Emma Roberts reflects on 'Madame Web' failure, blames ‘internet culture’

Emma Roberts has attributed the underwhelming performance of the film 'Madame Web' to what she perceives as the negative influence of "internet culture." 

In an interview with Variety, Roberts, 33, expressed her personal admiration for the movie despite its poor box office showing.

"I personally really loved Madame Web. I really enjoyed the movie. I thought everyone in it was great," remarked the actress known for her role in 'Space Cadet.' "If it wasn’t for internet culture and everything being made into a joke, I think that the reception would’ve been different."

Roberts lamented the trend of trivializing serious efforts in entertainment. "It bums [her] out" that "people just make such a joke out of everything now." 

She acknowledged the unpredictable nature of success in the industry, noting, "Things work; things don’t work. Everyone likes to act like they can predict if they’re going to work or they’re not. And the truth is, you can’t."

Contrasting with Roberts' perspective, her 'Madame Web' co-star Dakota Johnson, 34, offered a more critical assessment in an interview with Bustle earlier this year. Johnson suggested that audiences are perceptive and can discern quality from mediocrity. 

"You cannot make art based on numbers and algorithms," she argued. "Audiences are extremely smart."

Beyond her reflections on 'Madame Web,' Roberts also addressed her concerns about allegations of misconduct in the children’s television industry, revealed in the documentary 'Quiet On Set.' Reflecting on her experience on 'Unfabulous,' Roberts emphasized the importance of protecting both children and adults on set.

"For me, my show, 'Unfabulous,' the showrunner we had was this amazing woman named Sue Rose," Roberts shared. "It made me really sad, and I just feel like children need to be protected on sets, as do adults, and I feel like we’re working towards a better work environment in that sense."