Mark Rylance on Cancel Culture: ‘I Don’t Feel Safe’

Mark Rylance is one of the great actors working today. People tend to forget that before he had that breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies” he was a notorious actor of the stage. I interviewed Rylance for ‘Spies’ and found him to be an incredible humble and gentle person.

Rylance is a legend in his own right. Earning a reputation as one of the seminal Shakespearian actors of our time. According to Sean Penn, is “probably the closest thing to a magician we have in the field.” Al Pacino chimed in with the utmost respect for the guy as well: “Rylance speaks Shakespeare as if it was written for him the night before.” And even Steven Spielberg sent out praise by saying Rylance was “one of the most extraordinary actors working anywhere.”

The Oscar-winning “Bridge of Spies” actor, who is usually fairly silent about his personal life, has decided to be frank about our current times, telling Positive News that the push to purify society via numerous movements today has him feeling uneasy and unsafe:

“I’m now looking at how to make a contractual requirement in places where I work, because I don’t feel safe.” The contract he envisages, would mean that, “If anyone in the workplace, man or woman, is accused of saying something, they’re judged by their peers. There should be a committee in the West End … made up of union members and peers, who hear both cases.

“The cancellation culture is too merciless and puritan for me. There should be the option of mediation, the chance for the accused to apologise and to redeem themselves. We cannot, in our human consciousness, decide that someone is past redemption.” Rylance adds: “Eventually, love and forgiveness is the only way through.”

Maybe I should start up a list of all the industry A-listers who have come out against “cancel culture.” There aren’t many of them …

Regardless, that’s a surprising statement coming from Rylance, who usually stays mum about these sort of things, but you can clearly sense that he’s had enough and wanted to vent about what is actually bothering him.

Rylance can currently be seen stealing the show in Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All,” where he gives an absolutely terrifying performance. He deserves a nomination for his work as Sully the cannibal.