Culture: J.J. Abrams: “Super 8” child casting agent was former sex offender
- It’s shocking and it’s devastating, not just as a filmmaker but as a father and someone who is entrusted to make sure that everyone I work with, especially children, are safe. To think that someone like this was among us is unthinkable.
- J.J. Abrams • Discussing his feeling after discovering that the casting agent he used on his most recent movie, “Super 8,” was a registered sex offender who spent six years in prison for molesting an eight-year-old boy in 1996. The man, Jason James Murphy, got around the limitations of his conviction (which would have prevented him from doing his job) by changing his professional name to Jason James. Among the other films he’s worked on? “Bad News Bears,” “The School of Rock” and “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” — all films with large numbers of child actors. While Murphy hasn’t been accused of committing any crimes during his time as a casting director, his previous conviction wasn’t exactly off the radar — it was featured on an episode of “America’s Most Wanted.” Abrams only learned about the casting agent’s background this week. So wow. source