Donald Glover has said that people are creating “boring stuff” for TV and film because they’re scared of “getting cancelled”.
The actor, musician, and creator of Atlanta made the comments on Twitter today (May 11), writing: “Saw people on here havin a discussion about how tired they were of reviewing boring stuff (TV & film).”
“We’re getting boring stuff and not even experimental mistakes (?) because people are afraid of getting cancelled,” he continued. “So they feel like they can only experiment w/ aesthetic. (Also because some of em know they’re not that good).
It’s unclear if Glover is referring to cancel culture, which sees people facing backlash for something they’ve done, or if he’s literally referencing a fear of having a show discontinued. Given he’s talking about film and TV, it’s likely the former.
Interestingly, Glover’s comments on unoriginal ideas come as he’s about to star in a remake of 2005’s Mr & Mrs Smith. The actor will join Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the titular roles, which were originally (and infamously) held by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Glover is also working on series three and four of Atlanta, which was set to return in January 2021 before being pushed back due to coronavirus. Speaking about the new seasons in a now-deleted tweet, Glover said they’re “going to be some of the best television ever made. Sopranos only ones who can touch us”.