Malone is ‘ disgusted’ by Boyega treatment
PERFUMER Jo Malone has slammed the brand bearing her name over its treatment of film star John Boyega.
The Star Wars actor, 28, stepped down as a global ambassador for the brand after he was cut from a Chinese version of an aftershave advert he had created.
The original ad followed John with family and friends in London. The new version had a similar script but was refilmed for the Chinese market with John replaced.
The actor, who has been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, announced on Twitter he would be stepping down after finding out about the edit online.
He said: “Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong.”
Jo, 56, who sold the brand to Estee Lauder Companies in 1999 and left in 2006, expressed her disgust and defended her name yesterday.
She said: “I am so horrified and disgusted about what has been done to John. This has gone global and my name has been associated with it.
“It’s been done in my name but also people think it’s me.
“How dare somebody treat him like that and he finds out he is replaced on social media. They never spoke to him. That for me is utterly despicable and disgusting.”
In a statement, Estee Lauder said: “We deeply apologise for what, on our end, was a mistake in the local execution of the campaign. The concept for the film was based on John’s personal experiences.”