Marina Orsini and Roy Dupuis share the same indignation: the withdrawal of an episode from Daughters of Caleb by Netflix makes “no sense”. “Honestly, I find it ridiculous, I don’t agree,” explained the interpreter of the legendary Émilie Bordeleau.
• Read also: Netflix: an episode withdrawn because of a blackface
• Read also: “Les Filles de Caleb” makes its debut on online listening platforms
We only find 19 out of 20 episodes of the series Caleb’s daughters on Netflix. The series, which originally aired almost 40 years ago, was cut off from its second episode by the streaming service. This, because we see Ovila Pronovost with her face made up in black to play the role of a wise man in a Christmas show.
Screenshot, Netflix
Roy Dupuis’ blackface in the censored episode.
For the interpreters of Émilie and Ovila, the fact of wanting to erase history in this way is a mistake on several levels.
“I was very surprised, explained Marina Orsini to the Journal. I think we scratch to scratch. Without in any way denying the times, the beliefs, the ways of doing things, the lack of judgment, whatever all of that, I think they could have put it all in context. After all, it’s been 32 years, and we’re talking about a story that first relates our history at the end of the 19th century. »
The 55-year-old actress sees this scene rather favorably where young people of the time represented the Three Kings in their ethnic differences, at a time when the performances were not multiple. She believes a warning note could have been placed at the start of the episode to warn more sensitive people.
This is what ICI TOU.TV did, which also broadcasts Caleb’s daughters on line. “This program is offered as it was originally created and may contain different social and cultural representations of today”, can we read.
“When it’s time to be outraged and uplifted, I’m all for it,” the actress added. But there, I find that it is to seek bibites. »
Stories to evolve
“The series of Daughters of Caleb is a great story, it’s Arlette’s novel [Cousture] and an important story for our Quebec society,” explained Roy Dupuis. It presents a unique portrait, a beautiful portrait of our history; and this period is part of it. Moreover, it is stories like these that have allowed us to evolve socially. It describes us as we were and that’s how we move forward. »
The 59-year-old actor believes in being fair with our history. He also sees this censorship on the part of Netflix as a lack of respect for the work of the actors.
Same story with the author of Daughters of CalebArlette Cousture, who was surprised, shocked and who said she felt powerless in the face of this situation.
“If we are not able to reflect an era, we are not a good author, said the 75-year-old author who published the saga in 1986. I reflected the era! We don’t change, we don’t touch history! It’s a lack of judgment. I can not believe it ! “, she denounced.