Tim Burton Defends Lack of Diversity in 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'
The "Miss Peregrine's" director said diversity was unnecessary.
— -- Tim Burton is defending his latest film, "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children," after being asked about the lack of diversity in the cast.
The film adaption of Ransom Riggs' bestselling debut novel features a largely white cast aside from star Samuel L. Jackson, who portrays Mr. Barron, a sinister bus driver.
"Miss Peregrine’s" centers on a young boy who travels to an orphanage only to find it filled with children with interesting abilities.
When asked by a Bustle reporter why his cast lacked diversity, Burton, 58, replied, "Nowadays, people are talking about it more ... things either call for things, or they don’t."
"I remember back when I was a child watching 'The Brady Bunch' and they started to get all politically correct," he continued, "Like, OK, let’s have an Asian child and a black. I used to get more offended by that than just ... I grew up watching blaxploitation movies, right? And I said, 'That’s great.' I didn’t go like, 'OK, there should be more white people in these movies.'"
Jackson, 67, also commented on the film's lack of diversity, telling the website that he "noticed it."
"I had to go back in my head and go, how many black characters have been in Tim Burton movies?" Jackson said. "And I may have been the first, I don’t know, or the most prominent in that particular way, but it happens the way it happens."
Still, the actor defended the famed director.
"I don’t think it’s any fault of his or his method of storytelling. It’s just how it’s played out," Jackson said. "Tim’s a really great guy."
"Miss Peregrine's" also stars Asa Butterfield, Terence Stamp, Eva Green and Judi Dench.
Burton did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.