Ben Stiller Refuses To Apologize For Tropic Thunder And Says He’s ‘Proud’ Of Movie
Ben Stiller refuses to apologize for being a part of Tropic Thunder and says he’s ‘proud’ of the action-comedy.
Tropic Thunder, released in 2008, follows a troop of actors shooting a war filmwhen they suddenly find themselves caught up in real conflict
Despite its success, it hasn’t gone without its controversies…
Tropic Thunder features an all-star cast, starring Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Tom Cruise, Jay Baruchel, Nick Holte, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey, and Brandon T. Jackson, among others.
One of the movie’s main criticisms is that it shows Downey Jr. donning blackface.
In the action-comedy, the star plays Kirk Lazarus, an Australian method actor who undergoes a controversial ‘pigmentation alteration’ surgery to temporarily darken his skin for portraying the Black character Staff Sergeant Lincoln Osiris.
As explained by the BBC, blackface ‘commonly refers to when someone (typically with white skin) paints their face darker to resemble a Black person.’
The historical practice involves Black people being mocked for the entertainment of white people, with depictions being both inaccurate and deeply offensive.
The movie was also boycotted by multiple disability advocacy groups, including the Special Olympics, per USA Today, for its use of a word used to belittle people with an intellectual disability.
There are also scenes in which Stiller plays an actor who takes on the role of a character named ‘Simple Jack.’
Many people have boycotted the film due to these aspects.
Discussing it on X (formerly Twitter), one person says: “It’s extremely offensive… just shows we have a long way to go.”
Another adds: “I’m too uncomfortable to enjoy any of it.”
Stiller, who directed and co-wrote the film, has defended Tropic Thunder and says he’s ‘proud’ of it.
The actor addressed the movie’s controversy when one fan pleaded with him to never apologize for his involvement.
In response, Stiller said: “I make no apologies for Tropic Thunder. Don’t know who told you that.
“It’s always been a controversial movie since when we opened. Proud of it and the work everyone did on it.”
He also addressed its backlash in 2018, with a tweet reading: “Actually Tropic Thunder was boycotted 10 years ago when it came out, and I apologized then.