Coincidence is a fickle bedfellow, and it has come to rear its ugly head once again. In fact, this might be the worst case of bad timing since Dua Lipa released an album full of floor-filling pop songs two weeks after a global pandemic lockdown.
On Wednesday, Variety broke the news that three women had accused Uncut Gems producer and Emily Ratajkowski’s estranged ex-husband, Sebastian Bear-McClard, of sexual misconduct during his tenure working at co-directors Josh and Benny Safdie’s production company, Elara Pictures. The following morning, Deadline reported that rapper/singer/big ole freak, Megan Thee Stallion, was in talks to star alongside Adam Sandler in the Safdie brothers’ next film.
Had this potential casting news dropped on Tuesday, it would’ve been a cause for celebration. Megan Thee Stallion starring in a movie, directed by the pair who brought the world a bleach-blonde Robert Pattinson? A film helmed by the duo that introduced the mainstream to its first dose of Julia Fox? No matter your feelings on Fox’s journey from artist to movie star to socialite couturier, it would be tough not to anticipate Megan making her film debut in a similar fashion.
The Safdies have become known for transforming actors entirely, serving audiences a dose of highly unexpected, uber-stylish pandemonium. Their approach to filmmaking perfectly aligns with that of A24, the trendy distribution and production company that released the brothers’ last two films, Good Time and Uncut Gems. A24 has been heralded by film fanatics and casual watchers alike for its championing of unique scripts and bold artistic vision. Beyond its humble beginnings, the company reached a new echelon this month when Everything Everywhere All at Once took home Best Picture at the Oscars—the company’s second trophy, following 2017’s Moonlight.
But the news surrounding Bear-McClard’s alleged misconduct paints the Safdie brothers and A24 in a critical light.Variety reported that A24 signed a first-look deal with the Safdies after the allegations became known amongst insiders, including the directors themselves.
Simply put, Megan Thee Stallion deserves so much better than any association with this mess.
Now, I’ll happily admit that I would’ve been one of the scores of people who would’ve been hooting and hollering about this news had it dropped earlier. Despite not being an Uncut Gems fanatic like so many seem to be, I am a Good Time advocate. That film is a wild, color-strewn ride through the dregs of New York’s underworld, accompanied by a sizzling synth score.
Both of the Safdies’ big films have been scored by electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never, so it’s safe to say OPN would be behind the score of their next movie, too. The idea of Megan Thee Stallion jumping on the soundtrack—Whitney Houston for The Bodyguard (or Lindsay Lohan for Herbie: Fully Loaded, if you’re young and gorgeous like myself)-style—for a song or two is a dream in itself. Megan is no stranger to an icy, robotic synth, and a collaboration with the Safdies and their beloved composer could place her in several fanbases she hasn’t crossed into yet. Megan Thee Stallion, musician and indie scene queen? I’ve always said it: She’s our next Björk.
However, given Megan’s difficult last few years—during which she was embroiled in a court battle with Tory Lanez, after Lanez shot Megan in the foot in 2020—the last thing she needs is to be tangentially caught up in the Safdie brothers’ and Bear-McClard’s mess. Megan has spent nearly three years fighting to make sure that women are not just heard, but believed. And though the Safdies have severed their ties with Bear-McClard, the allegations against the producer noted that the brothers were on set when Bear-McClard brought in a then-17-year-old for a sex scene, which was eventually removed from Good Time’s final cut for “creative reasons.”
Megan has been fighting against systematic injustice in the music industry since the start of her career. In early 2020, she sued her record label, 1501 Entertainment, asking to be released from a contract that the rapper called “greedy.” At the time, Megan alleged that 1501 was withholding the release of her EP Suga, and severely underpaying her based on the amount of revenue she brought in for the label. Shortly after the suit, Suga was released as planned, filled with defiant songs that seemed semi-pointed at her label. For instance, “B.I.T.C.H.” opened with Megan asserting, “It ain’t always about what you like, sometimes it’s about what’s right.”
Though starring in a Safdie movie would be an exciting new venture for Megan, its implications following the allegations brought against Bear-McClardy are too sour to ignore. Sure, there may be a few Hotties amped about the prospect of their favorite musician starring in another A24 movie—Megan is due to appear in the company’s musical-comedy F***ing Identical Twins later this year. Others may not even realize the Safdies’ name is currently intrinsically linked to allegations against Bear-McClardy.
But, unlike what most of stan Twitter might think, being a fan of a musician doesn’t mean blindly supporting their every move. The idea of seeing Megan in this movie is a bit like seeing Taylor Swift’s glorified cameo in David O. Russell’s latest film: disappointing and short-sighted. Though, I’d venture to guess by Megan’s appearance in She-Hulk that she can, at least, actually act. But that doesn’t mean we want to see her like this!
Nothing is confirmed yet, so there is still plenty of chance that Megan won’t end up entangled in any murky morals—or at the very least, an awkward press tour. But given how much she’s been through, and everything she stands for, Megan needs an arthouse debut deserving of her talents and prowess. It’s really not too late to cast Megan Thee Stallion in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu! Now, more than ever, we need Nosfer-thot-tu.
