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Seth Rogen apologizes for use of blackface on Vancouver set

The new "voice of TransLink" is ending the week apologizing for using blackface on the Vancouver set of a movie he’s filming.

Seth Rogen got a lot of good press earlier this week when he became the voice of public transit messages, not only in Vancouver but also in Toronto.

He's ending the week apologizing for using blackface on the Vancouver set of a movie he’s filming.

 Seth Rogen in Los Angeles on July 31, 2018 (Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com)Seth Rogen in Los Angeles on July 31, 2018 (Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com)

Good Boys features 11-year-old Keith L. Williams. TMZ reports that last week, the production company, Good Universe, blackened the face of the actor’s stand-in to match Williams’ skin tones. TMZ says it was told the stand-in was a light-skinned African-American who was also put in a fat suit and given an afro wig.

However, the website notes that it’s usual procedure to hire a stand-in who actually matches the actor’s complexion.

“I should start by saying this shouldn’t have happened, and I’m terribly sorry it did,” Rogen said in a statement.

“I won’t give excuses for why it happened. I’ll just say that as soon I was made aware of it, I ensured we put an end to it – and I give my word that on any project my team and I are involved in, we will take every precaution to make sure something similar does not take place again. I’m engaging in conversations to make sure I find the best way to do that. It’s on me to be proactive. Reacting isn’t enough.”

When asked to comment about the use of blackface on a set, Academy award winning rapper Common told TMZ, “Painting someone darker? Come on, man, it’s 2018. When is that acceptable...“I don’t think that’s ever appropriate."

Rogen volunteered for the voice-over job after TransLink yanked ads featuring Morgan Freeman after allegations of sexual impropriety emerged in a CNN investigation. Freeman has denied the allegations but that left TransLink voice-less.