Oscar-Winning ‘Green Book’ Filmmaker Still Can’t Understand Why People Are So Mad About His Problematic Film
Academy Award-winning writer Nick Vallelonga was completely stumped by the controversy surrounding Green Book.
He addressed the backlash the film received in a new interview.
According to Page Six, Vallelonga said,"Green Book’ was the best I could make it. I tried being honest about both of the men. It was about friendship. Coming together of two guys on a long crazy roller coaster ride. I was stunned when critics turned it into a political thing."
Commenting on the naysayers, he added, "Some say our movie should not have won, but at the Govenors Ball right afterward, Alfonso Curaon hugged me. Holding his three Oscars, he said he felt connected to me because we both wrote about family."
Green Book faced a slew of backlash after the family of jazz legend Dr. Don Shirley spoke out about how he was portrayed in the film. The outrage was so polarizing that Green Book star Mahershala Ali called the family to apologize.
Edwin Shirley, nephew of the late jazz legend, told NPR, "What he said was, 'If I have offended you, I am so, so terribly sorry. I did the best I could with the material I had. I was not aware that there were close relatives with whom I could have consulted to add some nuance to the character."
Despite the outrage, Green Book came out victorious, racking up five Academy Awards, including Mahershala Ali's Best Supporting Actor nod.