WASHINGTON – He brought us “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982), “Say Anything” (1989), “Jerry Maguire” (1996) and “Almost Famous” (2000).
But accomplished writer/director Cameron Crowe took heat for his latest romantic comedy, “Aloha,” which was widely panned by critics and finished sixth in its opening weekend at the box office.
Now, Crowe is responding to his critics with an apology on his official blog “The Uncool.”
“From the very beginning in the Sony Hack, ‘Aloha’ has felt like a misunderstood movie. One that people felt they knew a lot about, but in fact they knew very little,” Crowe begins.
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He continues by apologizing for casting Emma Stone as a quarter-Hawaiian character.
“I have heard your words and your disappointment, and I offer you a heart-felt apology to all who felt this was an odd or misguided casting choice,” Crowe writes. “As far back as 2007, Captain Allison Ng was written to be a super-proud ¼ Hawaiian who was frustrated that, by all outward appearances, she looked nothing like one. A half-Chinese father was meant to show the surprising mix of cultures often prevalent in Hawaii. Extremely proud of her unlikely heritage, she feels personally compelled to over-explain every chance she gets. The character was based on a real-life, red-headed local who did just that.”
Crowe concludes his statement by saying he’s learned a lot from the debate.
“I am grateful for the dialogue. And from the many voices, loud and small, I have learned something very inspiring,” Crowe writes. “So many of us are hungry for stories with more racial diversity, more truth in representation, and I am anxious to help tell those stories in the future.”
Click here to read Crowe’s full statement.
