Jessica Chastain has released a statement regarding the postponement of her Apple TV+ series, “The Savant,” saying she is “not aligned” with the streamer “on the decision to pause the release.”
On Tuesday, it was announced that Apple will withhold the series from its planned Sept. 26 release, a decision that was largely contextualized by the recent murder of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk. In “The Savant,” Chastain plays an undercover investigator who infiltrates online hate groups to prevent domestic extremism.
The Oscar winner emphasized that, while she “values” her partnership with Apple and “deeply respects” their team, she does not agree with delaying the series.
“In the last five years since we’ve been making the show, we’ve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country,” Chastain wrote on Instagram. “These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted. I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is.”
Chastain continued, “‘The Savant’ is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever. While I respect Apple’s decision to pause the release for now, I remain hopeful the show will reach audiences soon. Until then, I’m wishing safety and strength for everyone, and I’ll let you know if and when ‘The Savant’ is released.”
Writing about Apple’s decision to halt the show’s release, Variety chief TV critic Aramide Tinubu argued that “The Savant” is “precisely the type of show America needs right now.” While, she wrote, the show does not mention Donald Trump’s name, “it seems that Apple TV+ is cowering to a presidential administration that appears to be more concerned with its own dialogue and viewpoints. As ‘The Savant’ suggests, if we continue to exist in vacuums, unwilling to hear and listen to others while using logic and sound facts, then we are part of the problem.”
From Variety US
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