Jane Campion Receives Backlash Over Comments to Venus, Serena Williams

Jane Campion‘s acceptance speech for Best Director at the 2022 Critics’ Choice Awards has evoked an adverse reaction online, with some users calling her comments “unnecessary.”
 
During the March 13 awards ceremony, the 67-year-old filmmaker nabbed the award for her 2021 film, The Power of the Dog. And although the director began her speech by thanking her fellow nominees, Jane also turned her attention to tennis stars Venus Williams and Serena Williams, whose lives were the basis for the movie, King Richard, another nominated film.
 
“Venus and Serena, you’re such marvels,” Jane said. “However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.” Her comments were met with applause from the in-person audience—but received a completely different reaction from social media once her speech circulated online.
 
“In one fell swoop she managed to 1) diminish the racism and sexism Venus and Serena faced from the beginning of their careers till now,” film critic Carolyn Hinds tweeted, adding that Jane dismissed “the blood, sweat and tears they’ve shed to EARN the awards and accolades they’ve received. And for what purpose? To prop herself up?”