Less than a week after director Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" reboot released its official trailer and international trailer comes another round of backlash. This time, some people are calling out racism over Leslie Jones' character, even sending criticism to the actress on Twitter, prompting Feig to step up and defend his cast.
The root of the issue is due to Jones' character being an MTA worker and not a scientist like the three other white Ghostbusters in the film. The people called out the racist issue because they claimed Jones was thrown in a racist stereotype of being the sole Ghostbuster to have a blue-collar job.
Jones, however, defended her role and even said that she is not representing a racist stereotype but the possibility of the "regular people" becoming heroes in their own right, even without the degrees.
She also clarified that her being an African American cast as the sole blue-collar worker is not a reinforcement of stereotypes. She said that, to her, the issue is not about class, race or perpetuating stereotypes but the fact that everyone can be a hero regardless of where they place in society.
Regular People save the world everyday so if I'm the sterotype!! Then so be it!! We walk among Heroes and take them for granted.
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 4, 2016
ITS NOT A MAN, WOMAN, RACE, CLASS THANG!! ITS A GHOSTBUSTER THANG!! AND AS FAR AS IM CONCERNED WE ALL GHOSTBUSTERS!! STAND TALL!! — Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 4, 2016
It came to a point where Leslie Jones wanted to shut down her account and that is where Feig stepped in.
Don't leave us, @Lesdoggg. You are a goddess & one of the warmest funniest forces of nature I know. Fuck the haters. https://t.co/rwh8CIxCk4
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) March 8, 2016
And haters, attack me all you want but when you attack and insult my cast, you've crossed the line. Grow up and leave my cast alone. — Paul Feig (@paulfeig) March 8, 2016
Feig told the haters to grow up, which is really something the haters, especially those who claim that their childhood is ruined by the reboot, should do. After all, it has been more than 30 years since the first "Ghostbusters" film and if they're still stuck in that childhood phase when everyone else - including the 1984 "Ghostbusters" team - are happy about the reboot, then there's a lot of catching up to do.
@GBUniverseNews wow great letter. Cause sometimes I think we need to see what we really are doing to each other pic.twitter.com/RPn0c9Gm1O
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) March 7, 2016
The director also clarified in an interview that Jones' character was originally written for Melissa McCarthy but that he changed his mind because the comedienne has been playing similar roles for her past few films. He said he thought of Jones because it was also her brand of comedy and he wanted to launch Jones' film career with a showy role.
"If you've ever seen her do stand-up, it's just who she is. I wanted to unleash Leslie on the public in the same way we unleashed Melissa on the public in 'Bridesmaids,' with a very showy role," Feig said.
"Ghostbusters" will arrive in cinemas on July 14.
