Discussing the whitewashing of the decidedly not-white country of Egypt in his new film Gods of Egypt, director Alex Proyas said, “The process of casting a movie has many complicated variables, but it is clear that our casting choices should have been more diverse. I sincerely apologize to those who are offended by the decisions we made.”
Lionsgate, the studio releasing the film, subsequently issued its own apology: “We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize. Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can, and will continue to do better.”
While most of the internet responded to the apology with exhausted frustration, Ava DuVernay’s take on the public apology was slightly more optimistic, as she likened the film’s whiteness to the diversity of J.J. Abrams’s upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens:
