"The makers of entertainment must try, in our field, to be honest and grown-up"

Elia Kazan’s urging for honesty and maturity among entertainment creators carries both a challenge and a standard. Entertainment, whether film, theater, television, or literature, holds profound power to shape perceptions, challenge norms, and reflect the complexities of human experience. By insisting on honesty, Kazan underscores the importance of truthfulness in representation. Audiences are often drawn to art that resonates, that reflects back the real struggles, joys, flaws, and aspirations of life. When creators prioritize truth, they eschew the temptation to flatten experiences into mere escapism, sensationalism, or formulaic storytelling. Instead, they offer material that acknowledges nuance and contradiction, inviting viewers or readers to engage more deeply with content and, ultimately, with themselves.

Maturity, the other key aspect of Kazan’s statement, suggests a level of responsibility that creators should adopt. Being grown-up does not just refer to making “adult” or serious content, but rather approaching their work with thoughtfulness, respect for complexity, and recognition of their influence. The world is not simple, and stories that paint with broad strokes, overuse stereotypes, or shy away from difficult truths can perpetuate harmful ideas or foster shallowness. Mature storytelling grapples with ambiguity, presents flawed characters, and resists easy answers. It trusts the audience to be receptive to difficult questions and to handle discomfort.

Many entertainment industries, in pursuit of profit, can be drawn toward what is easily digestible, popular, or uncontroversial. Kazan argues for a higher purpose: not to preach, but to reflect real life, with all its messiness and imperfection, honestly and thoughtfully. This ethos elevates entertainment from mere diversion to a space for empathy, understanding, and even personal growth. To be both honest and grown-up is to respect both the subject matter and the audience, acknowledging the profound relationship between art and society.