‘Liberation’ producer apologizes for ‘Whipping Peter’ photo at premiere

one of the producers of Will SmithA new movie about a runaway slave has apologized for showing a photo of the character’s real inspiration at the film’s premiere.

joey mcfarlane Posted my fault on Sunday – this comes after the fact that he attended Wednesday’s Los Angeles premiere of “Liberation” with a purse-sized photo … he discussed it at The photo was shown to reporters on the red carpet.

McFarlane was asked how he came to own the OG photo of “Whip Peter” in 1863…and he actually showed it off. His answer boiled down to seeing the importance of history and wanting to curate valuable artefacts like this one so they can survive and be preserved – so we can all learn valuable lessons from the past.

On the surface, there seems to be nothing wrong with JMF’s statement. But, of course, some took issue with his phrasing — say he wanted a “slice of Peter” that night — and the visual of a white guy owning the photo and showing it around like a prop.

Anyway, that’s how a handful of people interpreted his interview… McFarlane seemed to catch the wind that voice And feel compelled to explain myself.

He wrote, “I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was offended by bringing Peter’s photo to Tahrir Square. premiere. My purpose is to pay homage to this remarkable man and remind the public that his image not only brought about change in 1863, but continues to resonate and drive change today. “

McFarlane added, “After unraveling Peter’s origin story with the help of diligent historians, I have spent the past few years freeing up creative time to bring his story to life for the world to see. Audiences will all have the opportunity to appreciate his heroism. I hope my actions don’t distract from the film’s message.” He said he just wanted to honor the legacy Peter and others like him left behind, and didn’t mean to show off the image. photo.