'No apologies': Ben Stiller proud of ‘Tropic Thunder’ despite backlash over Robert Downey Jr's blackface
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ben Stiller has declared he is "proud" of his 2008 film 'Tropic Thunder' despite the controversies surrounding it. The satirical action comedy faced backlash over Robert Downey Jr character, Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus, undergoing "pigmentation alteration” surgery to play a Black character in a war movie.
Downey Jr's performance bagged him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. However, 'Tropic Thunder' drew criticism over the actor's blackface as well as the film's depiction of disabled characters. Stiller's character Tugg Speedman plays a character Simple Jack in a film within 'Tropic Thunder' - a satire of thespians who chase accolades by taking on disabled roles.
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'Proud of it and the work everyone did on it'
According to the film's synopsis, 'Tropic Thunder' portrays "a film crew shooting a big-budget war movie, [who] are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying, when they are attacked by a gang of poppy-growing local drug dealers, due to mistaken identities.” One Twitter user @BennySings tagged Stiller and tweeted, "Please stop apologizing for doing this movie. It was and still is funny AF... Even funnier now with cancel culture the way it is. It's a MOVIE. Y'all can just get over it. I was DYING laughing when I first saw it back in the day and so was everyone else.” In response, the actor posted, “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.”
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. 🙏✊😊
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) February 21, 2023
The Twitter user subsequently pulled up a 2018 tweet from Stiller that read, "Actually Tropic Thunder was boycotted 10 years ago when it came out, and I apologized then. It was always meant to make fun of actors trying to do anything to win awards. I stand by my apology, the movie, Shaun White, And the great people and work of the @SpecialOlympics." The user commented, "I'm guessing people saw this....and took it, misconstrued it, and ran with it. That movie is a classic to this day. I stand with you, bro."
I'm guessing people saw this.... and took it, misconstrued it and ran with it. That movie is a classic to this day. I stand with you bro. 💯 https://t.co/WJQSDTLlZd
— Benny S. (@BennySings) February 22, 2023
'I take exception'
During an appearance on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' podcast in 2020, Downey Jr addressed his character and the controversy surrounding it. “[Ben] knew exactly what the vision for this was, and he executed it, it was impossible to not have it be an offensive nightmare of a movie,” Downey Jr said. “And 90 percent of my black friends were like, ‘Dude, that was great.’ I can’t disagree with [the other 10 percent], but I know where my heart lies. I think that it’s never an excuse to do something that’s out of place and out of its time, but to me, it blasted the cap on [the issue]." The star added, “I think having a moral psychology is job one. Sometimes, you just gotta go, ‘Yeah I effed up.’ In my defense, Tropic Thunder is about how wrong [blackface] is, so I take exception.”
That said, Stiller is currently working on the second season of the Apple TV+ series 'Severance' after it was renewed in April 2020. A release date is yet to be announced, according to NME magazine.