The director of the 'Downton Abbey' movie defends the franchise's focus on rich white people: 'We weren't just going to change it for political correctness'
- "Downton Abbey" director Michael Engler responded to complaints that the show focuses too much on wealthy, white people and their servants.
- "I certainly understand that point of view," Engler said to Insider when asked about the criticism.
- The director emphasized that filmmakers "need to be thinking more about what stories we're telling," but said that "Downton" was different.
- "This started as one thing, and that's what it is," Engler said.
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"Downton Abbey" director Michael Engler responded to criticisms that the show — and subsequent movie — focused too much on wealthy, white people and their servants.
"I certainly understand that point of view," Engler said to Insider when asked about the criticism. "I don't disagree that some people don't necessarily have to be interested in [the show], and [some] aren't. And I'm OK with that."
Engler emphasized that a wide range of stories should be told, even though the film and hit show mainly portrayed the struggles of the wealthy Crawley family (an aristocratic English family with a sprawling estate) and their servants.
"We all need to be thinking more about what stories we're telling, whose stories we're telling, who's telling them," he said.
But for the director, "Downton Abbey" wasn't quite the right project to do this.
"[The show] started as one thing, and that's what it is," Engler said, adding, "We weren't just going to change it for political correctness."
Read more: THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Downton Abbey'
The director also spoke about the challenges of making a period piece.
"You kind of have to learn about whatever world you're working in, whether it's a different place or a different kind of profession," Engler said. "You just have to learn about that world and then try to portray it as realistic."
Engler helmed the upcoming "Downton Abbey" movie, which hit theaters Friday. A continuation of the beloved show, it focuses on the wealthy Crawley family and their servants as they prepare for a visit from the king and queen of England.
SEE ALSO: What the stars of 'Downton Abbey' look like in real life
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