Tim Burton's explanation for why his new movie is really white: "Things either call for things, or they don't"

The director is facing criticism for his choice in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"

Published September 30, 2016 10:30AM (EDT)

Tim Burton       (Reuters/Yuriko Nakao)
Tim Burton (Reuters/Yuriko Nakao)

NEW YORK  — Tim Burton is getting criticized on social media over his explanation on why his new movie's cast is overwhelmingly white.

The major characters in Burton's "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" are all white, save for Samuel L. Jackson's Barron.

When asked about the lack of a diverse cast, Burton told Bustle "things either call for things, or they don't." He went on to say "I grew up watching blaxploitation movies, right? And I said, that's great. I didn't go like, OK, there should be more white people in these movies."

Jackson commented that "Tim's a really great guy" and that he doesn't think the lack of diversity is "any fault of his or his method of storytelling."

The comments made Burton a trending topic on Twitter on Thursday.


By The Associated Press



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