Spike Lee's new film BlacKkKlansman tells the story of Ron Stallworth, a black police officer from Colorado who infiltrates the local Ku Klux Klan chapter in the 1970s by talking to different KKK leaders on the phone and sending an undercover white police officer to attend meetings in person.
BlacKkKlansman, which is based on a true story, shows how Stallworth built a relationship with David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the KKK, by continuously speaking with him on the phone.
And in a recent interview with NBC, the real Ron Stallworth said Duke called him up to express his concerns about his portrayal in Lee's upcoming film.
"He said, ‘Ron, this is David Duke.’ And I looked at my wife with stunned eyes and I said, ‘Hi, David, how are you?’" Stallworth said.
Stallworth told NBC that Lee "made him look kind of stupid, but he was stupid in how this whole thing transpired 40 years ago."
"He complimented Spike [Lee]," Stallworth continued. "He said, ‘I've always respected Spike Lee,’ which surprised the heck out of me."
Lee, who was also present for the interview, said, "That’s a compliment I don’t need."
