Ben Stiller Defends ‘Tropic Thunder’ Which Featured Robert Downey Jr. in Blackface

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Ben Stiller stands by “Tropic Thunder” despite the heavy backlash.

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Several Twitter users were criticizing the film for its portrayal of people with disabilities and Robert Downey Jr.’s use of blackface. In response to a Twitter user’s request for Stiller to stop apologizing for the movie, Stiller stood by his decision to star in it.

“It was and still is funny AF,” one user tweeted. “Even funnier now with cancel culture the way it is. It’s a MOVIE. Ya’ll can just get over it. I was DYING laughing when I first saw it back in the day and so was everyone else.”

Stiller, who starred in and directed the movie, went on to respond later that day. “I make no apologies for ‘Tropic Thunder,'” the actor tweeted. “Don’t know who told you that. It’s always been a controversial movie since when we opened. Proud of it and the work that everyone did on it.” 

Ben Stiller Fights Back

“Tropic Thunder” follows around a group of struggling actors who are thrown into a real-life war zone while filming a war movie in the jungle. Ben Stiller plays Tugg Speedman, an action-movie star who attempts to portray a farmhand with an intellectual disability in the movie in hopes of winning an Oscar. The character is depicted with a bowl haircut, buckteeth, and a stutter, which drew criticism from some viewers.

An old tweet from Stiller resurfaced after a Twitter user brought it up in response to the actor standing by the film. The tweet, originally from 2018, discussed the boycott surrounding the film’s release back in 2008, when 20 disability advocacy groups objected to the use of a word that disparages people with intellectual disabilities.

“Actually Tropic Thunder was boycotted 10 years ago when it came out, and I apologized then,” the 2018 tweet said. “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.

Robert Downey Jr.’s character, Kirk Lazarus, is a method actor who uses makeup to darken his skin to play a Black soldier. Downey has admitted to being hesitant about taking on the role, which ultimately earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2009.

‘Tropic Thunder’

“He knew exactly what the vision for this was. He executed it. It was impossible to not have it be an offensive nightmare of a movie,” Downey said in episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience. in 2019″ “And 90% of my Black friends were like, ‘Dude, that was great.'”

When Rogan asked the actor about “the other 10 percent,” Downey stated, “I can’t disagree with them, but I know where my heart was.”

“It”‘s never an excuse to do something that’s out of place and not of its time, but to me, it was just putting a — it was a blasting cap,” Downey added.

“Sometimes, you just have to go, ‘Yeah I effed up,'” the actor stated. “Again, not in my defense, ‘Tropic Thunder’ was about how wrong that is, so I take exception.”

Read More: Robert Downey Jr. Threw His Drugs into the Ocean for His Wife

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