Elizabeth Banks made some recent comments that had film Twitter in a twist for hours, and some fans and scholars attempting to understand why she phrased her argument about Steven Spielberg’s filmography the way she did. Banks was accepting the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film at the Women In Film Awards when she brought up the fact that Steven Spielberg had never directed a movie with a female lead. He, of course, directed the classic (if not insanely successful by early-Spielberg standards) film The Color Purple which actress Shari Belafonte pointed out from her seat in the audience.
But Banks dismissed her input saying that the lauded director only produced that movie (incorrect) rather than directing it. In the aftermath of her comments, some criticized her dismissal as dismissing films made by or for women of color. Others granted her the overall point but quibbled with the delivery. Even others responded by saying that people should be blaming the overall system for such skewed representation in Hollywood, not one specific artist. Now, Banks has apologized for the comments and owned up to her mistake.
— Elizabeth Banks ❄️ (@ElizabethBanks) June 15, 2017
In the apology, she said she is “very sorry” and revealed that she approached Shari backstage after her speech to apologize for the dismissal. Most importantly, she acknowledged the importance of constantly learning and understanding the importance of being a high-profile person in the industry saying,
“Those who have the privilege and honor of directing and producing films should be held to account for our mistakes, whether it’s about diversity or inaccurate statements.”
The apology seems sincere, especially after such a small misstep in the grand scheme of things. Now all that’s left is for her to follow through on that awareness in the future.
