:39Z
52780441613962

Samuel L. Jackson's 'The Banker' pulled from AFI Fest premiere over 'concerns surrounding the film' - Entertainment Weekly News

Welcome! Meredith collects data to deliver the best content, services, and personalized digital ads. We partner with third party advertisers, who may use tracking technologies to collect information about your activity on sites and applications across devices, both on our sites and across the Internet.

You always have the choice to experience our sites without personalized advertising based on your web browsing activity by visiting the DAA's Consumer Choice page, the NAI's website, and/or the EU online choices page, from each of your browsers or devices. To avoid personalized advertising based on your mobile app activity, you can install the DAA's AppChoices app here. You can find much more information about your privacy choices in our privacy policy. You can make a Data Subject Request at any time. Even if you choose not to have your activity tracked by third parties for advertising services, you will still see non-personalized ads on our site.

By clicking continue below and using our sites or applications, you agree that we and our third party advertisers can:

• transfer your personal data to the United States or other countries, and
• process your personal data to serve you with personalized ads, subject to your choices as described above and in our privacy policy.

this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://ew.com/movies/2019/11/20/samuel-l-jacksons-the-banker-pulled-from-afi-fest-premiere-over-concerns-surrounding-the-film/

2019-11-21 04:12:00Z
CAIiEHhXzD5dtMqSdiF4PcmLhyMqGAgEKg8IACoHCAowp__MATDDgCUw0cjVBQ

Julia Roberts Should've Played Harriet Tubman According to One Studio Exec - TMZ

Getty Composite

There's whitewashing in Hollywood, and then there's this -- a studio exec thought it would be a good idea for Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman ... according to the writer of the NEW film, "Harriet."

Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard says the ridiculous scene went down more than 25 years ago in a pitch meeting about the Tubman project. Howard says the exec told the room ... "This script is fantastic. Let's get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman."

Roberts was widely considered America's Sweetheart at the time after starring in a string of hits like "Steel Magnolias," "Pretty Woman" and "The Pelican Brief."

Howard says when someone pointed out to the studio exec that Tubman was black and Roberts shouldn't play the role, he replied ... "It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference."

Thankfully, the Hollywood honcho didn't get his way, and flash forward to 2019 ... Howard's movie about the legendary abolitionist who led hundreds of slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad is finally in theaters.

Of course, the casting of black British actress Cynthia Erivo was also criticized ... because she's not African-American. Can't please everybody.

BTW -- Howard's best known for another hit movie touching on race relations in America ... "Remember the Titans."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.tmz.com/2019/11/20/harriet-tubman-julia-roberts-hollywood-executive-whitewashing/

2019-11-20 14:41:00Z
52780441411073