Tarantino criticized for using n-word

The Oscar-winning screenwriter who led the calls for Gone With The Wind to be removed from a streaming service has criticised Quentin Tarantino for his “painful and infuriating” use of the n-word.

John Ridley, who wrote 2013 period drama 12 Years A Slave, successfully called on WarnerMedia to temporarily take down 1939 classic Gone With The Wind from its HBO Max platform.

He argued its depiction of slavery in the pre-Civil War American South reinforced harmful stereotypes of people of colour, according to Yahoo News.

Amid the renewed debate on race and culture, Tarantino’s work has been cited on social media. The acclaimed filmmaker, who is white, has been criticised in the past for the liberal use of racial epithets in his movies.

Novelist and screenwriter Ridley told the PA news agency Tarantino “in some ways luxuriates in the word,” adding “it’s not used in particular context, it’s just used to be used”.