Julianne Hough mentioned the backlash over The Activist served as a teachable second for her.
“I think the greatest thing that I learned is to listen to what’s happening, to gather information and to really try to learn,” the actress and professional dancer advised People journal. “I think that’s the greatest thing you can do is to just learn and to grow and to be open to different perspectives.”
She added that the controversy has given her “more of a fire to focus on the things that need attention.”
The Dancing With the Stars alum, 33, was introduced as a bunch, choose and producer on the greenlighted CBS/Global Citizen competitors collection, which was speculated to see six inspiring activists go head-to-head selling their causes. The success of the contestants was to partially be primarily based on on-line engagement and “social metrics.” Hough was to share judging duties with Priyanka Chopra and Usher.
However, after the Sept. 10 announcement, there was instant backlash over the idea of pitting activists towards one another for the five-episode collection. And the hosts have been slammed as unqualified as a result of they’re celebrities, not activists themselves. By Sept. 14, Hough dropped out as choose, admitting she was “not qualified” for the job. It was very messy and he or she once more expressed remorse over carrying blackface as a part of a 2013 Halloween costume because the images have been resurfaced.
At the time, Chopra additionally spoke out, admitting, “the show got it wrong,” and producers introduced they’d dramatically reformat the present which was to premiere Oct. 22. The aggressive factor was eliminated, and it is being revamped as a one-time documentary particular exhibiting the tireless work of six activists and the impression they’ve had advocating for causes they imagine in. Filming was anticipated to start from scratch with the air date nonetheless to be introduced.
Hough advised People in her new interview that she reached out to unidentified activists amid the controversy to listen to the criticism immediately. She referred to as it a “time of learning.”
“I reached out to so many people who offered their knowledge and their perspective in a way that was inviting and welcoming versus being judgmental,” she mentioned. “That was kindness at its finest and it really showed that humans really do want to unify and help each other and that touched my heart.”
She added that she had good intention with the present, however is conscious that imaginative and prescient simply wasn’t carried out.
“Intention is one thing and execution is another, so hopefully we kind find the middle ground of both,” she added.