Lena Dunham tapped to write screenplay about Syrian refugee, internet laughs and laughs
A screenplay that tells the true story of Syrian refugee is reportedly being written by Lena Dunham, with some naysayers pointing out that the polarizing HBO star is exceptionally ill-qualified for the task.
The film, which is being co-produced by J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, is an adaptation of Melissa Fleming's popular nonfiction book ‘A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival’, Variety reported. Fleming works for the UN’s Refugee Agency, UNHCR.
Apparently Americans are not done torturing Syrians. https://t.co/96tXPUPmsf
— kiran کرن فاطمہ 🇨🇺🇨🇳🇻🇪🇵🇸🇸🇾🇰🇵 (@KiranOpal) October 30, 2018
Shortly after the news was announced, Dunham – who has a rare talent for enraging people across the entire political spectrum – once again found herself the target of merciless social media criticism.
I shouldn't have to say it: Lena Dunham should not be writing a movie about a Syrian refugee. But I need to say it, because the erasure of MENA ppl from Western media is rarely acknowledged. LENA DUNHAM SHOULD NOT BE WRITING A STORY ABOUT A SYRIAN REFUGEE.
— tina hassannia (@tinahassannia) October 29, 2018
Lena Dunham should make some minor tweaks to the Syrian refugee memoir. For example, instead of a Syrian refugee, maybe the protagonist is the hapless millennial daughter of wealthy New York City artists? And she also wants to be an artist?
— willy 💧♍ (@willystaley) October 29, 2018
Others pointed the finger at Hollywood, noting that it wasn’t Dunham’s fault that she had been asked to work on the film.
They are afraid a Syrian might tell a true story. Too risky. Having said that, Washington has many paid 'Syrian opposition' careerists they can lend Speilberger.
— Patrick Henningsen (@21WIRE) October 30, 2018
Imagine a trio of people less likely to handle the story of Syrian refugees with grace than Spielberg, Abrams and Lena Dunham. Good lord. You do you Hollywood.
— Matt Burnell (@mdburnell) October 29, 2018
The Twitterati also couldn’t resist joking that Scarlett Johansson was auditioning for the lead role – a Syrian woman who survives a shipwreck along with her two young children. Facing public uproar, in July Johansson dropped out of a film in which she had been cast as a transgender man.
I guess Scarlett Johansson was too busy!
— Ari Gold 🌊 (@Femme_Lethal009) October 30, 2018
However, the author of the book that Lena is tasked with adapting expressed her support for the ‘Girls’ star.
And I feel very lucky to have the remarkable @lenadunham adapting my book, A Hope More Powerful than the Sea to a screenplay, and the masters, Steven Spielberg & J.J. Abrams making it into a film.https://t.co/wmaMbkqnjuhttps://t.co/PZ7kvD5NVz
— Melissa Fleming (@melissarfleming) October 29, 2018
After being barraged with negative tweets, Dunham defended her role in the project, promising to donate her paycheck to Syrian refugee organizations.
I’m actually donating every penny I make. Every step of the way. Not a single one kept. Very honored to be able to do that and I’ll “share the receipts” so to speak.
— Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) October 29, 2018
Unfortunately, Dunham has a poor track record when it comes to keeping promises. The self-described “noted literary eccentric”backpedaled on her promise to move to Canada if Donald Trump was elected president – depriving herself of much-needed writing material for her forthcoming refugee film.
Dunham has been at the center of countless politically-tinged scandals. The outspoken feminist and #MeToo campaigner has caught heat for defending a co-worker against allegations of rape (a big no no, since you always believe ‘survivors’) and admitting that she was aware of rumors that Clinton-linked Harvey Weinstein was a serial sexual assaulter – but kept quiet because she wanted Hillary Clinton to become president.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!
