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What's the meaning of a phrase “A was persuaded away from B” here?

Thirty years later, George Miller, the Australian director of the original trilogy, was persuaded away from films about tap-dancing penguins to revive the brand. In “Fury Road” he has given us villains for the Justin Bieber generation, and they are a very peculiar bunch indeed. (Economist)

(link address: http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2015/05/new-film-mad-max-fury-road)

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It means that someone persuaded him to try something else than what he had been doing. The "dancing penguins" is a reference to the HAPPY FEET movies, which he directed.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Feet

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  • In your explanation, does someone include himself? Don't you think 'something' should replace 'someone' in your explanation? (I think someone makes the range of the cause too narrow)
    – InfimumMaximum
    Jun 4, 2015 at 6:26
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    I think if he talked himself into it, one might use "became convinced" or "convinced himself" or "decided", rather than the passive "was persuaded".
    – Brian Hitchcock
    Jun 4, 2015 at 7:33
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    @InfimumMaximum: Note that persuation implies reasoning or argument to convince someone of something, which can only be done by a person. (Or, in afntasy/scifi, other intelligent beings)
    – Tushar Raj
    Jun 4, 2015 at 8:25

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