Henry Cavill’s girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso apologizes after old ‘offensive’ tribal photo leads to allegations of cultural appropriation
Henry Cavill’s girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso, recently came under fire for alleged cultural appropriation after an old photo wearing a tribal costume resurfaced online.
Natalie Viscuso is the Vice President of the American production and media company Legendary Entertainment. The “Superman” actor publicly announced his relationship with Natalie this April.
Soon after, fans unearthed the “blackfaced” picture, and Viscuso found herself in the middle of the controversy. The 31-year-old was vehemently criticized across social media over the past few days.
In the image, Natalie is donning tribal attire with her skin colored from the neck down. According to reports, the picture was shot for a 2008 MTV Reality show.
Natalie was dressed in the native costume during her visit to Namibia, where she spent time with an African tribe.
Henry Cavill’s girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso, publicly apologize after strong backlash for cultural appropriation
The controversial image immediately caused Natalie Viscuso to face the online “cancel culture.” Fans even called out Henry Cavill for his association with the media executive.
The massive outrage spread like wildfire, even leading people to ask Netflix for Henry Cavill’s replacement from the popular series “The Witcher.”
Some went on to register for an official petition seeking Henry’s replacement from the show following his girlfriend’s cultural appropriation controversy.
After a strong backlash, Natalie Viscuso spoke to the Daily Mail addressing the issue and asking for an apology:
“Firstly, I’d like to say that I’m sorry if this image surfacing has caused any offense. It is a photo from 2008 for a TV show in Namibia. The tribe I was living with painted my skin as part of an initiation ceremony and an acceptance into their culture.”
Natalie explained that she now recognizes the consequences of her past actions.
“Never in a million years did I think that this would be offensive, in fact, I felt honored that they would initiate me. However, with the lessons that we are all learning in today’s climate, it is important that I recognize that this is potentially hurtful. My deepest and most sincere apologies.”
However, a few netizens were quick to deem Natalie Viscuso’s apology as “forced” and “fake.”
In light of the racial controversy, some even called out Henry Cavill and Natalie Viscuso for meeting during the lockdown and defying restrictions.
Meanwhile, some fans came to Cavill’s defense and shared that he does not deserve to be “canceled” based on Viscuso’s actions.
Just a while ago, Cavill issued a lengthy note calling out fans for speculating about his personal life. He shared a picture with Natalie and said he is “happy in love and life.”
As people continue to debate Viscuso’s apology online, it is to be seen if Henry Cavill will address the latest issue himself.
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Srijan Sen