Just hours after claiming that he won’t apologize to Lukas Gage because he, ‘didn’t say anyting bad,’ director Tristram Shapeero is apologizing for the now-infamous audition video.
Gage went viral on Friday, when he shared the beginning of a Zoom audition with the then-unnamed director, who commented on his ‘tiny apartment’ while unaware that he wasn’t on mute.
While Gage never revealed the director’s identity, Shapeero was outed on Monday afternoon, he offered an apologetic statement to Deadline on Monday evening.
Infamous: Just hours after claiming that he won’t apologize to Lukas Gage because he, ‘didn’t say anyting bad,’ director Tristram Shapeero is apologizing for the now-infamous audition video
Apologetic: While Gage never revealed the director’s identity, Shapeero was outed on Monday afternoon, he offered an apologetic statement to Deadline on Monday evening
The video began with Gage turning on his camera and adjusting his hair, when Shapeero can he heard saying, ‘These poor people living in these tiny apartments. I’m looking at his background and he’s got his TV.’
The smiling Gage then told the director, ‘Yeah, I know it’s a shitty apartment, so just give me this job so I can get a better one.’
The director vehemently apologized, as Gage played it off, saying he lives in a ‘four-by-four box’ but he’ll be ‘fine’ if he gets this job, as Shapeero added, ‘I’m mortified.’
Poor people: The video began with Gage turning on his camera and adjusting his hair, when Shapeero can he heard saying, ‘These poor people living in these tiny apartments. I’m looking at his background and he’s got his TV’
Better job: The smiling Gage then told the director, ‘Yeah, I know it’s a shitty apartment, so just give me this job so I can get a better one’
When a freelance journalist caught up to him on Monday, asking if he had an apology, Shapeero said, ‘I don’t have any apology because I didn’t say anything bad.’
He added that he doesn’t want to say anything right now because, ‘we’re talking to some PR people’ and, ‘there will be a statement at some point.’
That statement was delivered to Deadline, where he provides some context and confirms the audition happened back in August.
No apology: The smiling Gage then told the director, ‘Yeah, I know it’s a shitty apartment, so just give me this job so I can get a better one’
PR: He added that he doesn’t want to say anything right now because, ‘we’re talking to some PR people’ and, ‘there will be a statement at some point’
‘Since Gage posted the video it has had millions of views and he has received support from all corners of the acting world and from many of his fans. Initially the director was not identified, although there was much speculation about who it was, which ultimately proved correct,’ Shapeero said.
He added that, while it may be ‘wise’ to say ‘the least possible and let this pass,’ he decided to ‘make the apology Mr. Gage deserves, and offer some background for my unacceptable and insensitive remarks.’
‘First and foremost I offer Mr. Gage a sincere and unvarnished apology for my offensive words, my unprofessional behavior during the audition and for not giving him the focus and attention he deserved. My job is to evaluate performers against the part I am trying to cast. Lukas deserved better,’ Shapeero added.
Support: ‘Since Gage posted the video it has had millions of views and he has received support from all corners of the acting world and from many of his fans. Initially the director was not identified, although there was much speculation about who it was, which ultimately proved correct,’ Shapeero said
He continued that the audition took place in August, ‘after four months of lockdown,’ adding, ‘It was emotional to see actors work so hard to win the few parts available.’
Shapeero, who has directed episodes of British shows such as I’m Alan Partridge and Absolutely Fabulous plus American shows like Community, Nurse Jackie, Superstore and many more, then explained why he used the word ‘poor.’
‘I was using the word ‘poor’ in the sense of deserving sympathy, as opposed to any economic judgment. My words were being spoken from a genuine place of appreciation for what the actors were having to endure, stuck in confined spaces, finding it within themselves to give a role-winning performance under these conditions,’ he added.
Lockdown: He continued that the audition took place in August, ‘after four months of lockdown,’ adding, ‘It was emotional to see actors work so hard to win the few parts available’
The director reiterated what he said at the end of Gage’s video clip, which has been watched over 9 million times thus far, stating, ‘I’m mortified about what happened.’
‘While I can’t put the proverbial toothpaste back in the tube, I move forward from this incident a more empathetic man; a more focused director and I promise, an even better partner to actors from the audition process to the final cut,’ he concluded.
While the project Gage was auditioning for was not revealed, Shapeero is directing a TV pilot entitled Pivoting, starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Eliza Coupe, Tommy Dewey and JT Neal, which is currently in pre-production.
Mortified: The director reiterated what he said at the end of Gage’s video clip, which has been watched over 9 million times thus far, stating, ‘I’m mortified about what happened’
Gage is best known for playing Tyler in the first season of HBO’s Euphoria, and Derek in Hulu’s Love, Victor.
He also has a role in Max Reload and the Nether Blasters, which debuted in August, What Breaks the Ice and Kappa Kappa Die, which both debuted in October.
He’ll next be seen in the upcoming mini-series Angelyne starring Emmy Rossum, and The White Lotus alongside Alexandra Daddario.
Best known: Gage is best known for playing Tyler in the first season of HBO’s Euphoria, and Derek in Hulu’s Love, Victor