“It backfired a little bit.”
Benedict Cumberbatch has said his decision to portray a non-binary character in Zoolander 2 “backfired”.
The actor played a non-binary fashion model called All in the film, who is frequently made fun of and asked if they have a “hot dog or a bun”.
LGBTQ activists had previously condemned the film when it was released back in 2016.
It was criticised for its “over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals”.
Now, Benedict has reflected on the criticism the film received and revealed that he agrees with it.
Joining his fellow Zoolander 2 cast member Penélope Cruz for Variety‘s ‘Actors on Actors’ series, he said:
“There was a lot of contention around the role, understandably now. And I think in this era, my role would never be performed by anybody other than a trans actor.”
He admitted that he originally thought including a non-binary character in the movie was quite progressive but now understands it was not executed well.
“I remember at the time not thinking of it necessarily in that regard, and it being more about two dinosaurs, two heteronormative clichés not understanding this new diverse world.
“But it backfired a little bit.”
Leading up to Zoolander 2’s release, a petition was launched calling for people to boycott the film.
“Cumberbatch’s character is clearly portrayed as an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals,” the petition stated.
“This is the modern equivalent of using blackface to represent a minority. If the producers wanted to provide social commentary on the presence of trans/androgyne individuals in the fashion industry, they could have approached models like Andreja Pejic to be in the film.
“By hiring a cis actor to play a non-binary individual in a clearly negative way, the film endorses harmful and dangerous perceptions of the queer community at large.”
