Sony’s Amy Pascal Issues An Apology After Racially Charged E-Mails Leak

Sony’s Amy Pascal has issued an apology after the most recent hack for Sony Studios revealed confidential e-mails that were racially charged. Pascal and Hollywood heavyweight producer Scott Rudin exchanged e-mails about the upcoming or permanently derailed film Jobs, which had David Fincher attached to direct.

While Rudin’s scathing remarks about Angelina Jolie snagged headlines, it’s the racist conversation about President Obama and his possible taste in movies in the hopes that he would finance a film that really had people talking.

Taking a page out of Rudin’s book, Amy Pascal eventually apologized with an official statement to the Hollywood Reporter about her insensitive comments.

“The content of my emails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am. Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.”

The back and forth between Pascal and Rudin about President Obama’s chances of financing films with an African American cast happened in the exchange below.

“‘Would he like to finance some movies.’ said Pascal, ‘I doubt it. Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?’ To which Scott replied, ’12 YEARS.’ Amy responded with, ‘Or the butler. Or think like a man?’, which Scott replied ‘Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.’ [sic]”

Yikes. Earlier Scott Rudin apologized for the e-mails to Deadline.

“Private emails between friends and colleagues written in haste and without much thought or sensitivity, even when the content of them is meant to be in jest, can result in offense where none was intended,” he told Deadline. “I made a series of remarks that were meant only to be funny, but in the cold light of day, they are in fact thoughtless and insensitive — and not funny at all. To anybody I’ve offended, I’m profoundly and deeply sorry, and I regret and apologize for any injury they might have caused.”

It should be noted that Rudin is a producer on Chris Rock’s film Top Five, which features an African American cast. Recently Rock penned an honest op-ed for the Hollywood Reporter on race in Hollywood and how “it’s a White industry.”

Rock made a case using SNL’s Leslie Jones as an example. “I saw her at a comedy club four or five years ago, and I wrote her name down in my phone. I probably called four managers — the biggest managers in comedy — to manage her, and all of them said no. They didn’t get it. They didn’t get it until Lorne said yes a few years later, and then it was too late.”

What do you think about the latest apologies? Are they genuine?

[Image via Frank_Peters / Shutterstock]