‘The Banker’ Cast and Crew Stand by Film and ‘Its Positive

The full forged and crew of “The Banker” are standing behind their movie to defend its content material and “positive message of empowerment” following accusations of sexual misconduct towards one of many movie’s co-producers, Bernard Garrett Jr.

“The Banker” staff stated that whereas it has no method of figuring out if the accusations towards Garrett Jr. are true, it defends the movie’s accuracy as based mostly on recorded interviews from the movie’s topic, Bernard Garrett Sr., as performed in 1995, in addition to corroborated by further congressional transcripts, court docket rulings and media articles from the period.

An announcement launched Monday was signed by director George Nolfi, stars Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Nia Long and the writers and below-the-line producers and crew members.

Also Read: ‘The Banker’ Co-Producer Bernard Garrett Jr Denies Accusations of Sexual Misconduct From Half Sisters

“We set out to tell a story we were very passionate about, recounting the remarkable lives of Bernard Garrett Sr. and Joe Morris, and their ground-breaking achievements combating racial inequality in the 1950s and 60s,” the movie’s staff stated collectively. “Though we have no way of knowing what may have transpired between Mr. Garrett’s children in the 1970s, including the allegations of abuse we have recently been made aware of, our hearts go out to anyone who has suffered.”

The assertion continues: “The film itself is not based on the recollections of any of Bernard Garrett Sr.’s children, but rather, on recorded interviews with Bernard Garrett Sr himself, conducted in 1995, supported by congressional transcripts, court rulings, and other media articles from the era. We stand by the film, and its positive message of empowerment.”

Apple was meant to launch “The Banker” in theaters on Dec. 6 adopted by a launch on Apple TV+ in 2020, however each releases have been placed on maintain following accusations that Garrett Jr., the son of the movie’s topic and who was initially listed as a co-producer on the mission, sexually molested his half sisters, Cynthia and Sheila Garrett.

Also Read: Apple Sets Theatrical Releases for First Three Films: ‘The Elephant Queen,’ ‘Hala’ and ‘The Banker’

Garrett Jr. denied these accusations final week, saying that his half sisters blame him for the breakup of their mom and father. Garrett Jr. says he then took his title off the movie as a co-producer as to keep away from tarnishing his father’s legacy.

“My half-sisters Cynthia and Sheila have accused me of molesting them in the early 1970s, when I was a teenager of about 15. This simply never happened. Period,” Garrett Jr. stated in an announcement to Deadline. “These charges against me are deeply humiliating and frustrating because I can never prove how false they are. I can only hope that people will keep an open mind, and though I forgive my sisters and bear them no ill-will, I do hope that people will educate themselves on who Cynthia is – and why she might make these accusations right now – before they take her words as truth.”

Cynthia Garrett first tweeted her accusation of her brother, saying that the movie “LIES TO HIDE THE PRODUCER WHO SEXUALLY MOLESTED MY SISTER AND I FOR YEARS THEN STOLE MY MOMS LIFE STORY WITH OUR DAD.” According to THR, the Garrett sisters then knowledgeable Apple of the accusations. Cynthia and Sheila likewise spoke with THR in saying that the movie misrepresented the timeline of real-life occasions and left their mom out of the story virtually totally.

Also Read: Apple Designer Jony Ive, Who Helped Create the iPhone and iPod, Has Been Removed From Company’s Leadership Page

Apple has not formally commented on the accusations however issued an announcement following the cancellation of the movie’s premiere on the AFI Film Festival.

“We bought ‘The Banker’ earlier this 12 months as we had been moved by the movie’s entertaining and academic story about social change and monetary…