Why 'The Interview' stars are canceling media appearances
Recent threats from the so-called "Guardians of Peace," a group that says it is responsible for the large-scale hack into Sony Pictures Entertainment data, warn Americans to "keep yourself distant" from movie theaters planning to play 鈥淭he Interview.鈥澛�
Following the threat, Seth Rogen and James Franco, the movie鈥檚 two stars, have pulled back on their media appearances, canceling interviews with Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Buzzfeed Brews, on Tuesday afternoon.聽The Guardians' threat invoked the 9/11 attacks on the US, saying in part, 鈥淩emember the 11th of September 2001.鈥�
A spokesperson for Landmark Sunshine cinemas said that the New York premiere of "The Interview," scheduled for Thursday night, has been canceled. Carmike Cinemas, which operates 247 theaters across the country, was the first to cancel its planned showings of the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Department of Homeland Security said there was "no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters," but noted it was still analyzing messages from the group, dubbed GOP. The warning did prompt law enforcement in New York and Los Angeles to address measures to ramp up security, reports the Associated Press.
The Sony hack exposed employee Social Security numbers, movie scripts, and private email exchanges between actors, producers, and Sony employees. Previously, Mr. Rogen had denounced the Sony hack .
鈥淚t鈥檚 stolen information that media outlets are directly profiting from,鈥� Rogen said.聽
During the interview, Mr. Stern said, possibly jokingly, President Barack Obama 鈥渟hould have announced immediately, we鈥檙e under attack.鈥�
Stern then asked Americans to evaluate their own actions. Instead of relishing gossip found in the report, he said, 鈥淭he country should have rallied around Sony. We should have as Americans said, 'This is wrong, we鈥檙e under attack.鈥� 鈥�
Other Hollywood A-listers have rallied against the hackers, too.
"I think someone's conversation, whether in e-mail or in person, should be private,鈥� Access Hollywood鈥檚 Shaun Robinson. 鈥淲e shouldn't be participating, and these sites that are disseminating them should stop. They won't. And we should stop reading them. We won't," Brad continued. "It's more of an indictment on us, I think."
And on Monday morning, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin鈥檚 op-ed, which noted that hackers鈥� messages have threatened actors and their families.
He criticized news outlets鈥� willingness to publish this information from an organization that has made these threats.
鈥淭he co-editor in chief of Variety聽聽he decided that the leaks were 鈥� to use his word 鈥� 鈥渘ewsworthy.鈥� I鈥檓 dying to ask him what part of the studio鈥檚 post-production notes on Cameron Crowe鈥檚 new project is newsworthy. So newsworthy that it鈥檚 worth carrying out the wishes of people who鈥檝e said they鈥檙e going to murder families and who have so far done everything they鈥檝e threatened to do. Newsworthy. As the character Inigo Montoya said in聽"聽"I do not think it means what you think it means."
After a Sony for asking for a higher pay if he used his social media accounts to promote a film, Mr. Hart that he can 鈥渂rush ignorance off鈥� and 鈥渃ontinue to move forward.鈥澛�
Together and separately, Rogen and Mr. Franco have made the rounds to promote the film, speaking on high-profile programs and even staging an of other celebrities.
The film will be released on Christmas Day.
Editor's note: The original version of this story misstated the name of the hacker group.
