Stone isn't having it

Oliver Stone Decries "Politically Correct" Hollywood and COVID Precautions: "It's Ridiculous"

Filmmaker Oliver Stone is no fan of recent trends in the film world. In a new interview with The New York Times, the Oscar winner voiced his aversion to the "politically correct" climate of the entertainment industry. Not only that, but the 73-year-old also called out the "ridiculous" need for COVID-19 advisors and sensitivity counsellors. Read his comments here.

Oliver Stone says he's "not anxious" to make a new film amid recent social and health-related developments in the world of mainstream entertainment. The Platoon and JFK director spoke out against such current trends in a recent interview with The New York Times — which fittingly titled its interview "Oliver Stone Thinks Hollywood Has Gone Crazy."

Oliver Stone is not on board with "politically correct" Hollywood

The 73-year-old filmmaker has taken issue particularly with what he identifies as "politically correct" action within the industry as well as the Academy. His view on the matter extends to newly implemented precautions surrounding COVID-19 as well.

He said: "Everything has become too fragile, too sensitive. Hollywood now — you can't make a film without a COVID adviser. You can't make a film without a sensitivity counselor. It's ridiculous."

Stone, who has won Oscars for writing on Midnight Express and directing on Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, had harsh words for the Academy too. "The Academy changes its mind every five, 10, two months about what it’s trying to keep up with," he said.

Oliver Stone isn't rushing into new "mainstream" movies

The filmmaker continued, saying of the trends, "It's politically correct [expletive], and it’s not a world I’m anxious to run out into. I've never seen it quite mad like this. It's like an Alice in Wonderland tea party."

"You know, I just read something about how films are going to be very expensive to make now, because you need to take all these precautions, and a 50-day shoot becomes a 60-day shoot, and social distancing for actors. That’s what I'm talking about," he added.

The director isn't known for his sensitivity either, having been caught up in various controversies over the years related to conspiracy theories, his political views, and the infusion of both into his films that take real-world historical events as their subjects.

Reflecting on his career and reputation, he said: "I’ve negotiated my way, sometimes with great controversy, through life. My domain is wide. I enjoy give-and-take. I learn from people. I will continue not to run away from who I am. I'm going to own who I am."

Stone's most recent fiction film was 2016's Snowden, but he's remained active with documentary films and television work - including a controversial Vladimir Putin interview series - in the meantime.