Last week, Euphoria actor Lukas Gage made some social media waves when he posted a screen recording of a pretty disastrous Zoom audition with an unnamed director. The virtual try-out wasn’t a trainwreck through any fault of Gage’s; instead, the meeting spiraled when the director began commenting on the actor’s small apartment without realizing he hadn’t hit the “mute” button. Seems to be a trend these days.
“These poor people live in these tiny apartments. Like, I’m looking at his background and he’s got his TV and —” the director can be heard saying before Gage mercifully gives him a tip-off that he can hear everything. “I know it’s a shitty apartment. That’s why, give me this job so I can get a better one,” Gage replies, which is a pretty great comeback, if we’re being honest. (Turns out it was actually a hotel room he was staying in while on location for a different shoot, but we digress).
Taking the high road, Gage never outright named the director, and seemed happy just to point out the bare minimum of what not to do if you find yourself in a position of power. However, earlier today the director in question went ahead and publicly outed himself as veteran TV director Tristram Shapeero in an apology letter published via Deadline.
Shapeero, who’s worked on series like The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Never Have I Ever, wrote that, “Despite what is probably wise advice: to say the least possible and let this pass, I have decided to come forward, take responsibility, make the apology Mr. Gage deserves, and offer some background for my unacceptable and insensitive remarks.”
“First and foremost I offer Mr. Gage a sincere and unvarnished apology for my offensive words, my unprofessional behavior during the audition and for not giving him the focus and attention he deserved. My job is to evaluate performers against the part I am trying to cast. Lukas deserved better,” he continues.
Although it’s a solid written apology, it’s probably worth noting that Shapeero apparently seems to have also recently told TMZ that he didn’t have anything to apologize for because he “didn’t say anything bad.” But cut him some slack —maybe he didn’t realize his mic was on again.
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