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Martin Freeman’s controversial remarks regarding various cultural and social issues have resurfaced online in the wake of the release of the trailer of his new film with Jenna Ortega.
The old allegations were unearthed to support netizens' argument that Freeman was just as problematic as his character in the movie The Miller’s Girl, which explores a twisted, unsettling relationship between a teacher and a student.
The English actor, known for playing Tim Canterbury in The Office, John Watson in Sherlock and most notably, Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, was slammed after the trailer for a new film with Jenna Ortega debuted online.
The trailer for Miller’s Girl offered a look at Jenna Ortega’s character whose relationship with her teacher - played by Martin Freeman - crosses the line.
Social media users unearthed a decade-old clip where Freeman was caught doing the same when he made an inappropriate joke about r*pe during a press tour for the movie The Hobbit.
During a press tour in 2013, the now 52-year-old actor, who plays Bilbo Baggins in the trilogy, was asked if he’d most likely date a dwarf, a hobbit or an elf.
In response, the Breeders actor swiftly replied Elf as they are beautiful. When the interviewer asked if the height difference between hobbits and elves could pose an issue, he added:
“Not at all. I've got a ladder. It's fine. And I've got drugs. I could just make them — y'know. Slip them something in their goblet. Some will get offended by that now. Cause they'll call it [air quotes, eye roll] "R*PE" or whatever. But, um, you know. For me, it's a helping hand. Maybe I should stop talking.”
While the actor was claerly making an inappropriate joke like he’s known to in the past, social media users did not appear to be in a forgiving mood.
Martin Freeman's controversial comments explored
Martin Freeman is being dragged online over his decade-old socially and culturally insensitive remarks on the heels of a controversial new film with Jenna Ortega.
Netizens have equated his character in the movie that explores a teacher’s unorthodox relationship with a student with his real-life persona that many have deemed problematic.
While circulating a 2013 interview clip where Freeman made an inappropriate joke about s*xual assault, netizens pointed out that the actor has also made some remarks troubling about race in the past.
During an interview with the Daily Mail in 2008, Martin Freeman made comments that many readers construed as islamophobic, insensitive, and racist.
The interview began with comments about discourse on multiculturalism that he argued was often polarizing.
“Multiculturalism hasn’t and doesn’t help because, rightly or wrongly, it polarizes people so much,” said Freeman. “Racism is one thing, and I don’t agree with that in any form, but noticing that there are differences is normal and fine and to be encouraged.”
Freeman also made some comments about Muslims with beards in Britain, saying:
“We’ve reached a state now where it’s, ‘You shouldn’t notice. Why are you noticing he’s got a bomb and has a beard and is Muslim and wants to kill your family?’ There is no country in the world like this.”
Freeman went on to add to his unconscious bias, stating people in Ghana might not love it if all their wardens were Welsh.
“If all of a sudden all the traffic wardens in Ghana were Welsh, they’d notice and might not love it. We give ourselves a hard time in this country in a sort of mea culpa way. But if we were that racist, people wouldn’t come. Very simple.”
Martin Freeman then went on to use a racist slur while talking about rap music, which triggered widespread backlash in 2008.
Netizens react as Martin Freeman's controversial remarks resurface online
While the comments were made in 2008, netizens began circulating the clips online to support their argument that the actor has a history of troubling behavior.
It is important to note that in 2017, Martin Freeman issued an apology for his insensitive remarks and acknowledged the pain they had caused.
