Steven Spielberg has recently sparked backlash on social media due to his recent comments about Netflix's hit Squid Game casting "unknown" actors. Squid Game was Netflix's biggest hit in 2021. The South Korean series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, follows a group of deeply in debt people who accept a strange invitation to compete in a competition based on children's games. The winner will receive a large amount of money, however, the contestants quickly learn that the losers will be killed. Since its release, the series has gained both audience and critical acclaim, and has opened the door for more Korean series and films to be released on Netflix.
Squid Game was also recently praised by Hollywood legend Spielberg during an appearance on a PGA Awards panel. During his talk, Spielberg spoke about his enjoyment of the series, while also congratulating Netflix for taking a chance on a show that was cast with "unknown people." The director pointed out how US cinema has a history of relying on "domestic stars" to bring audiences to movies. Spielberg then went on to say that Squid Game "change[d] the math entirely."
As reported by The Independent, Spielberg's comments have sparked some backlash on Twitter. Users have been quick to point out in response to the director's statement that Squid Game actually stars many well established Korean actors, such as Lee Jung-jae, and they simply aren't well known to western audiences. Many have expressed their unhappiness with what they feel is a western or US-centric point of view from Spielberg. See some of the tweets below:
Of course, others have been less harsh with their criticisms of Spielberg. While many have simply condemned the director's comments as naive, others have argued that perhaps Spielberg was trying to make the point that many western studios believe it is necessary to cast well-known Hollywood stars as an anchor for a production, and Squid Game has proved that isn't true. However, these same people have pointed out that Spielberg potentially could have choose his words more carefully, given the backlash to his use of the word "unknown."
As it stands, Spielberg has not responded to these criticisms as of yet. As such, the director has not clarified the exact meaning of his comments about Squid Game's casting. However, ultimately, it is clear that Spielberg is a great admirer of the Netflix survival series, and his comments have at the very least continued the conversation around the need for increased diversity in the US entertainment landscape. Squid Game has proved that western audiences are simply hungry for good projects, and film and series creators should continue to cast their nets wider to bring on talented actors from many different backgrounds.
Source: The Independent/Twitter (various)