Approximately a dozen actors walked off the set of Adam Sandler’s Netflix film, The Ridiculous Six, on Wednesday.
The script for the satirical Western – also starring Steve Buscemi, Dan Aykroyd and Jon Lovitz – reportedly insulted native women and elders and grossly misrepresented Apache culture.
The actors included Navajo Nation tribal member Loren Anthony walked off the set on Wednesday after their concerns were ignored.
In a post on Facebook, Anthony wrote that the “fight” for his people continued.
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“My native women were disrespected and I walked off of set of the movie I was doing,” he said.
“I will always stand for what is right and for my people. My dignity is not for sale.”
'One thing that really offended a lot of people was that there was a female character called Beaver's Breath'
Speaking to Indian Country Today Media Network, Anthony said he agreed to take part in the film after he was told producers had hired a cultural advisor.
He said he was told the film would not be racist, but it became clear that concerns over traditional costumes and jokes would not be addressed.
“We were supposed to be Apache, but it was really stereotypical and we did not look Apache at all - we looked more like Comanche,” he said.
“One thing that really offended a lot of people was that there was a female character called Beaver's Breath. One character says 'Hey, Beaver's Breath.' And the Native woman says, 'How did you know my name?'
“They just treated us as if we should just be on the side.”
Another Navajo Nation tribal member Allison Young told the Network that her concerns over stereotyping were ignored.
“They just told us, 'If you guys are so sensitive, you should leave’,” she said.
“I was just standing there and got emotional and teary-eyed. I didn’t want to cry but the feeling just came over me.”
