Seth Rogen apologises for use of black face on set of new movie Good Boys

'I should start by saying this shouldn’t have happened, and I’m terribly sorry it did'

Seth Rogen has apologised after photos from the set of an upcoming comedy featuring a child in blackface were published online.

Images from the set of Good Boys – which Rogen is producing – were published by TMZ and feature the stand-in for 11-year-old actor Keith L. Williams wearing make-up to darken his face.

Both the stand-in and Williams are African-American but dark make-up was used to match the stand-in’s skin complexion to the actor’s.

“I should start by saying this shouldn’t have happened, and I’m terribly sorry it did,” Rogen’s statement reads.

“I won’t give excuses for why it happened. I’ll just say that as soon I was made aware of it, I ensured we put an end to it – and I give my word that on any project my team and I are involved in, we will take every precaution to make sure something similar does not take place again.

“I’m engaging in conversations to make sure I find the best way to do that. It’s on me to be proactive. Reacting isn’t enough.”

TMZ sources say that a complaint was filled when the stand-in walked on set with the blackface makeup on. They also say that the practice of using darker make-up is “not uncommon for lighting purposes to match actors’ skin tones,” something other cinematographers have disputed.

“It is important for me to cast a person with similar complexion and physical stature to the actors they are standing in for,” one told IndieWire.

“In regards to makeup, I’ve seen wigs used and powder to take down shine, but maybe not as extreme as what is being suggested here. I personally would never ask for someone to be made up in a darker tone. You would just compensate for what you understand to be lighter or darker while lighting.”

Good Boys follows the journey of four boys – played by Williams, Jacob Tremblay, Molly Gordon, and Brady Noon – after they skip school to fix a broken toy. Directed by The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, the film is set for release next year.