Steven Spielberg Receives Heat For Calling ‘Squid Games’ Stars ‘Unknown’
According to Steven Spielberg, the blockbuster Netflix Korean show "Squid Game" is a game changer in the business.
The legendary filmmaker was one of several producers nominated for the PGA Awards Zanuck Award, and he spoke on a panel at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles on Saturday.
According to Deadline, Spielberg said, "Squid Game comes along and changes the math entirely for all of us."
Spielberg also pointed to Netflix CEO, who was in the crowd.
"A long time ago, it was domestic stars that pulled the public into movies," he continued.
"It's fascinating today; unknown people can star in full miniseries in movies."
The 75-year-old film director and screenwriter, on the other hand, has been chastised for suggesting that "Squid Game" is proof that TV series can be successful despite using "unknown" star.
The show is about a dystopian series about a group of people who are asked to participate in a mystery contest to win a large sum of money. In 2021, "Squid Game" became Netflix's highest success.
However, several fans on social media chastised Spielberg for his remarks, pointing out that the show boasts numerous senior performers.
"LOL, simply some of Korea's most renowned actors," one guy quipped on Twitter.
In the same interview, Steven Spielberg acknowledged that getting a great celebrity may help sell a studio or a streaming platform on less traditional casting, noting that "they do need an anchor" to be successful.
"If people recognize an anchor, you may surround them with lesser-known faces," he added.
"I appreciate that Spielberg may have been making a point about having a more 'known' (too many Western audience members) actor be an anchor in a fresh piece of work," another person said on Twitter, "but this is a situation for when individuals need to communicate themselves clearly and not offend."
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Veteran Stars of the 'Squid Game'
Lee Jung-Jae, who plays the show's protagonist, has been acting for over 30 years. He has even won two Grand Bell Awards, South Korea's equivalent of the Academy Awards, and has been nominated three times for Best Actor.
Oh Young-Soo, who plays Oh Il-Nam, is an experienced actor who admits that being "famous" is "difficult."
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