Director Called Out by Lukas Gage Defends Himself After Viral Zoom Audition: 'I Didn't Say Anything Bad'
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GETTY IMAGES (2) Tristram Shapeero (left); Lukas Gage (right)
The director who was overheard criticizing actor Lukas Gage's "tiny apartment" during a virtual audition has identified himself.
Tristram Shapeero — a British director whose credits include Community, Parks and Recreation, New Girl and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — recently outed himself as the one who was caught making a disparaging comment about the 25-year-old actor's home during a Zoom meeting.
When asked by a freelance videographer about his remarks days after Gage shared a clip of the now-infamous audition, Shapeero said the incident did happen, but he believes he "didn't say anything bad" during the video conference call.
"I don't have any apology because I didn't say anything bad. You have to look up the definition," Shapeero, who apologized in the now-viral video of the audition, told the videographer, according to footage published on TMZ. "It was three months ago."
Shapeero went on to say he plans to release an official statement about his comments, adding that "the context of which it was said, and the context of the meanings of the words, need to be properly evaluated."
A rep for Shapeero did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
twitter Lukas Gage
On Friday, Gage posted a video recording of a Zoom meeting he was on with the then-unnamed director, writing on his Twitter and Instagram account, "psa if youre a s— talking director make sure to mute ur s— on zoom mtgings."
In the footage, the Euphoria star stands in his apartment as he prepares to read lines. Shapeero — who presumably thought he was on mute — can be heard telling another person on the call, "These poor people live in these tiny apartments."
"Like, I'm looking at his background and he's got his TV and, you know—" Shapeero says, before Gage cuts him off to inform him that his microphone is actually "unmuted."
Jason Merritt/Getty Images Lukas Gage
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"I know it’s a s—y apartment," Gage says. "Give me this job so I can get a better one."
Realizing his mistake, Shapeero then apologizes and tells Gage that he's "mortified."
"Listen, I'm living in a four by four box. It's fine," Gage says, brushing off the remark. "Just give me the job, and we'll be fine."
