Author Tomi Adeyemi, who previously distanced herself from the film adaptation of “Children of Blood and Bone,” said in an Instagram post that she is “still being antagonized behind the scenes.”
Adeyemi opened the post by saying she hoped speaking publicly would allow her to close the subject, and that the people involved in the project already know what she was about to describe.
“I’m going to post this so ideally I won’t have to talk about this anymore. And what I’m about to share is not a secret to the people involved. It’s a reality that I’ve had to live with for about a year and a half. And everyone involved, at least at the highest level, has been made aware of this reality. And they haven’t done anything to make it better. If anything, they’ve only antagonized me. And I accept that. But I also accept that if I don’t say something, I think it’s just going to be worse,” Adeyemi said.
She said she would not detail her experience writing the young adult trilogy or her work bringing the adaptation to the screen, and would limit her account to what happened after she left the set.
“I’m not going to speak on what I endured to make it through the young adult trilogy. And I’m not going to speak about everything that I also suffered through or endured to make the adaptation a reality. I’m actually only going to speak about what happened after I left that set of my own film adaptation. Hyperventilating and sobbing. And there are many witnesses. So it’s not really a secret,” she said.
Adeyemi said she experienced physical symptoms and panic attacks after returning home, and that she decided she would never watch the finished film. She said the marketing of the movie, along with what she described as continued antagonism, prompted her to speak.
“I came back to America and suffered such severe somatic pain. And so many panic attacks. And I knew it was so bad that I would never, ever be able to watch this film. And I made peace with that, but as it is being marketed, and as I’m still being antagonized behind the scenes, which is where I hoped all of this would stay. It’s become apparent to me that that reality needs to at least be made known so that you guys can understand how this film, which I worked on to make it a little better for us to be alive, is also the worst thing I have ever had to live through,” she said.
She said she was uncertain whether posting a video would help, but that staying quiet had become more difficult than speaking. She also said she wanted the matter understood before meeting readers for a new book.
“And I don’t wish to speak on it anymore. I don’t know if that’s possible. I understand that I have a public presence and that this is a global project. It’s probably useless posting a video. I really don’t know. I don’t do things like this. But I also understand that being silent about it is making the pain a lot worse. And even though it feels awful to share this, it’s better to share it and have it known and understood before I see a bunch of you for this new book,” she said.
Adeyemi closed the post by saying she does not want to discuss the project again and has nothing to say about the people who made it.
“So please understand, I never want to hear about this project again. I don’t have anything to say about the people who made it. I do not care anymore. I’m trying to move on. This video might make it worse. But I don’t know how it can be any worse. So I’m just going to share that and let it live,” she said.
