Lana Condor Shouldn't Have To Explain Israel Broussard's Racist Tweets

Have a quick scroll down your Twitter feed and I guarantee you’ll see a post about Netflix’s latest romantic comedy, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. The film — starring Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, and Israel Broussard — hit the streaming platform in August, and fans haven’t stopped buzzing about it since. It’s not hard to understand why. First, it top bills an Asian-American actress whose character’s racial background doesn’t define her. Second, the chemistry between Condor and Centineo is undeniable. 

Since the film’s release, Condor has given many interviews regarding her relationship with her co-stars, her commitment to bringing diversity to Hollywood, and if she’s dating “Peter Kavinsky” IRL. Unfortunately, she has also been asked about Broussard’s recent racist tweets. It’s unfair, and it’s not her responsibility to comment on the issue.

Shortly after the film hit Netflix, fans unearthed Broussard’s offensive remarks. They include a tone-deaf joke about Japanese people (“Dogs can sense earthquakes. Too bad Japan ate them all.”), distaste for the Black Lives Matter movement (“Black Lives Matter has one goal. Division.”), and outright refusal to play a gay role in the future (“I’m not going out for a gay role, thank you though. Haha.”). The actor has since apologized for the tweets and said, “I take full responsibility for my actions and I sincerely apologize. This has been a pivotal life lesson for me. I am dedicated to becoming a more informed and educated version of myself.” Sadly, that wasn’t enough to keep outlets from hounding Condor about it.

In a recent interview with Elle, she shared what she thought about the tweets — but not without addressing the double standard.

“For me personally, I’m the one that has to answer these questions,” she said. “That’s really unfair given that it should be him speaking on behalf of his actions. It’s very upsetting and unfortunate.”

She went on to say that she thought the tweets were “very, very, very disappointing. And hurtful. Particularly for all the obvious reasons. The things he said are totally and completely wrong and upsetting.” Condor added she hopes Broussard “learns from this and grows to be a better person. I couldn’t imagine him not being better.”

Leave it to Condor to answer the question so gracefully. As she pointed out, it’s not her place to opine on an issue she has nothing to do with. The film celebrates her, the spotlight is placed on her, and forcing her to speak on behalf of a co-star is shifting the focus away from her. Her work and influence are what matter, and those are the only things she needs to address.

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