The 'After the Hunt' Interview Gives Us Another Cringey Moment for Journalism
Welcome to this installment of The Trade, an examination and exploration of topics in the entertainment industry.
If you want to read the full story consider becoming a paid-subscriber. Becoming a paid subscriber gives you access to The Trade, my examination and exploration of topics in the entertainment industry, my Popcorn Disability articles on disabled representation in film, and more. Don't want to commit to a subscription? Leave a tip to show you enjoy what you're reading.
Read more about the history of disability in film by pre-ordering my upcoming book, Popcorn Disabilities: The Highs and Lows of Disabled Representation in the Movies. I not only expand on what you’re reading here, but examine the stereotypes, tropes, and the good, bad (and really ugly) of disabled movies. Preorder the book by clicking this link! Send me proof of your preorder and I’ll give you a paid subscription to The Film Maven for one year!
I'd planned to make today's newsletter a piece about who actually was still working in journalism (spoiler, it's a lot of MAGA-loving conservatives and their associates), and then something on social media caught my eye late last night.
International journalist Federica Polidoro came under fire this weekend when social media shared a cringe-inducing video of her interview Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edibiri during a junket for Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt. I've included the video below but, in sum, Polidoro--a white journalist--asks a question about how, specifically, Roberts and Garfield felt "now that the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movement are done." Either out of audacity for the question or a lack of understanding, Polidoro repeats it and the look on all three actors faces says a lot. Edibiri, in particular, looks shocked and jumps in to answer the question. Social media called the journalist out for intentionally excluding Edibiri and from there Polidoro conjured up a terrible apology letter which brings us to today.
