Cadillac Distances Itself From 'Alt-Right' Casting Call

Cadillac is quickly distancing itself from a casting call for an upcoming commercial that called for real "alt-right (neo-Nazi)" people to apply. The car maker says it did not authorize or approve the casting notice, which was posted Friday by a casting service called the Cast Station, reports Reuters. After an outcry on social media, the post was altered to remove the phrase "neo-Nazi," reports Gizmodo, but that did little to stem the controversy given the alt-right's connection to white nationalism. "We unequivocally condemn the notice and are seeking immediate answers from our creative agency, production company and any casting companies involved," said the Cadillac statement.

The Cast Station, meanwhile, called the posting a mistake and said the employee who drafted it has been fired. "Additionally an outside third party further altered the breakdown without our knowledge and posted it on social media," said the statement. "Cadillac unequivocally did not authorize this notice or anything like it, and we apologize to Cadillac for the ex-employee's actions." The casting call for "alt-right thinkers/believers" had said the ad would feature people from "all walks of life"—it also sought a taxi driver and military personnel—and was" not meant to be offensive in any way. Just a representation of all sides." (More Cadillac stories.)