"Lost" Star Harold Perrineau Clarifies Comments Hinting At Show Racism

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You expressed displeasure with the way your story line ended, calling it "not cool." Do you feel bitter about what happened?
HAROLD PERRINEAU: I wouldn't say I'm bitter. I'm just like the fans, and I got excited when Michael was coming back. I thought it was really significant when Michael dropped those people off with the Others; I thought he was going to have something just as significant when he came back. I was disappointed that he didn't. He didn't get to make amends with those people. And nobody got to see [him try to neutralize the bomb]. Walt didn't get to see it. Jin got to see it, but wasn't necessarily so mad at him. And Desmond, who Michael didn't know at all, was there. I was disappointed more than anything, like the fans were disappointed. Like I think the fans were disappointed.

You were quoted as saying that the loss of Michael meant that Walt "winds up being another fatherless child, [and] it plays into a really big, weird stereotype." Did you voice that concern to the producers?
There's not been any conversation about that. That was just my point-of-view in an interview. This is nothing that I've ever talked to the writers about, or I think is necessarily anything I should talk to them about. Their job is to make the story work. My feelings about the social implications are my feelings. My feelings don't determine what the storyline is.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Beaux510]

It's LOST, so he got blown up and died, that just means he's back on the Island.

[houseofglass]

He was great in OZ!

[Agentlady007]

I never watched this show, except for the guy who won and now owes all that taxes. This picture looks like this dude is about to sink into quick sand and he knows he goin' down.

[westreal]

The last two seasons really sucked but since Michael came back the writing's gotten better. The last few episode this seasons were some of the best. Hopefully they don't write him or Walt off again since their characters were never explored.

[Owlygirl]

Agree with you (except for the sucked part!). I believe they did Michael a disservice this season and for that I feel really badly for him. I mean, personally, I'm totally over Hurley. Why not get rid of him? Or at least explain to me how it is he gets bigger each season. I mean don't even get me started on who should stay or go. Anyway, I digress! Point is, Harold did such a superb job with the little he was given. He certainly deserved more closure than Kaboom! Goodbye!

I wish you the best in your career, Harold. Stop apologizing; screw the backlash - you're completely entitled to your feelings. It's your life and your career!

[Ides]

Michael's ride has been weird. First he's desperately trying to be a good father, then he manages to sacrifice everything to save Walt, then we find out that he's had Walt taken from him and then he's suddenly dead.

What a crappy way to go out.

[VillyVal]

Their biggest mistake/lost opportunity was with the invisible half of the passengers. They killed a few of them off when the compound/housing development was attacked and Ben's daughter was killed; then they killed off a few more by loading them unto the raft and transporting them to the ship.... But these mysterious, unaccounted for passengers have been a sore point with me for a long time. Once the writers realized they had too many extras, why didn't they have them "disappeared" one by one or in groups?

And then they were so LAME about the fact that Walt was growing faster than their time line allowed. Hello? Kids grow. At least they didn't switch actors.

[MJD615]

Here we go with the racism crap again. I am so sick of people yelling racism every time they don't get their way. Enough already!

[Owlygirl]

Then get the H - outta here. Close your eyes and move along. Geez!

[MJD615]

waaaaaaaaaa...keep feeling sorry for yourself.

[America08]

Instead of dismissing his claims as crap, people should put themselves in the individual shoes before making statements about them. This could be a bunch of sour grapes but his reality is different from yours. Some issues ARE about race and we need to accept that. In this case, he is expressing that there were some racial "undertones" to his character. Some people might agree with him. Knowing what we know about America and seeing what we are currently seeing in America.....we need to objectively look at Each situation. That goes for Race issues, gender, and sexuality issues.

[sandiegoconservative]

Ok. I am placing myself in his shoes . . .

I get paid to act a few months out of the year in one of the most beautiful places on earth on a wildly popular show, getting paid very well for being a so-so actor. This opportunity will allow me to obtain new acting gigs because of my exposure on the television. I elected to play the character of "Michael", knowing in advance what the first season would hold for me, and where the character would be heading. I agreed to play the role as it is written.

This "stereotype" as I discuss in my interview was not an issue at the beginning of the show, when I happily played the role of an absentee partner in a relationship which affected my relationship with my son. I happily played a somewhat "loser" because it provided drama to the show and I was taking my checks to the bank.

Now that things don't go my way, it is suddenly an issue for me, and as I am a "minority", I feel I can toss the race card around to make things better for me. In reality, every member of my acting guild and every producer has now seen me bite the hand that feeds me, thus reducing my chances for good paying acting roles in the future.

[MJD615]

Sorry to say, but some AA use the race card too much. It is getting overdone. When that happens, it loses its effectiveness.

[Agentlady007]

When black people use the word racist - it sounds like a white person using the word nigger. It's just wrong. IMO

[Ides]

...Wow.

[KrishnaCore]

I watched the show religously for the first two seasons, but after that, the show just became a trainswreck. It should have been taken off of the air a while ago.

[StanTheManic]

"Lost" is the perfect name for that show. What's hailed as "great writing" seems to me like they're making it up one scene at a time. I really tried to like the show, just couldn't do it. This dude should consider himself lucky he got off the island.

[GabrielXL]

Here, here!