Filmmaker Sam Mendes has weighed in on the debate over gender-neutral awards. Mendes, who won an Academy Award for American Beauty and a BAFTA Award for 1917, was promoting his latest film, Empire of Light, in a new BBC interview. The director was asked about recent comments made by non-binary actor Emma Corrin that the Oscars and similar awards shows need to do away with gendered awards, such as Best Actor and Best Actress, so those who don’t identify as either male or female will feel more included.

As Mendes explains, he’s fully on board with the idea, noting he has “total sympathy” for Corrin and other non-binary actors. He also suggests that it’s just a matter of time before the Oscars and other shows that haven’t yet gotten rid of the gendered awards, calling it “inevitable.” From the interview:

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Mendes then goes on to share his belief that these kinds of awards shows are more of a promotional tool for these movies than anything else. However, that’s not to say he doesn’t see the value in these awards, as he also explains.

“I have total sympathy with it, yeah, and I think it might well be inevitable in the end. Because I think that’s the way it’s moving and I think that it’s perfectly reasonable.”

“For me, people forget with awards, I think this happens all the time, they use it as a bellweather for the industry, but the truth is awards are a TV show. You know, awards are there to promote films. If that film wins an award, I’m more likely to go and see it, and that’s what you’re doing there. It’s not about yourself, it’s not about the art or craft of the industry especially. It’s about selling films. I’m not dismissing the importance of them but I’m saying they were there to promote films and the craft and art of films. They’re the shop window but they’re not the thing itself.”

Emma Corrin Makes the Case for Ending Gendered Awards

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Before coming out as non-binary, Emma Corrin had won a Best Actress award at the Golden Globes for their role as Diana in The Crown, a role that had also garnered them a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress at the Emmys. Corrin had also been nominated for Best Actress at the Laurence Olivier Awards for Anna X. In November, Corrin expressed that gendered awards needed to go, telling BBC News:

Other stars have also weighed in on these comments. Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey told Variety at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, which no longer separates awards by gender, that it’s “starting to feel very old-fashioned” splitting up acting awards. At the event, Lynskey was nominated for Outstanding Performance in a New Series, an award that went to male nominee Ben Whishaw for his role in This Is Going to Hurt.

“I hope for a future in which that happens. I don’t think the categories are inclusive enough at the moment. It’s about everyone being able to feel acknowledged and represented. It’s difficult for me at the moment trying to justify in my head being non-binary and being nominated in female categories.”