Spike Lee is never one to bite his tongue. The characteristically blunt director spoke to Deadline at Sundance about directing the second season She’s Gotta Have It, and all the Hollywood "shenanigans" that get on his nerves. Lee confirmed that he will be directing all 10 episodes of season two of the Netflix series. However, he’s not giving us any hints as far as plot: “Not yet, but we’re going to bring it. We’re going to represent the culture and bring it. We’re going to bring it,” he promised.
Deadline also asked Lee what he made of all the progress among female artists of color like Issa Rae, Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes, and Lena Waithe occupying positions of power in the industry, and if that progress is something he thinks will stick. As far as the latter is concerned, Lee remains conservative in his expectations. “I’ve seen it too many times where every 10 years, we win some awards, and then the articles the next day tout it as we discovered the black audience, the black actor, and then there’s a drought for the next nine years,” he told Deadline. “I look at stuff more on the long view. You know, I just don’t get too excited.”
Always keeping it real, Lee went on to say that currently, positions of power “are mostly controlled by white males, let’s keep it 100. It’s a fact. As Jay-Z would say, fact, super fact. You know, it’s not fakes news, as your president would say. So, I think that the real change will only happen when people of color are making decisions at the green light meetings. Because that’s where the industry decide who does what. That’s when the fundamental changes will happen, and until then, it’s just some shenanigans, skullduggery, subterfuge. Those are my three S’s.” Well, damn.
And on the subject of a certain kind of white man in positions of power, Lee says, "I know President Trump is trying all the time to roll back the clock, but this country is changing. It is not just Spike Lee saying that. As early as around 2040, white Americans could be in minority in this country. And I don’t think that’s something for that the people should be scared of. It’s what this country’s origin is about, which is the great melting pot."
Head over to Deadline to read the piece in full.
