Ava DuVernay says she’s sitting out Super Bowl LIII because of its “racist treatment” of Colin Kaepernick.
The Wrinkle in Time director took to Twitter Sunday morning to say she stands with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who has led the #TakeAKnee movement to protest racial injustice in America.
“I will not be a spectator, viewer or supporter of the #SuperBowl today in protest of the @NFL’s racist
treatment of @Kaepernick7 and its ongoing disregard for the health + well-being of all its players,” DuVernay tweeted. “To watch the game is to compromise my beliefs. It’s not worth it. #ImWithKap.”
I will not be a spectator, viewer or supporter of the #SuperBowl today in protest of the @NFL’s racist treatment of @Kaepernick7 and its ongoing disregard for the health + well-being of all its players. To watch the game is to compromise my beliefs. It’s not worth it. #ImWithKap pic.twitter.com/fNEeke0crs
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) February 3, 2019
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The director’s protest comes after Cardi B confirmed to The Associated Press that she declined an offer to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show because of her support for Kaepernick.
“My husband [Offset], he loves football. His kids play football. It’s really hard for him… He really wants to go to the Super Bowl, but he can’t go to the Super Bowl, because he’s got to stand for something,” Cardi B said.
The I Like It rapper admitted she had “mixed feelings” about turning down the gig, but said she admires Kaepernick for standing up for people of color.
“You have to sacrifice that,” she said. “I got to sacrifice a lot of money to perform. But there’s a man who sacrificed his job for us, so we got to stand behind him.”
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While she avoided the actual game, Cardi B performed in Atlanta this weekend at the Super Bowl Music Fest.
Super Bowl LIII kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET, today in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The game, featuring the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams, will be broadcast on CBS.
