Justin Theroux said comments that “Zoolander 2” is transphobic are totally unsubstantiated.
The 44-year-old actor is one of the scriptwriters for the film, and though the film hasn’t even made it to theaters yet, there are already several petitions calling for a boycott because critics say it’s “transphobic” and “sexist.”
An LGBT activist started one of the petitions against the film because she thinks Benedict Cumberbatch’s character makes a “mockery of trans people.” (VIDEO: People Are Freaking Out Over Zoolander 2’s ‘Transphobic’ Trailer)
(Photo: YouTube screen grab)
Theroux said that isn’t so.
“I don’t even know what to make of it, because it hurts my feelings in a way,” Theroux said during a recent interview. “I take great care in the jokes I write, and the umbrage being taken is out of the context of the scene.”
“I wish people would see the movie first.”
Theroux recently married Jennifer Aniston. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for LTLA)
This has happened to Theroux before. When he wrote the script for “Tropic Thunder” in 2008, many complained because the film used the word “retard.”
“Satire is a thing that points out the idiots, and we went through it on ‘Tropic Thunder’ with the ‘R’ word.”
“The goal was not to mock or be cruel to the mentally challenged, but exalt in the stupidity of people who use that word. I’m all for letting words be ugly when the target is correct. (RELATED: Caitlyn Jenner Says ‘Transphobic’ Halloween Costume Isn’t Offensive)
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