I don’t watch movies with Johnny Depp in it.
There’s something about the guy I can’t stand.
Then I found out that he’s abusive towards women.
Well that was the icing on the cake.
It’s kinda hard to say. I try not to buy any media from actors or directors who belong to cults, or who are just known to be shitty people.
But sometimes really twisted people can make fascinating art. One of the most well known outsider artist was a child molester.
I think you’re correct though in being forgiving to old actors. It was a different time back then, and we can’t retroactively apply modern values to the past.
All I can say for myself is… it depends? Mood? Movie/TV show? I guess I do both, avoid and watch/listen.
For example:
I won’t watch anything Roman Polanski, even though Chinatown is brilliant.
But I listen to the Beatles, even though John Lennon was a piece of ■■■■ woman abuser.
In general, artists tend to be messed up sucky people (I am one, so I know! ). It’s no excuse for their behavior.
Edit: Interestingly, the people I absolutely avoid are the vacuous influencers, and people like the Kardashians, who make me rage. They get fame and fortune for doing NOTHING. No skills, no brains, no real contribution to the world, nothing to make it better, or art to move you and make you think. THAT makes me angrier than anything.
There is the old saying “Never meet your heroes” because you are eventually going to learn something about them you don’t like, and then you become very disappointed because you idolized them. I take that into consideration. If somebody has done something extremely repugnant then I wouldn’t watch their move or listen to their music, otherwise I don’t really care.
I try not to make it tarnish my view of the media they’re in unless they’re absolutely bonkers, like Tom Cruise or that guy whatshisface who did Passion of The Christ.
There’s allegations everywhere, and when the allegated person is famous, I wonder how much is real.
It’s like in school when a new student arrives. Someone goes “Billy Smith saw her kissing a frog” or “Jane Doe heard from her cousin who has a friend from his old school that he totally took a ■■■■ in the teacher’s shoes”
I never listened to those things and made some good friends by giving the victims of “I heard…” a chance.
If a movie or series is good, and the actor does a good job… why does it matter who accused them of what, as long as it wasn’t proven in court?
Who cares if they’re -ist or -phobic in their free time?
I’ve basically eliminated everything having to do with Michael Jackson. I get embarrassed for any radio station that still chooses to play his music. Same deal with Kevin Spacey, my favorite movie used to be American Beauty but not anymore.
The only downside is a removed Simpsons episode featuring Michael Jackson. It’s otherwise a great episode because Homer gets sent to a mental hospital. It’s referenced several times later in the series. I think the episode should stay up because it doesn’t have enough Michael Jackson in it to override how great an episode it was, but it’s not my decision (Disney + has removed the episode).
I’m also done with Dave Chapelle. Trans progress and black progress are NOT mutually exclusive, and most of his recent jokes basically imply that they are.
I generally don’t boycott stuff for personal controversies, but there are a few that I just can’t stomach watching. Polanski and the director of the Jeepers Creepers series can both sod off. I love the first Jeepers Creepers, but the director is a convicted pedophile. Woody Allen is also a creep.
Also one of the worst is Danny Masterson. I loved That 70’s Show, and he was such a cool character. He’s a douchenozzle.
I’m sort of a hypocrite though, because there are plenty of performers I still watch and listen to even though they have done scummy things.
). It’s no excuse for their behavior.