During last night’s awards ceremony, Jane received three accolades for her new Western film The Power of the Dog starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst, in the categories for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.
While accepting the award for Best Director, the 67-year-old turned her attention to the Willams sisters, who executive produced the critically-acclaimed movie King Richard, starring Will Smith as their father.
‘Serena and Venus, you are such marvels. However, you do not play against the guys like I have to,’ she said.
As the camera panned to Venus, the tennis star appeared to smile awkwardly before laughing, while Serena chuckled and clapped.
Jane’s speech had begun in a light-hearted manner, as she expressed thanks over her recognition and joked about taking up tennis, while requesting that Will give her lessons.
While her quip about Venus and Serena prompted applause and cheering among the audience at the ceremony, it sparked backlash on Twitter, with people describing it as ‘weird’ and ‘messed up’.
‘How terribly inappropriate and unnecessary. Why must you compare Jane Campion? And, have you ever had to contend with racism and having to work harder and smarter than everyone else because of it? No. You have not,’ one person said.
‘Sad that #janecampion had to go full Karen and undermine two women of colour who broke numerous glass ceilings to make a point about sexism in the film industry,’ someone else stated.
They continued: ‘The Williams sisters faced misogyny and racism but let’s make it all about you.’
Several people pointed out how just a day previously, Jane had been celebrated for her response to actor Sam Elliott, after he described her film The Power of the Dog as a ‘piece of s**t’.
Speaking at the 2022 Directors Guild of America Awards on Saturday, she told Variety that she believed the actor was being ‘a little bit of a B-–-*-H’.
‘‘I think it’s a little bit sexist. I think he thinks of me as a woman or something lesser first, and I don’t appreciate that,’ she said at the time.
One person commenting on Jane’s remark about the Williams sisters in her Critics’ Choice Award speech wrote: ‘She responded so well to Sam Elliot’s comment last night just to turn around and say something just as ignorant.’
‘Need a neck brace from the Jane Campion whiplash of going from “effortlessly putting Sam Elliott in his place” to “way needlessly dunking on the Williams sisters”,’ another said.
At the awards ceremony, Venus and Serena spoke about how they believed that Will’s performance in King Richard was the ‘best tribute’ to their father.
While presenting the award for Best Drama Series, Serena said: ‘What can we say about Will Smith, I don’t think there could have been a better tribute to our father than the performance that you delivered, Will, thank you.
‘To watch our story on the big screen is one of the most special experiences of our lives.’
Venus also told Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney, who played their younger selves: ‘You two nailed the young us and the chemistry between us as sisters, it was amazing.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Jane Campion’s representatives for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Baftas 2022: Rebel Wilson makes dig at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith affair drama after he misses ceremony in favour of Critics’ Choice Awards
MORE : Emma Watson praised for ‘throwing shade’ at JK Rowling at Baftas: ‘I’m here for all the witches’
var notifyQ = function () { var i = 0, l = awaitingReady.length; for (i = 0; i < l; i++) { awaitingReady[i](); } }; var ready = function (cb) { if (fbApiInit) { cb(); } else { awaitingReady.push(cb); } }; var checkLoaded = function () { return fbApiInit; }; window.fbAsyncInit = function () { FB.init({ appId: '176908729004638', xfbml: true, version: 'v2.10' }); fbApiInit = true; notifyQ(); }; return { 'ready' : ready, 'loaded' : checkLoaded }; })(); (function () { function injectFBSDK() { if ( window.fbApi && window.fbApi.loaded() ) return; var d = document, s="script", id = 'facebook-jssdk'; var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) { return; } js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.async = true; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); } if ( !document.body.classList.contains('image-share-redesign') && 'object' === typeof metro ) { window.addEventListener('metro:scroll', injectFBSDK, {once: true}); } else { window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', injectFBSDK, {once: true}); } })();
For all the latest Entertainment News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
