*Former ESPN commentator Jemele Hill hasn’t seen “Bombshell,” but that hasn’t stopped her from slamming the film for being a box office fail.
“I wouldn’t see this movie if the fate of humanity depended on it. Pains me to say that because I love the three lead actresses,” Hill tweeted on Thursday. “Fox News is a destructive, despicable force. Did they ever consider that the reputation of the network and Roger Ailes was too toxic?”
“Bombshell” stars Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie and Charlize Theron as three Fox News employees taking on the toxic male culture of the company under HBIC Roger Ailes (played by John Lithgow). The film opened Dec. 20 and has so far generated a measly $19.6 million domestically on an estimated $32 million budget.
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I wouldn’t see this movie if the fate of humanity depended on it. Pains me to say that because I love the three lead actresses. Fox News is a destructive, despicable force. Did they ever consider that the reputation of the network and Roger Ailes was too toxic? https://t.co/chYQ6K3lSo
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 2, 2020
As reported by Variety, ex-Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, who is portrayed by Kidman in the film, was key in bringing attention to the sexual harassment allegations against Ailes. She responded to Hill’s tweet by noting that “Harassment is apolitical.”
Carlson added,“Almost all of us couldn’t participate in movie because of NDAs which muzzle us. After jumping off cliff by myself 7/6/16 I hope u will support our mission to have every voice heard.”
Harassment is apolitical.(I’m a lifelong Indepedent) @jemelehill almost all of us couldn’t participate in movie because of NDAs which muzzle us.After jumping off cliff by myself 7/6/16 I hope u will support our mission to have every voice heard. Thank u @LiftOurVoicesUS #stopNDAs https://t.co/Svz598uCqn
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) January 2, 2020
Ex-Fox News contributor Julie Roginsky, who in 2017 settled a lawsuit against Fox News, Ailes and Bill Shine, tweeted, “I certainly hope that this isn’t a suggestion that some women who were harassed had it coming because they worked at Fox or for Ailes.”
Box office receipts for this movie are immaterial to me but I certainly hope that this isn’t a suggestion that some women who were harassed had it coming because they worked at Fox or for Ailes. Sexual harassment knows no political ideology. — Signed, a lifelong Democrat. https://t.co/VIEWTbW17v
— Julie Roginsky (@julieroginsky) January 2, 2020
Hill responded to Roginsky by saying, “I wasn’t saying that at all. However, I can’t help but note how at ease they seemed within a culture that also was horribly racist.”
I wasn’t saying that at all. However, I can’t help but note how at ease they seemed within a culture that also was horribly racist. https://t.co/LxOkoV1kjM
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 2, 2020
Actress Reagan Gomez-Preston also slammed the film for its lack of diversity, asking “Who was this film made for?”
Who was this film for? Surely not BW/WOC who’ve heard these wmn be just as racist & misogynistic as the men. The 53% of WW who voted for 45 & don’t care? WM aren’t seeing this film. So who exactly was this film for? https://t.co/F1RP0zczfk
— Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) January 2, 2020
