After a photo was obtained and widely circulated by TMZ last week that showed a child stand-in on the set of Good Boys in blackface makeup, the film’s producer, Seth Rogen, has offered a statement of apology. “I should start by saying this shouldn’t have happened, and I’m terribly sorry it did. I won’t give excuses for why it happened,†Rogen said, per The Guardian. “I’ll just say that as soon I was made aware of it, I ensured we put an end to it — and I give my word that on any project my team and I are involved in, we will take every precaution to make sure something similar does not take place again. I’m engaging in conversations to make sure I find the best way to do that.â€
The child stand-in was also apparently fitted with an afro wig and fat suit to better mirror teen actor Keith L. Williams, one of Good Boys’ stars. (Jacob Tremblay is also starring in the R-rated comedy.) At the time, production sources told TMZ that it’s “not uncommon for lighting purposes to match actors’ skin tones†with stand-ins, although other industry personnel disputed that assertion. “It’s on me to be proactive,†Rogen concluded. “Reacting isn’t enough.â€