Though most mandates have been eased, the CDC still advocates masking. In February, The Atlantic published an article that read: “Masking has widely been seen as one of the best COVID precautions that people can take.” This month, the New York Times published an article titled: “Here’s Why the Science Is Clear That Masks Work.” However, the public is pushing back.
While giving a keynote speech at the 2023 South by Southwest conference (SXSW), British actress Tilda Swinton expressed her disdain for mask mandates and declared that though requested, she would no longer wear a mask on the set of her new project.
“I’m actually just about to start shooting a picture in Ireland,” said Swinton. “And I was told, full disclosure, and I’m sure this is being recorded – people in Ireland might hear it – to wear a mask at all times.”
Swinton continued: “And I’m not wearing a mask because I’m super healthy, and I’ve had COVID so many times, and I’m so full of antibodies … and I have faith.”
SXSW’s Texas audience appreciated Swinton’s comments. The actress teased: “It’s very nice to see your faces unmasked,”
The British actress noted that the pandemic had made fans appreciate the theater more. She said: “In many ways, I feel more than ever that cinema is evermore magic and carpet-like.’
Referencing the impact the pandemic has had on the industry, Swinton said: “We’ve had different, not battles, but challenges, let’s say, that euphemism for battle … We’ve had different challenges in the last few years particularly, and some of them are lingering around people’s belief in sitting in big spaces.”
“Look at you,” Swinton added, “I bet you none of you are wearing masks, as well. I mean, who knew that was gonna be possible.”
Joking with the audience, Swinton asked: “I mean in Texas, did people wear masks? I have to ask.” The room erupted in laughter.
“I don’t know,” she continued. “It’s a wide world, and people do things differently all over the place.”
Swinton recalled how much has changed in just a few years:
“A couple of years ago, we couldn’t imagine sitting in a room like this. Could we? And we did wonder.
I did. I wondered how long it would be before the time we would be able to, and I did – I did have a concern that those who thought that sitting in a big place to look at a big screen was a bit obsolete would kind of gain traction, and that that would just tip it over the edge, and people would just forget the power of the magic carpet.”
“But, then this magical thing happened, you know you asked anybody…what they really missed during the pandemic, and they said the same things. They said friends, family, live music, cinema. Those were the only things people missed…”
“And then I thought, this is the one good thing about the pandemic. It’s making people, you know, nay-say the people who said cinema was on the way out. It’s given it a bit of a boost.”
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