Adam Sandler's latest movie is being called “a total disgrace” — and not for the usual reasons.
Bruce Klinekole, an Apache man who was hired on as the comedy-western's Native American cultural consultant, has bashed the Netflix original project in a new interview conducted after he and a group of other Native American cast members walked off the set last week in protest of the film's treatment of Native American — and specifically Apache — culture.
“I never saw the script at all when I first went and then I saw the wardrobe of the actors,” Klinekole told Indian Country Today. “The first day, I was the only one dressed Apache. My agent told me these would be Apache scenes. Males were dressed in buckskin, which is not Apache at all. …The ladies were also in buckskin and were wearing boots that looked like they were purchased from the curio shops called 'The Running Indian.' They were wearing chokers. I was kind of overwhelmed, and I said, 'What is going on here?'”
After trying and failing to talk to the film's producers (including Sandler) about his concerns, Klinekole decided he had no other option but to depart the project.
“I was waiting, and spoke to a PA named Molly and asked if I could speak with Adam Sandler,” Klinekole recounted. “She was the one who directed us where to stand, what to do, how to hold our spears and more. I said, 'Molly, can I talk to Adam?' She said, 'Bruce, you know, you know, you are not supposed to talk to Adam.' I said, 'I know, but I need to talk to him about something. This was really bothering me it was really killing me, my heart was hurting I was bewildered and could not believe what was going on.' She said, 'No, Bruce.' I thought maybe she would say something like she could help or she might reassure me, but she said 'No, no you cannot do that.' That is when I just flew the coop. I said no more, I just can't do this anymore.”
In addition to his outrage over the film's cultural depictions — including two woman Apache characters named Beaver's Breath and Wears No Bra — Klinekole also cited safety concerns on set that went unaddressed, including the use of real hunting arrows with “steel razor blade tip[s]” used in a fight scene with Danny Trejo and his band of vaqueros.
“The Ridiculous Six” is slated to premiere on Netflix next year. It also stars Will Forte, Taylor Lautner, Steve Buscemi, Danny Trejo, Terry Crews, Luke Wilson, Nick Nolte and Rob Schneider.
For more on the controversy, you can read the full interview here.
[via Mediaite]