“Black History Month is an insult” – The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood legend in more ways than one, Morgan Freeman opens up about how he found his place as an actor at the center of the civil rights movement and why it’s an “insult” to black history to only have one month out of the year.

during an interview with Sunday timespublished online Saturday. Now you see me The actor said while he attributes his career to courage and luck, he also owes it to the changes in America.

“When I was growing up, there was no ‘me’ in movies,” he said. “If there is a black man in a movie it is funny. Until Sidney Poitier came along and gave guys like me the idea of, “Well, yeah, I can do that.”

Freeman went on to be an Academy Award-winning actor, starring in a slew of films, including Million dollar babyAnd InvictusAnd The Dark KnightAnd Se7enAnd Driving Miss Daisy and recently, good guyalong with Florence Pew.

Throughout his decades-long career, Freeman has previously addressed racism in industry and society. when Sunday times He asked him about comments he made in 2005 during an interview CBSSaying the only way to help stop racism is to stop talking about it, Mike Wallace replied, “Two things I can say in public that I don’t like. Black History Month is an insult. Are you going to turn my history into a month?”

He continued, “Also, ‘African-American’ is an insult. I don’t subscribe to that title. Blacks have had different surnames all the way to the n-word and I don’t know how these things get such a grip, but everyone uses ‘African-American.’ What? Does that really mean? Most black people in this part of the world are Apostles. And you say Africa as if it were a country when it is a continent, like Europe.” He added that people would talk about Irish Americans or Italian Americans, but not European Americans.

Another actor who has been a force to be reckoned with in the industry is Denzel Washington. He is a friend of Freeman’s, and is also “very envious” of March Remember the giants The star has been built.

when Angel fell Asked about a statement Washington made, the actor said, “I’m very proud to be black, but black isn’t all that I am,” Freeman replied, “In complete agreement. You can’t define me that way.”

While there are still battles for justice and people’s rights across the country, Freeman added that in the present day, there has been a change in the industry. “All the people are involved now,” he explained. “Everyone. LGBTQ, Asians, black people, interracial marriages, interracial relationships. Every actress. You see them all on screen now and it’s such a huge leap.”