Yeah, yeah, this is 100% going to be one of Krysta’s woke af blogs where half of you jump in the comments section and accuse me of being a left-wing obsessed black lesbian, but I don’t really care (still white, still married to a dude, still Canadian. I don’t even know if we have a right or a left because we’ve got like 100 parties).
Have you heard of Nate Parker? You should have. And if you haven’t by now, he’ll be blowing up entertainment news soon, but sadly for a bunch of shitty reasons.
Nate Parker co-wrote, directed and stars in the upcoming film The Birth of a Nation. He wrote it with long-time friend, Jean Celestin, and when it premiered at Sundance it blew the fuck up. The film about an American slave rebellion was bought for an unheard of $17.5 million by Fox Searchlight and has been frequently praised as a piece of work that would change up the predominantly white awards season game.
I mean, this movie was written by two black men, stars black actors and was directed by a black man. It legit broke records at Sundance due to bidding wars over the rights to it and Fox Searchlight and Nate Parker himself have been gearing up for what should have been a sure shot Oscar campaign. This really could have been the film that broke down so many colour barriers at the Oscars all while roster, presenting a brutal and moving film about slavery and a sort of triumph of the soul. This could have been a huge fucking movie for Black Hollywood. Could have.
Over the last few weeks an incredibly troubling story about Nate Parker and his bff and co-writer, Jean Celestin, has come to light. In 1999, while in college together, both men were accused of raping a drunk and unconscious classmate. After she reported it to the police, both men harassed her and revealed her identity to many other people on campus, causing an unbearable amount of slut-shaming and harassment. The court documents state that after the rape and subsequent harassment she suffered from severe depression, sleeplessness, and anxiety attacks. She was unable to attend classes or even leave her room. She later tried to kill herself twice and her brother states that she became detached from reality.
Nate Parker was acquitted of the crime, and though the details of why are not clear, her brother has told reporters that Nate was a university athlete who got off on a technicality. Celestin was found guilty and sentenced to prison time, but his lawyers got him a re-trial which never actually made it to court because the victim refused to testify again. Her brother stated ‘’These guys sucked the soul and life out of her.’’
Their victim committed suicide in 2012.
Now her family will potentially have to sit back and watch as these two men potentially win Oscars, acclaim, respect, and break down Hollywood colour barriers. A thing that should’ve been so good for Black Hollywood is now tarnished, and sadly, deservingly so.
Speaking with Dateline last week, Nate said that he ‘’will not relive that period of my life every time I go under the microscope’’ and pointed out now how he’s a man of faith who has daughters and a wife. It’s also come to light that Nate has, in the past, made some pretty dumb comments about how he’d never play a man in a dress or an effeminate character, yet he also claims to be an LGBT supporter?
Here’s the thing: I was pumped to see The Birth of a Nation. After years and years of the Oscars So White issue, I was excited to see a movie that was written and made by people of colour, starring people of colour, and about people of colour, that was really going to blow up Hollywood and sweep the Oscars and change the game for Black Hollywood. I mean, doesn’t the world need that right now? Doesn’t America need positive and successful voices of people of colour to be heard and praised and understood after everything that has happened? The Birth of a Nation was a film that could have meant so much and done so much, but as someone who has avidly watched every Oscars ceremony for 19 years, I will not tune in if these men are nominated, and that fucking sucks. It fucking sucks that a movie that could’ve been so important to the black community has been ruined by the men who, frankly, are absolute pieces of shit.
It is 100% tragic that so many men who have abused women (see: Roman Polanski and Woody Allen, and now Parker and Celestin) are frequently praised because they make good movies, as if that excuses the lives they ruined.
Sadly, the story of Nate Parker might be the worst of the lot, because his movie could have made a real difference for his community, but instead, if I were to watch this movie (I more than likely won’t now), I won’t be able to look at Parker (who stars in it) and not think ‘’You raped a woman, harassed her, ruined her life, and caused her to kill herself, and now there you are, in this celebrated film, succeeding in life and giving zero fucks.’’
The Birth of a Nation is a film that should have really fucking mattered, but Nate Parker’s disgusting behaviour and lack of remorse since then will 100% overshadow it and that’s really fucking sad for Black Hollywood, because it deserved a movie like this, but it didn’t deserve a guy like Nate Parker.
Sorry none of this was funny. Here’s a gif:
Phooey says
Does the family have the right to sue these rapists or have they been caught up in the statue of limitations? If so can still sue in a cival court, I hope they win every nickel these rapists make off of the film.
ALICIA BANKS says
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
DITTO!!!!!
EACH TIME RABID CAMPUS JOCK RAPIST NATE PARKER SPEAKS
HE RAPES HIS DEAD VICTIM ANEW…
SHAME!!!!!!!