It's been quite a day for women in the film industry. The day started with the release of a pointedly worded letter from actress Emma Thompson regarding her departure from Skydance Animation's film "Luck."
If you haven't read it yet, I strongly recommend taking a look at her powerful statement expecting better from the powers that be.
For those who aren't aware, Skydance recently hired the former head of Pixar, John Lasseter, to run animation. Lasseter left Disney/Pixar in 2018 amid an avalanche of allegations regarding his treatment of women at the company.
Needless to say, it was an interesting choice given the current cultural climate, not to mention the #MeToo and Times Up movements. The existence and contents of Ms. Thompson's letter are hardly surprising, but the way she chose to arrange her thoughts is worth noting.
What the letter does well, in an appropriately pointed tone, is it doesn't make demands but asks a series of questions. While a lot of the contents are expected, one point stands out mostly because of its absence from most #MeToo discussions. That point concerns redemption.
Whether or not redemption is deserved is not discussed. What is pointed out is that the burden of earning a second chance should be placed on Mr. Lasseter. The employees of Skydance should not be forced to give him one.
The last few years have proved that we still have many complicated and difficult discussions ahead. Change isn't easy, but it is necessary in order to move forward. It's nice to be reminded that there are clear, intelligent voices out there making themselves visible and fighting the good fight.
More on the Story: Variety
...just for fun:
