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I’m sure you’ve all heard by now about the casting catastrophe that is ‘Gods of Egypt.’ The film, which is centered around warring Egyptian Gods received an internet slap on the face when they revealed their official movie posters:

The movie stars Gerard Butler and other notable talent who are not of color, despite being set in….well…Africa.

White washing of films set in historically Black or Arabic locations is no new thing, and that’s why we’re tired of it.

The clapback was real when people took to social media to sound off on the decision:

Even Bette Midler came in to give a, whet?

Shockingly enough, the studio responded to the criticism, releasing this statement to Forbes:

Alex Proyas: “The process of casting a movie has many complicated variables, but it is clear that our casting choices should have been more diverse. I sincerely apologize to those who are offended by the decisions we made.”

Lionsgate:  ”We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize. Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.​​”

Okay, this is when we break out the violins and cue Almost Doesn’t Count.

Does a last minute apology really serve as reimbursement for a history denied, and people of color missing acting jobs?

The proof is in the pudding. What good is an apology without action? We acknowledge their effort—at least they were willing to acknowledge the anger without being dismissive.

Ava DuVernay took to twitter to share her feelings on the statement:

We will see if their commitment to diversity pans out when they cast for their next movie. For now, this is just a cup of apologetic white tears that isn’t good enough.

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