Entertainment
Michael Keaton Shields New Movie from Political Correctness in Sequel, Upholds Balance of Original Series
Clear Facts
- Michael Keaton ensured his character Beetlejuice remained unaltered by political correctness in the sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” as in the 1988 original.
- Keaton perceives Beetlejuice as a force rather than a gendered being, a choice not aiming for political correctness but to sustain the character’s distinct identity.
- Keaton also ensured Beetlejuice did not command excessive screen time in the sequel, preserving the equilibrium he found in the original series.
Celebrated actor Michael Keaton stood firm in his belief that his character Beetlejuice should not succumb to the pressures of political correctness. His choice was intentional, driven by his comprehension of the character’s core, and not by the escalating trend of political correctness in Hollywood.
Keaton told a popular men’s magazine, “As for the character himself, there was not a ton of updating to be done there.” “Beetlejuice, debauched sicko in 1988, stays a debauched sicko in our more enlightened era.”
He refrained from bestowing the character an unneeded ‘sensitivity makeover’ to mirror present times, asserting that such a transformation wasn’t necessary. Keaton portrayed Beetlejuice as more of a ‘thing’ rather than a gendered entity, a decision not intended to be politically correct but to mirror his interpretation of the character.
“And I’m not saying ‘it’ to be politically correct. I just view it as a force more than anything. I mean, there’s definitely strong male energy, like stupid male energy, which I love,” Keaton stated.
Keaton, who has been vocal about his political views, conceded that politics can be a knotty issue for famous figures. “I learned a long time ago, you do more damage because you’re famous,” he stated, following his public endorsement for Joe Biden in 2020.
Keaton was also dedicated to ensuring that Beetlejuice did not receive an undue amount of screen time. He adhered to the original series’ formula for the modern production.
“The idea was, no, no, no, you can’t load it up with Beetlejuice, that’ll kill it,” Keaton noted.
Keaton’s strategy preserved a balance, preventing Beetlejuice from becoming the sole focus of the show. The sequel, produced by Tim Burton, also features original cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, and newcomers Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe.
“The [original] was so fun and visually thrilling. [The sequel is] all that but even more beautiful and intriguingly emotional here and there,” Keaton stated. “I wasn’t ready for that. It’s great,” he shared with the same popular men’s magazine.
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