‘12 Years A Slave’ Oscar tarnished by feud over screenplay
Director Steve McQueen omitted screenwriter from acceptance speech after he was refused co-writing credit
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The director and writer of the Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave are locked in a behind-the-scenes battle over the credit for the film’s screenplay, it has been claimed.
According to The Wrap entertainment website, British filmmaker Steve McQueen requested a co-writing credit on screenwriter John Ridley’s script, which Ridley “politely declined”. They have reportedly been feuding ever since.
Fox Searchlight, which backed the film, is said to have taken Ridley’s side, while its producer Brad Pitt played peacemaker. The participants were allegedly encouraged to keep the matter under wraps so as not to threaten the film’s awards chances.
12 Years A Slave is based on the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup, a free-born black man kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War South. The film won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, while one of its stars, Lupita Nyong’o, was named Best Supporting Actress. McQueen is the first black director to see his film win Best Picture, while Ridley is only the second black person to triumph in the screenplay category.
Observers noted that as he made his way to the podium, Ridley hugged not McQueen, but David O Russell, the writer and director of another Oscar contender, American Hustle. While accepting the Best Picture prize, McQueen neglected to mention Ridley, whom he had also omitted from his acceptance speeches at the Baftas and Golden Globes.
The Wrap’s report also outlined an alleged incident at the Baftas, claiming that McQueen had asked for Ridley to be seated at a separate table during the London awards, and that according to two sources, “McQueen berated Ridley’s wife while the writer was in the bathroom, trying to snatch up her Bafta souvenirs and leaving her in tears.”
McQueen has declined to comment publicly on the alleged feud, but Ridley denied that he had deliberately left the director out of his speech. “I had less than two minutes to thank everybody and I was so caught up in the emotion of the moment when I was onstage,” Ridley told the New York Post, saying, “Without Steve McQueen I wouldn’t have this Oscar tonight… I owe a lot to the genius of Steve McQueen, and I am forever grateful to have had the chance to work with him.”
Ridley began working with McQueen on a slavery-themed project in 2008, and the pair decided to adapt 12 Years for the screen after the director’s partner, Bianca Stigter, came across Northup’s memoir.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments