After last month saw Native American actors walk off the set of the new Adam Sandler movie over an offensive script, the production is now facing further allegations of racism.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a source from the set of The Ridiculous Six claims the makeup team has been darkening the skin of various actors, of different ethnicities, to ensure they look more Native American.
Allison Young, an actor involved in the comedy, confirmed this to MSNBC.
“I’m full-blooded Navajo and they bronzed me. I was quite confused,” she said. “That says something when the cultural advisor for the film quits because he’s offended.”
The comedy western, which also stars Steve Buscemi, Nick Nolte and Luke Wilson, is the first film in Adam Sandler’s four-picture deal with Netflix. Last month, a group of Native American actors walked off set after being uncomfortable with the film’s depiction of Apache culture. A video then emerged that showed one of the producers telling them to leave if they were “overly sensitive”.
Netflix has yet to respond to the latest claim but released a statement last month that read: “The movie has ridiculous in the title for a reason: because it is ridiculous. It is a broad satire of Western movies and the stereotypes they popularised, featuring a diverse cast that is not only part of – but in on – the joke.”
Vanilla Ice, who stars as Mark Twain in the film, also came to the film’s defence.
“It’s a comedy,” he said. “I don’t think anybody really had any ill feeling or any intent or anything. This movie isn’t Dances With Wolves. It’s a comedy. They’re not there to showcase anything about anybody – they’re just making a funny movie, I think. I don’t have anything to do with it. I just play my part.”
