{"id":50487,"date":"2024-04-30T11:56:38","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T09:56:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2033238"},"modified":"2024-04-30T12:28:41","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T10:28:41","slug":"martin-freeman-speaks-out-on-criticism-of-jenna-ortega-age-gap-in-millers-girl","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/martin-freeman-speaks-out-on-criticism-of-jenna-ortega-age-gap-in-millers-girl\/","title":{"rendered":"Martin Freeman speaks out on criticism of Jenna Ortega age gap in Miller\u2019s Girl"},"content":{"rendered":"

The erotic thriller stirred up controversy when it was released digitally in February. <\/p>

By David Craig\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 30 April 2024 at 09:56 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Martin Freeman has responded to the controversy surrounding his recent film Miller\u2019s Girl<\/a>, depicting a problematic relationship between a teacher and his student.<\/p>\n

The Responder<\/a> actor plays creative writing teacher Jonathan Miller in the erotic thriller, while Wednesday<\/a> star Jenna Ortega plays his teenage pupil Cairo Sweet.<\/p>\n

The film faced backlash on social media upon release earlier this year for depicting a student-teacher relationship, particularly one with such a considerable age gap (there are 31 years between Freeman and Ortega).<\/p>\n

In an interview with The Sunday Times<\/a>, Freeman addressed the discourse around the film, clarifying that it\u2019s not advocating for the kind of relationship that it explores.<\/p>

The actor described Miller\u2019s Girl as a \u201cgrown-up and nuanced\u201d approach to the subject matter, adding that the message of the piece is certainly not: \u201cIsn\u2019t this great?\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman went on to say that it\u2019s \u201ca shame\u201d that the feature, which marks the debut of writer-director Jade Halley Bartlett, became the subject of scandal just because it touches on a difficult, uncomfortable topic.<\/p>\n

In a reference to acclaimed 1993 film Schindler\u2019s List, he asked: \u201cAre we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?\u201d<\/p>\n

Previously, Miller\u2019s Girl intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona assured (via Daily Mail<\/a>) that Ortega was \u201ccomfortable\u201d with the sexual scenes in the film, amid concerns around safeguarding the younger talent.<\/p>\n

\"Cairo\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet in Miller\u2019s Girl.<\/span><\/figcaption> Zac Popik\/Lionsgate<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cThere were many, many people throughout this process engaging with [Ortega] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do,\u201d explained Arjona.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we\u2019re consistently checking in, and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freeman returns to screens this weekend for The Responder<\/a> season 2, while Ortega will next be seen in cinemas for belated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice<\/a>, co-starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.<\/p>\n