Cast from Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. Photo from 20th Century Fox / Facebook
No one from the cast and crew of Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials took artifacts from a historic Pueblo site in New Mexico, according to the studio behind the film. 20th Century Fox said it conducted an investigation after actor Dylan O’Brien made a joke about items being taken from an "Indian burial ground." The studio, though, denied any wrongdoing. "Twentieth Century Fox and the entire Scorch Trials production have deep respect for the local Native American culture and environment and are sorry that any actions or statements by people involved in the production led to any suggestion that our intentions were anything but deferential or that anything was taken from the area," the studio said in a statement to Reuters. The Diamond Tail Ranch, a 22,000-acre site located near two Pueblo reservations, was contacted by the studio after the incident made national news. But property manager Roch Hart wasn't so sure about the results of the investigation.
Film production at the Diamond Tail Ranch in New Mexico. Photo from Facebook
"To date no one is admitting they did it," Hart said on Facebook. "We have offered to 20th Century Fox that if anyone's conscience should bother them that we would accept the artifacts back anonmysously[sic] if they lied about not taking anything." The ranch has been used as a filming location for several Hollywood productions. It is located north of Albuquerque, between Sandia Pueblo and San Felipe Pueblo. A petition calling on the cast and crew to apologize to the Pueblo people has garnered more than 55,000 signatures. A 19-year-old from Connecticut started it after learning about O'Brien's comments on Live with Kelly and Michael last month. "I think there is a lot of ignorance in the world lately and it seems like a good idea to use my free time to make it a better place for everyone," Maeve Cunningham told KOAT-TV of New Mexico. Get the Story:
'Maze Runner' cast did not steal Native American items, studio says (Reuters 10/8)
Meet the teen behind the 'Maze Runner' petition (KOAT 10/8)
Maze Runner cast receives karmic justice for stealing Native American artifacts (A.V. Club 10/8) An Opinion:
Lewis Borck: Indiana O'Brien and the Raiders of the 'Maze' (The Huffington Post 10/8)
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Actor joked about taking tribal artifacts from
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