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Lionsgate’s Miller’s Girl sparked major controversy when it was released earlier this year for its sexual scenes between an 18-year-old female character and an older teacher. Now, actor Martin Freeman is reacting to the backlash that the film received over its eroticism and his age gap with co-star Jenna Ortega.
While speaking with The Times in a recent interview, Martin, 52, described his and Jenna’s movie as “grown-up and nuanced.”
“It’s not saying, ‘Isn’t this great?’” he said, referring to the plot. Calling the backlash “a shame,” the English actor went on to ask, “Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?” Martin was referring to the 1993 movie Schindler’s List.
Per the synopsis of Miller’s Girl, Jenna’s 18-year-old student character, Cairo, “embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.”
Although the Wednesday series star, 21, has not openly discussed her erotic scenes with Martin, the film’s intimacy coordinator, Kristina Arjona, spoke with Daily Mail shortly after the movie premiered.
“There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] 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,” Kristina explained to the outlet in February, adding that cast members “also have the option on the day to change their mind if they don’t want to do any of the elements that we’ve discussed.”
The coordinator acknowledged that “part of [her] job is supporting [Jenna’s] decisions” and also pointed out that, with an age difference such as the one featured in Miller’s Girl, the goal for Kristina was to ensure both actors were comfortable.
“I adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors,” Kristina noted. “‘I’m hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we’re consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed. And again, making sure — especially with someone who’s significantly younger — that they are giving continuous consent.”