“Unforgivable” – The Hollywood Reporter
Leslie Jones is opening up about the racist and sexist messages she received on social media following the release of her 2016 film Ghostbusters film and called out Jason Reitman on his previous comments about the film.
In her new memoirs, Leslie F*cking JonesThe comedian and actress looked back on her career and life so far, including her starring role on the female-led series Ghostbusters Film alongside Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. She also addressed Jason Reitman’s statements in 2019 about the Paul Feig-directed film, calling them “unforgivable.”
When Reitman revealed he would direct a sequel, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), to his late father’s original from 1984 and 1989 Ghostbusters Films, he noted at the time, that he “didn’t make them Juno from Ghostbusters Movies,” in reference to his 2007 film about a pregnant teenage girl.
“We’re trying in every way to go back to the original technique and give the film back to the fans,” he added during an episode of Bill Burr Monday Morning Podcast.
After there was a backlash, the Director went to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that his comments “came out wrong.” He continued: “I have nothing but admiration for Paul and Leslie and Kate and Melissa and Kristen and the courage with which they made Ghostbusters 2016. They expanded the universe and made an amazing film!”
But even after offering a clarification, Jones wrote in her memoir that “the damage was done.”
“The idea of bringing the film ‘back to the fans’ was a clear shout out to all the losers who persecuted us for making an all-female film [movie],” she wrote. Jones went on to recall the “online abuse” that flooded her social media even before the film’s premiere, saying she was “through the roof.”
“Why are people so angry with each other? How can you sit there and type, “I want to kill you.” Who does that?” she added in her memoir. “Sad keyboard warriors who lived in their mother’s basements hated the fact that this sacred work of perfect art now It featured—gasp! Scary!—women in the lead roles. The worst part, of course, was that one of the main characters was a black woman. For some men, that was the final straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Jones expressed her disappointment back in 2019 that Reitman’s Ghostbusters The project ignored the female-led reboot.
“So insulting. Screw us. We don’t count,” she wrote on social media at the time. “It’s like Trump doing something. (Trump voice) “Doing Ghostbusteeeers again, better with men, will be huge.” These women are not ghost hunters,” oh so annoying. Such a cock movement. And I don’t give a fuck, I’ll say something!!”
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Reitman’s rep for comment.
