The actor was responding to claims the comedy has been ‘cancelled’
Ben Stiller has said Tropic Thunder wouldn’t be made today in a new interview with Collider as he continues to work on series two of Severance.
The film, which was released in 2008, stoked controversy over its portrayal of disabled people and minority groups, with Marvel’s Robert Downey Jr appearing in blackface for the film.
Asked whether he thinks the film would be made today, he replied: “I doubt it. In this environment, edgier comedy is just harder to do… the idea of Robert Downey Jr. playing that character who’s playing an African American character, I mean, incredibly dicey. Even at the time, of course, it was dicey too.
“The only reason we attempted it was I felt like the joke was very clear in terms of who that joke was on — actors trying to do anything to win awards. But now, in this environment, I don’t even know if I would have ventured to do it, to tell you the truth. I’m being honest.”
Stiller has responded to ‘cancel culture’ claims made in relation to the satirical action comedy film before.
Fans of the movie have been taking to social media to decry liberals for trying to cancel the film, describing it as a “classic movie” made all the funnier because of modern cancel culture.
Stiller has always defended making the film despite his recent comments, previously saying he’s ‘proud’ of the comedy movie.
Taking to social media last year, one fan wrote: “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. 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.”
Alongside the post was a screenshot of an earlier tweet, claiming the Meet The Parents star had been forced to apologise for Tropic Thunder.
Responding to the fan, Stiller wrote: “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.”
It’s not the first time he has addressed the controversy surrounding the film, which shows a fictional group of actors become involved in jungle warfare and parodies of Apocalypse Now.
Back in 2018, Olympic athlete Shaun White dressed up as neurodivergent character Jeff Portnoy, who had been played in Tropic Thunder by Jack Black.
It sparked an intense backlash from some of his fans, with the snowboarder eventually apologising for his actions on social media saying that he’d made the ‘wrong’ decision.
At the time, Stiller also responded to the incident after one former fan called for a fresh boycott of the film on Twitter.
He wrote: “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”.
Robert Downey Jr. has also responded to critics of his Tropic Thunder’ blackface, saying “90 per cent of my black friends were like, “Dude, that was great””.
