X3 actors argued over plot
Filed under: Action, Celebrities and Controversy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
It
seems that True Believers are not the only ones who have found themselves embroiled in debate regarding the
dismal-sounding future of the X-Men film franchise.
According to a report on Sci Fi Wire, several of the film's primary actors wound up arguing over the direction of the
story, as well. The story reports that Ian McKellen, Halle Berry and Hugh
Jackman found themselves arguing about the film's central problem during a round table interview.
Here's
why: the film centers around a cure developed which can revert mutants back into "normal" human beings, and
the mutants naturally struggle over whether or not they wish to be "cured." Ian McKellen stated the idea that
a mutant needs to be cured is as "contemptuous" as the idea that a gay man such as himself needs to be
"cured" of homosexuality. Halle Berry agreed, saying that the point also makes sense from a racial
standpoint. Berry indicated that when she was young, she used to wish she could change her skin color thinking it would
make her life better- and as she grew older she realized how flawed that thinking was.
Hugh Jackman then joined the conversation from a more Marvel-centric stance and pointed out that some mutants, such as Rogue, really have tremendous problems that they'd give anything to be rid of. Jackman said that it is "humanely, socially, incredibly understandable that a character like that would take it." To which Ian snapped "It isn't necessarily her mutancy that's the problem. It's other people's reaction to it. Maybe it's society that's wrong, not her."
Woo, talk about some raised hackles. Thoughts, readers? Is the parallel being drawn by Ian and Halle an accurate one, or are they going over the top in trying to make a political issue out of a simple comic book story? Hugh's got an interesting point - most of us would kill to be Captain America or the Human Torch - but can you really blame Rogue or Ben Grimm or many such others if they desperately want to be "normal" again?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-07-2006 @ 12:57AM
patrick said...
that ian mckellan retort to hugh is a poor point. It's entirely her mutancy that is a problem; it forces her to live without experiencing things that we assume she'd like to experience (touch, physical love, etc).
Reply
3-07-2006 @ 2:20AM
Pinder said...
I agree with Patrick.. Its obvious Mr. McKellan lacks knowledge of the X-Men as portrayed in the marvel comics. Not that i'm surprised that Hugh Jackman is more educated about the roots of the project he's involved in than McKellan is.
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3-07-2006 @ 2:42AM
Cyberphin said...
It's a breakdown of the analogy. Mutants as analogies for Homosexuality and Race can be taken only so far. In the case of Rogue, simple contact kills. Kissing is out of the question let alone sex! Could she even conceive invitro, would be a fan boy argument to no end. Being a different Race or being Homosexual doesn't kill others and doesn't prevent you from experiencing life like others(except for bigotry that is suffered) but everyone can love and have children except rogue. But then again maybe is she had control of her own power she wouldn't need a "cure".
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3-07-2006 @ 1:23PM
jtnelso said...
Ian McKellan is gay??? But he's Gandalf? He's supposed to be Gandalf the Grey, not Gandalf the Gay! I'm devastated.
Reply
3-07-2006 @ 6:10PM
Jaymez said...
I think McKellan was just using homosexuality as an example.
I'm not a huge follower of comics in general, but, it seems to me as if Rouge's mutation could be the most problematic. The others can turn off/temporarily ignore their mutations from time to time. It's hard to ignore having to avoid ALL physical contact without some kind of protection.
Reply
3-21-2006 @ 8:51PM
Sandy said...
Wow! I think we need to put ourselves in a position to answer as if mutants could really exist. I think that's why Ian and Halle were locked in the discussion over. While Hugh seems to be looking at it on an actor's point of view, I think that Ian and Halle are actually putting the point down as if it were a real situation. That said, I have to side with Ian. Mutants need to be heard and known that they are a part of the world (as it is in the film, of course) and do not need to be 'cured'. If it were a real-life matter, I'd still feel the same. I'd probably be a sympathizer of mutants if they really existed as they do in the movie because I was harassed as a little kid for not being like everyone else, not 'fitting in' with the other kids, mainly because I showed compassion for kids that others 'put down' or kids that had special needs. I'd get harassed because I would befriend them. If there was a real situation like in the movie X-men, even though I don't have special powers, I'd have to respect those that do. I'd also fight to help them be heard, respected, and to use those powers for the good of this world, not against it. Some of the comments I read reminded me of what William Stryker was like. He was a scientist - but hated mutants. Just look what he did to his own son. And, yes, sorry jtnelso, Ian IS gay. Ever watched the movie "And The Band Played On"? It's about the evolution of the AIDS virus and the doctors who desperately tried to identify the strain so a cure could be found. Ian played one of the key characters who dies of the disease.
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