Anne Hathaway Says Sorry After The Witches Is Accused Of Being Insensitive To Disabled People

Anne Hathaway recently apologised, on social media, after her latest movie The Witches received online backlash for its insensitive portrayal of people with disability. The actress took to her Instagram account to share a video featuring people with limb differences and penned a long apology note for hurting their sentiments.

The Witches, based on Roald Dahl’s classic novel of the same name, released on HBO Max on October 22, 2020. Produced by Warner Bros., the movie features villainous witches as having only three fingers. Hathaway portrays the role of the Grand High Witch – the leader of the coven. As per ANI, the design of the witches’ fingers resembles a limb disability called Ectrodactyly, commonly known as a split or cleft hand. Netizens have objected to the film’s makers using the limb disability as a marker of Hathaway’s character’s ‘non-human’ aspect. Some even took to social media with the hashtag #NotAWitch to express outrage against the same.

 

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I have recently learned that many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches.  Let me begin by saying I do my best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others not out of some scrambling PC fear, but because not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for. As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry. I did not connect limb difference with the GHW when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened. I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better. And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down. If you aren’t already familiar, please check out the @Lucky_Fin_Project (video above) and the #NotAWitch hashtag to get a more inclusive and necessary perspective on limb difference.

A post shared by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway) on Nov 5, 2020 at 11:11am PST

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What You Should Know: 

• Anne Hathaway recently apologised on social media after her latest movie The Witches received online backlash for its insensitive portrayal of people with disability.  
• The movie features villainous witches, including Hathaway's character, as having only three fingers. 
• Netizens have objected to the film’s makers using the limb disability as a marker of Hathaway’s character’s ‘non-human’ aspect. 
• The actress took to her Instagram account to share a video featuring people with limb differences and penned a long apology note. 

Anne Hathaway Apologises

The Devil Wears Prada actress shared a video made by The Lucky Fin Project, a non-profit organisation that raises awareness and celebrates children, individuals, and families affected by limb difference. In the caption accompanying the video, Hathaway acknowledged that ‘many people with limb differences, especially children, are in pain because of the portrayal of the Grand High Witch in The Witches.” She also went on to write that she tries her “best to be sensitive to the feelings and experiences of others” because “not hurting others seems like a basic level of decency we should all be striving for.” She acknowledged a lapse of judgement on her part in failing to “connect limb difference with the GHW (Grand High Witch)” when the look of the character was brought to her. Apologising for the same, she wrote, “I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry.”

Hathaway also extended a special apology to kids with limb differences and their families. She wrote, “now that I know better I promise I’ll do better.” Many fans lauded Hathaway for apologising and using her platform to raise awareness about limb differences. Previously, Warner Bros. also apologised for any unintentional offence caused by The Witches to the disability community.

Picture Credits: Fox News

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Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV