“Exodus” Boycotted Due to Miscasting, Director Scott Says “Get a Life”
At the New York premiere on Sunday of Exodus: Gods and Kings, Director Ridley Scott has something to say to people threatening to boycott the movie: "I say, get a life."
The public boycott of the anticipated blockbuster film is due to what critics would day as the movie's miscasting and the underrepresentation of minorities, reported The Jerusalem Post.
While the movie is about the Jewish community's escape from Egypt's pharaoh in North Africa, director Scott opted to cast all white actors in his movie. Starring British actor Christian Bale in the lead role of Moses, Exodus features predominantly Caucasian actors playing parts of ancient Egyptians.
According to boycott advocates and critics, a predominantly white cast is historically inaccurate since many Egyptians of that time were dark or olive-skinned. Scott further angered the critics by only casting blacks in the role of thieves and servants.
Scott reasoned that the racial makeup of the biblical film was motivated by economic concerns.
"I can't mount a film of this budget, where I have to rely on tax rebates in Spain, and say that my lead actor is Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such. I'm just not going to get it financed. So the question doesn't even come up," he told Variety according to The Jerusalem Post.
Bale agreed with the critics over the casting controversy, but admits that he understands the business side of it too, reported the Star Tribune.
"No doubt it would have been a melting pot between Europe and the Middle East and North Africa," Bale said of ancient Memphis.
"I don't think fingers should be pointed, but we should all look at ourselves and say, 'Are we supporting wonderful actors in films by North African and Middle Eastern filmmakers and actors', because there are some fantastic actors out there," he said referring to the fact that investors feel safer with big name actors.
Moviegoers have aired their grievances on social media to persuade the public to boycott the movie. The hashtag #BoycottExodusMovie generated thousands of tweets on Twitter.
