Jessica Chastain — star of the upcoming Apple TV+ series The Savant — has publicly disagreed with Apple’s decision to pause the release of the show.
The show is focused on infiltrating and stopping extremist hate groups online. And while Apple’s reasoning for the postponement was vague — a statement mentioned only “careful consideration” — many have assumed the tech giant decided it wasn’t appropriate timing after the killing of rightwing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk.
Chastain posted a statement to Instagram saying she was “not aligned” with Apple’s decision to pause the show.
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She wrote, in part:
“I wanted to reach out and let you know that we’re not aligned on the decision to pause the release of ‘The Savant.’ In the last five years since we’ve been making the show, we’ve seen an unfortunate amount of violence in the United States: the kidnapping attempt on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; the January 6th attack on the Capitol; the assassination attempts on President Trump; the political assassinations of Democratic representatives in Minnesota; the attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband; the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk; the recent shooting at an ABC affiliate station in California; and over 300 school shootings across this country. These incidents, though far from encompassing the full range of violence witnessed in the United States, illustrate a broader mindset that crosses the political spectrum and must be confronted. I’ve never shied away from difficult subjects, and while I wish this show wasn’t so relevant, unfortunately it is. ‘The Savant’ is about the heroes who work every day to stop violence before it happens, and honoring their courage feels more urgent than ever.”
Chastain made sure to note that she valued her partnership with Apple and hoped the show would still reach audiences soon. The original release was scheduled for Friday. Apple has not yet provided a new premiere date.
Reviews of the show have not yet been released, but after the postponement, Variety called the decision a “huge mistake,” noting The Savant was “precisely the type of show America needs right now.”
