Can you separate the art from the artist? Many people have various answers to that question. And how you answer it really does shape how you view certain things. For Zoë Kravitz, she can and she does.
As revealed in a new Esquire interview, where she’s promoting her directorial debut, Zoë Kravitz opened up about enjoying some classic films, including those by Roman Polanski, a convicted rapist. It’s something she knows isn’t universal. There are many people who can’t watch his films because of the crimes he’s committed.
“Controversial,” Kravitz admitted of her Polanski admiration. “It’s okay that somebody bad was involved in something good. What are we supposed to do, get rid of America?”
Obviously, Kravitz isn’t saying that she supports everything Polanski has done or said over the decades. In fact, she is admitting he’s “somebody bad.” But she is able to still watch his work.
For those unaware of what made Roman Polaski evade the law and move to Europe, you can read this Wikipedia entry. Basically, he’s a convicted rapist who decided to flee to Europe instead of serving his time in prison. Since then, he’s released a number of films and even been given plenty of awards. But since the #MeToo movement several years ago, there has been a renewed interest in what Polanski was convicted of and a renewed condemnation of the man, himself.
That said, he’s also the filmmaker who brought us “Rosemary’s Baby.”
So, do we not watch his films because of his actions, or are we going to be like Zoë Kravitz and separate the art from the artist? That’s the real question here.
If you want to see what Kravitz has done with her directorial debut, you can watch “Blink Twice” in theaters on August 23.