Sam Elliot apologizes for his comments. Image Source: uk5news
Sam Elliot apologizes for his comments.
While appearing at the Deadline Contenders TV event on April 10th, Sam Elliot apologized to the cast and crew of Jane Campion’s "The Power of the Dog" for his comments made on Marc Maron’s "WTF" podcast. Sam Elliot especially mentioned the actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who was the lead actor in the movie, and said that all he could say was that he was sorry.
Sam Elliot appeared on Marc Maron’s "WTF" podcast last month and was asked his opinion about the movie and he said that Jane Campion is a brilliant director, but the movie, The Power of the Dog, which went on to receive praise from critics and actors, was a "piece of shit," according to him. Sam Elliot specifically mentioned Benedict Cumberbatch’s closeted gay character, Phil Burbank, who is the centre of the movie and said he could not understand the reason behind the cowboys running around in chaps and no shirts.
Sam Elliot also mentioned that although Jane Campion is a great director, what did Jane Campion know about the American West, and why did she film the film in New Zealand before calling it Montana? The 77-year-old actor pointed out that the costumes worn by the characters in the movie made them look like Chippendales dancers rather than cowboys. The veteran actor said that there are these allusions to homosexuality throughout the movie.
After Sam Elliot’s controversial statements about the movie and the characters, Benedict Cumberbatch said that the comments were very odd and he's trying very hard not to comment on the matter much but he did add that LGBTQ characters should be included in the movies as they exists in the world we live in. The director of the movie added that he was being a little bit of a bitch at the DGA Awards on March 12th. Jane Campion, who went on to win the Academy Award for Best Director, also said that she thinks of herself as a creator and that Sam Elliot thinks of her as a woman or something less. She added that Sam Elliot is an actor, not a cowboy.
Jane clarified that the West is a myth exposed and there is a lot of room on the range. Sam Elliot's comments about the movie come off as a little sexist, and she doesn't appreciate it.
Apologizing to the cast about the comments he made while appearing on the podcast, Sam Elliot said during the Deadline Contenders TV event that he said something that went on to hurt people and he feels terrible about it. The actor added that the gay community has been incredible to him in his career and apologized to the community, friends, and everyone who might have been hurt by his comments. Sam Elliot said that he was not very articulate in expressing his opinion of the movie and feels terrible about how his comments were received.
Kodi Smit-McPhee and Benedict Cumberbatch in 'The Power of the Dogs'. Image Source: The Brown Daily Herland
Actor Kodi Smit-McPhee, who was also a part of the movie, also reacted to the comments made by Sam Elliot at the time and stated that he had nothing to say to the veteran actor. Kodi added that the reason he is choosing not to speak about it is that he is being a mature person who is passionate about what he does and does not want to give his time and energy to anything outside of it. The actor expressed his best wishes to Sam Elliot. The 77-year-old actor was invited to talk about his Western TV show, "1883," which is a prequel to the popular hit "Yellowstone," at the Deadline Contenders TV event.
Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" is a Western psychological drama which is based on Thomas Savage's 1967 novel of the same name. The movie stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, along with Benedict Cumberbatch.
The movie had its international world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and was later released on Netflix on 1st December 2021 and has since then received positive responses from critics and audiences. The audience has went ahead to appreciate the director's vision with the movie, the score, the way it was directed and of course the performances of the cast. The film centers around the themes of love, grief, resentment, jealousy, masculinity, and sexuality. The director of the movie was awarded the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September.
