NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Spike Lee: BlacKkKlansman's white actors 'had problems saying the 'N' word'

By Michele Manelis
NZ Herald·
16 Aug, 2018 12:00 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

'BlacKkKlansman' trailer. / Universal

"The white actors had problems saying the 'N' word," Spike Lee says. "But it was comfortable for me."

That word, and the idea of free speech versus hate speech comes up a lot in the Academy Award-winning director's acclaimed new film BlacKkKlansman.

The movie, which won the coveted Grand Prix award at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, explores the dark underbelly of American white nationalism.

It's based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, an African-American police detective in Colorado (one of the largest hubs of evangelical Christianity in the world) who infiltrated and exposed the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

The story follows the mechanics of Stallworth's journey as he duped the KKK into granting him membership to the organisation, after building a relationship via phone with former Grand Wizard David Duke, who believed Stallworth to be Caucasian.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's all true," says Lee. "Even David Duke would admit it."

Arguably, society has changed since the early 70s and our current politically correct climate doesn't allow for such language. Lee's gaze is direct. "In public, yes. But behind closed doors..."

In New Zealand, we recently witnessed those closed doors opening in the form of alt-right Canadian activists Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux. The pair sparked debate over whether hate speech should be protected as free speech, and saw large crowds protesting against them in Aotea Square. (Hate speech is prohibited in New Zealand under the Human Rights Act 1993. Incitement to racial disharmony has been a criminal offence since the enactment of the Race Relations Act 1971.)

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This phenomenon and the rise of the Right is global," insists Lee. "If anyone thinks it's specific to America, they are missing the point."

Topher Grace as David Duke. Photo / Supplied
Topher Grace as David Duke. Photo / Supplied

Lee, who uses his First Amendment right to refer to President Trump as "a motherf**ker", says America "should be focusing on getting him impeached", as many of Trump's slogans like "America first" echo Duke's rhetoric from decades ago.

Upon telling Lee of the morning's news report about the West Hollywood City Council's vote to remove Trump's star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame he has short words.

"Forget the star. You step on it, dogs piss on it, who cares? How about we move him out of office? We need to stop being distracted by things like whether the star should be removed or not."

Discover more

Entertainment

The rise of celebrity book clubs

15 Aug 02:45 PM

BlacKkKlansman was co-produced by Get Out's Jordan Peele and stars relative newcomer John David Washington, who has evidently inherited his father Denzel's Oscar-winning genes. It's his debut as a lead actor, and the movie's success rests largely on his shoulders. A former professional football player, since 2015 he has been a series regular as Ricky Jerett on Ballers.

"I knew I wanted him for the part," Lee says. "We had a meeting and I offered him the role. And listen, he doesn't walk around with a big sign over his head saying, 'Denzel Washington is my father'."

To illustrate that Washington is "just like any other black man in America", Lee adds, "If he's in a nice car, the LAPD will still pull him over. All they see is a black man driving a nice car."

Evidently, growing up the son of a celebrity did not insulate Washington from racism.

"I was called the 'N' word as a kid; I was like 10, 11 years old," he says. "I have dealt with racism before and it doesn't matter the kind of upbringing I had."

Also starring is Adam Driver, as a detective who stands in as Stallworth at KKK meetings, and Topher Grace who takes on Duke. Without a doubt, it's been his toughest role.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Look, when Spike Lee calls and says, 'You're my guy', that's one of the great days of your career. David Duke is a terrible man, but it's such a juicy, great role. I read his autobiography, which is basically his Mein Kampf. This guy is more evil than a normal racist. I tried my best to get in his head, but it's really hard to imagine someone who's educated having those views."

He also admits he had a difficult time uttering Duke's venomous words.

"Hate speech is a part of free speech, absolutely," he says. "If we didn't have free speech we couldn't have made this movie."

Lee also says that without the unmitigated success of Black Panther, which earned US$1.344 billion, he may not have been able to make this movie.

"Black Panther blew the shit out of the water so much so that studios can no longer say that black films don't make money overseas," he says. "Those lies can no longer be used to keep black film-makers from getting the amount of money they need. That argument is dead with Black Panther."

But he warns that this is not the time for the black community to rest on its laurels.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Every 10 years, my phone rings off the hook about the motherf**king resurgence of Black Cinema. And then it's another motherf**king nine-year drought," he says. "In order for this not to be on a cycle, people of colour have to get the gatekeeper positions in studios."

BlacKkKlansman has garnered very positive reviews for Lee, who impressively straddles that fine line between incorporating highly charged politics in films and creating entertainment devoid of heavy-handed preaching.

"Well, it's been done before. It's hard to do and it's a tightrope." He smiles. "But I can do it."

LOWDOWN
Who: Director Spike Lee
What: BlacKkKlansman
When: In cinemas today

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Coronation Street star living life to the fullest after beating cancer

02 Jul 09:23 PM
Entertainment

Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted of sex trafficking, convicted on lesser charge

02 Jul 06:07 PM
Sport|athletics

Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

02 Jul 06:01 AM

Sponsored: Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Coronation Street star living life to the fullest after beating cancer

Coronation Street star living life to the fullest after beating cancer

02 Jul 09:23 PM

In 2019, Sally raised £100,000 for Prevent Breast Cancer by trekking to Everest base camp.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted of sex trafficking, convicted on lesser charge

Sean 'Diddy' Combs acquitted of sex trafficking, convicted on lesser charge

02 Jul 06:07 PM
Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

Arli Liberman: The art of scoring in sport

02 Jul 06:01 AM
The reason behind Hilary Barry's absence from Seven Sharp

The reason behind Hilary Barry's absence from Seven Sharp

02 Jul 04:35 AM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP