Louis C.K. releases official statement on allegations as I Love You, Daddy release cancelled, Netflix cuts Louis C.K. ties
In light of recent allegations of sexual misconduct against writer/director/star Louis C.K., the I Love You, Daddy release has been cancelled by distributor The Orchard a week before its intended November 17 release. The New York premiere at the Paris Theater and C.K.’s planned media appearances to promote the film were abruptly cancelled yesterday after the New York Times story involving five women’s accusations broke. Co-star Chloë Grace Moretz had already pulled out of promoting the film two weeks ago when she became aware of the pending allegations against her director. The Orchard paid $5 million at this year’s Toronto Film Festival to distribute C.K.’s self-funded black and white comedy.
UPDATE #1: Louis C.K. has released an official statement in which he admits the accusations against him are true. Read the full statement below (via The Hollywood Reporter), along with more details on the continuing repercussions on C.K.’s TV shows, standup specials and movies:
I want to address the stories told to the New York Times by five women named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and one who did not.
These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my dick without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your dick isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.
I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions. I learned yesterday the extent to which I left these women who admired me feeling badly about themselves and cautious around other men who would never have put them in that position.
I also took advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was doing any of that because my position allowed me not to think about it.
There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for. And I have to reconcile it with who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with.
I wish I had reacted to their admiration of me by being a good example to them as a man and given them some guidance as a comedian, including because I admired their work.
The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them. I’d be remiss to exclude the hurt that I’ve brought on people who I work with and have worked with who’s professional and personal lives have been impacted by all of this, including projects currently in production: the cast and crew of Better Things, Baskets, The Cops, One Mississippi, and I Love You Daddy. I deeply regret that this has brought negative attention to my manager Dave Becky who only tried to mediate a situation that I caused. I’ve brought anguish and hardship to the people at FX who have given me so much The Orchard who took a chance on my movie. and every other entity that has bet on me through the years.
I’ve brought pain to my family, my friends, my children and their mother.
I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.
“The Orchard will not be moving forward with the release of I Love You, Daddy,” said the company in a statement (via Vox). It is unknown if C.K. will be forced to return the money paid to him for distribution rights or if The Orchard will simply take a write-off on the film and the advertising dollars it already expended. C.K. could potentially self-distribute the film himself through his website, as he has with several past projects, but that may be dependent on legal issues with Orchard and if the allegations are cleared. Critics had already screened the film, with DVD copies sent out to many for awards consideration, so it’s also possible pirating could disrupt future distribution plans. At best, it looks like the film, along with C.K.’s career, is in limbo for the time being.
In more bad news for the comedian, streaming giant Netflix has dropped plans for a second standup special from C.K. after his first for the company, titled simply 2017, dropped earlier this year. As of right now that special and four others are still available on the service. That bucks against HBO’s more drastic measure of eliminating all Louis C.K. material, including several standup specials and the TV series Lucky Louie, from their streaming platforms.
“The allegations made by several women in The New York Times about Louis C.K.’s behavior are disturbing,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “Louis’s unprofessional and inappropriate behavior with female colleagues has led us to decide not to produce a second stand-up special, as had been planned.”
Still in jeopardy is Louis C.K.’s relationship with FX Networks, where he created his groundbreaking, Emmy-award-winning show Louie for five seasons from 2010 to 2015. At FX, he currently serves as a co-creator, writer and executive producer on the Zach Galifianakis series Baskets, as well as a co-creator, writer, director, executive producer and editor on Pamela Adlon’s show Better Things, both of which were renewed recently. In addition, he was serving as co-creator, voice actor, writer and executive producer alongside comedy legend Albert Brooks on an animated series titled The Cops, the status of which is currently unknown.
FX Networks issued the following statement yesterday: “We are obviously very troubled by the allegations about Louis C.K. published in The New York Times today. The network has received no allegations of misconduct by Louis C.K. related to any of our 5 shows produced together over the past 8 years. FX Networks and FXP take all necessary actions to protect our employees and thoroughly investigate any allegations of misconduct within our workplace. That said, the matter is currently under review.”
UPDATE #2: FX Networks and FX Productions have now released the following statement:
Today, FX Networks and FX Productions are ending our association with Louis C.K. We are cancelling the overall deal between FX Productions and his production company, Pig Newton. He will no longer serve as executive producer or receive compensation on any of the four shows we were producing with him – Better Things, Baskets, One Mississippi and The Cops.
Louis has now confirmed the truth of the reports relating to the five women victimized by his misconduct, which we were unaware of previously. As far as we know, his behavior over the past 8 years on all five series he has produced for FX Networks and/or FX Productions has been professional. However, now is not the time for him to make television shows. Now is the time for him to honestly address the women who have come forth to speak about their painful experiences, a process which he began today with his public statement.
FX Networks and FX Productions remain committed to doing everything we can to ensure that all people work in an environment that is safe, respectful and fair, and we will continue our review of all of these productions to ensure that was and is the case.
UPDATE #3: Illumination and Universal Pictures have terminated their relationship with Louis C.K. for The Secret Life of Pets 2
Louis C.K. has been dropped from The Secret Life of Pets 2 by Illumination Animation and Universal Pictures. A statement from the studio reads, “Universal Pictures and Illumination have terminated their relationship with Louis C.K. on The Secret Life of Pets 2.” C.K. was the voice of the dog Max, which was the lead role. He was set to reprise the role in the sequel, which has a release date of June 7, 2019.
Louis C.K.’s I Love You, Daddy is a bittersweet comedy about successful TV writer/producer Glen Topher (C.K.), who panics when his spoiled 17-year-old daughter China (Chloë Grace Moretz) starts spending time with 68-year-old Leslie Goodwin (John Malkovich), a legendary film director with a reputation for dating underage girls. Hesitant to say no to his daughter—an action which might stem the steady stream of “I Love You, Daddy” endearments with which China manipulates her father—Glen exasperates the host of women who circle his life, including his combative ex-wife Aura (Helen Hunt), feisty ex-girlfriend Maggie (Pamela Adlon), and his long-suffering production partner Paula (Edie Falco). Caught in a writing dry spell, he distracts himself by courting glamorous movie star Grace Cullen (Rose Byrne), who is interested in playing the already-cast lead role in the upcoming TV series he hasn’t yet begun writing. Glen’s teetering world is further upended by his interactions with Goodwin, who is both the increasing focus of China’s attentions and the revered idol who devastates Glen by appearing to dismiss him outright as a creative person. Glen’s brash TV actor buddy Ralph (Charlie Day) makes matters worse through rude observations that inflame Glen’s deepest insecurities about his daughter. The real problem, however, is that Glen isn’t sure exactly what is going on between China and Goodwin—and what he should be doing about it.
I Love You, Daddy was directed by Louis C.K. (Louie, Pootie Tang) from a screenplay by C.K. and Vernon Chatman (Wonder Showzen, The Heart, She Holler).