Jamie Foxx- Spike Lee is 'Shady' and 'Irresponsible' for 'Django Unchained' Criticism
Jamie Foxx and Spike Lee are at odds over "Django Unchained," and now the star of Quentin Tarantino's latest film has struck back. Foxx called Lee "irresponsible" for his attacks on the movie and Tarantino, pointing out that the acclaimed director hasn't even seen the work he's criticizing.
Jamie Foxx's Spike Lee criticism came out during an interview with The Guardian, a British publication. Foxx defended the film, which features his character, a slave called Django, teaming up with a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to rescue his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).
"The question for me is: where's Spike Lee coming from?" Foxx questioned. "He didn't like Whoopi Goldberg, he doesn't like Tyler Perry, he doesn't like anybody, I think he's sort of run his course. I mean, I respect Spike, he's a fantastic director. But he gets a little shady when he's taking shots at his colleagues without looking at the work. To me, that's irresponsible."
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Though Lee may have not seen the movie, he most likely heard about the characters'- both black and white- constant use of the n-word; it was reportedly said over 100 times in the movie.
"All I'm going to say is that it's disrespectful to my ancestors to see that film," Lee said. "I can't disrespect my ancestors. That's just me. … I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody else."
The director also took his criticism to social media, sharing his thoughts on Twitter as well.
"American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western.It Was A Holocaust.My Ancestors Are Slaves.Stolen From Africa.I Will Honor Them," he tweeted in December.
Lee previously said in a 1997 interview after Tarantino's "Jackie Brown" was released that he had a "definite problem" with the n-word being used, and that something was "wrong with [Tarantino]." Fox pointed out that Lee's attacks on Quentin Tarantino shouldn't be based on race, especially in entertainment, where the boundaries are constantly being pushed.
"You got to look at the individual cases," Foxx told The Guardian. "When Pat Boone covered Little Richard, you think, 'Huh?', he's got no affinity for it. Good Golly Miss Molly? I don't think so. But you can't tell me that Eminem ain't hot 'cos he's white or that Elvis Presley isn't a bad motherf------, or that Quentin Tarantino can't do whatever he likes, 'cos damn straight he can."
Many seem to disagree with Lee so far. Despite the murmurs about the dramatic use of the n-word, "Django Unchained" won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay and has been praised by critics.
