
Nathan Fillion responds to MAGA criticism of 'Superman' as an immigrant story: "Somebody needs a hug"
As criticism from conservative commentators mounted, Fillion offered a brief but telling response at the film's Hollywood premiere.
'Aw, somebody needs a hug,' said Fillion, who plays Guy Gardner, also known as Green Lantern. 'Just a movie, guys.'
His understated remark comes amid heated reaction online and from right-wing media outlets after Gunn's comments in The Times of London framed Superman as a story about kindness and the immigrant experience in America.
James Gunn, meanwhile, stood firm, telling Variety, 'I don't have anything to say to anybody spreading hate… I think this is a movie about kindness and I think that's something everyone can relate to. I'm not here to judge people.'
Sean Gunn, portraying Maxwell Lord, took a stronger stance, stating, 'Yes, Superman is an immigrant… and if you don't like that, you're not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way.'
Fox News anchors including Jesse Watters and Kellyanne Conway were quick to criticise the film, with Watters saying, 'You know what it says on his cape? MS13,' and Conway adding, 'We don't go to the movie theater to be lectured to.'
While the backlash grows, Fillion's response offers a moment of levity, signalling that not everyone in the Superman cast feels the need to engage deeply with the controversy.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Hollywood and the American sickness
Due to being housed in California, Hollywood always likes to paint its image of not only democratic leaning but also all for human rights and other goodies. Truth be told, Hollywood is responsible for much of the American sickness, especially the kinds that manifests itself in society as well as in politics. A growing number of Americans grew up watching Hollywood movies where a certain group of foreign countries are portrayed as enemies and villains. Iran, Iraq, Syria, Venezuela, China, Russia, and sometimes Pakistan are talked about and portrayed as the bad actors that are up to no good. America is always depicted as this great player on the world stage, which is capable of doing nothing wrong and is always out and about on foreign soil, occupying their lands, doing killings and so forth — all for a good cause. As far as Hollywood is concerned, America has invaded foreign countries, which Americans may not even be able to find on a map, only because the people in those countries needed to be rescued and helped from their own fellow citizens. This not only justifies the evil act of aggression, which America commits instinctively, but also sanitises it. It also creates a moral bankruptcy because Americans think that invading foreign countries is somehow a good cause and the only worthy purpose in those invasions is to get upset over American deaths. Clint Eastwood produced a movie named American Sniper, which is one such illustration of what Chomsky called a dehumanised mentality. Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar for acting in The Pianist, is quite a contrast to American Sniper in one regard: this movie highlights the miserable conditions under which Brody's character lives and survives the Holocaust as a Jew. In American Sniper, a Muslim woman on a street in her own country, which is occupied and invaded by the American Sniper's nation, is shot and killed by the American Sniper who describes her as a terrorist and a savage. These two movies are just samples representing a myriad of movies through the decades confirming the concern that Edward Said had expressed that what these movies do is create a tendency in the minds of the American people to rationalise the slaughter of one kind of people and protection of another kind. In Said's time, he was pointing to the movie Lawrence of Arabia, where the white man was civilised and peaceful and the Arab man was wild and savage. Quite honestly, the reverse is the truth if we only look at actions. The clean shaven smiling faces with blonde hair are some of the most dangerous sapiens that ever walked this planet. Just like the TV shows from the 1950s and 1960s were responsible for creating a generation of serial killers because the main themes of those shows was murder and guns, the movies of our time, which bend backwards in their attempt to sanitise American and Israeli war crimes, will create a generation of Americans who will see every global problem as a nail to be hit with the American moral hammer. To lose the ability to know that we could be wrong as a society and as a nation is a sickness, which Hollywood is very happy to turn into a national pandemic. Because the biggest problem is not the ability to find problems but the inability to see the hammer method as problematic. Humans kill more than a 100 million sharks every year just so that some people can enjoy delicious soup. Sharks kill about 5 to 10 humans per year. We, humans, might actually make them go extinct soon. Yet, Hollywood would like us to think that sharks are dangerous by depicting such in popular movies like Jaws and Jaws 2, and many others. Hollywood created a generation of psycho-serial killers and then made true crime movies from the crimes of those very killers, profiting on the back end as well. Hollywood makes fiction, literally.


Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Cate Blanchett's surprise ‘Squid Game' cameo fuels US spinoff rumors
Cate Blanchett is stirring up speculation after her blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in the 'Squid Game' season 3 finale — and now she's speaking out about what it could mean for the show's American spinoff. The Netflix hit closed its latest season by confirming that the deadly competition is running worldwide. In Los Angeles, viewers got a jolt when Blanchett appeared as a sharply dressed recruiter, playing the high-stakes Korean game ddakji to lure a new victim. It was a setup that seemed tailor-made to introduce the upcoming US-set installment of the franchise. Blanchett revealed the cameo was shrouded in secrecy. Without a costume fitting, she had to bring her own suit, learn ddakji on the fly, and work from just a handful of storyboards. 'It was one of the more mysterious jobs,' she said, noting how little time she had to prepare before cameras rolled. The Oscar-winning actress also addressed whether she'll reprise the role in the American spinoff, which is set to be helmed by 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' director David Fincher. 'I am wildly open to anything,' Blanchett said. 'They're amazing world-builders, and that series has touched every corner of the globe. I'd love to work with David again, but I don't know anything more than you do.' So far, Netflix hasn't confirmed any casting for the US version, but the finale's global expansion and Blanchett's stylish, mysterious presence make her return a tantalizing possibility. Fans online are already theorizing that her recruiter could serve as a key bridge between the Korean and American games. For now, the fate of Blanchett's character is a waiting game — much like the ominous challenges that made 'Squid Game' a worldwide phenomenon in the first place. Here are the keywords for that Cate Blanchett *Squid Game* story:


Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Fans speculate Taylor Swift may reveal 12th album on Travis and Jason Kelce's podcast
Speculation is growing among Taylor Swift fans that the singer could announce her 12th studio album on the podcast hosted by NFL players Travis and Jason Kelce. On Monday, Taylor Nation — Swift's official marketing and publicity team — shared a post on Instagram that caught the attention of the Swiftie community. The caption read: 'Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'' alongside images of outfits from the Eras Tour featuring prominent orange tones. The post concluded with a burning heart emoji, a detail fans believe symbolises a shift into a new creative period. The consistent use of orange has become a focal point for fan theories. Earlier teasers also incorporated the colour, leading some to believe it could be a theme for the upcoming album, widely referred to online as #TS12. Theories intensified after some linked the visual style of the teasers to the Kelce brothers' podcast, which has become known for drawing high-profile guests. Travis and Jason Kelce's podcast, popular for its mix of sports talk and celebrity interviews, has a substantial following that extends beyond American football fans. Supporters suggest the platform could serve as an unconventional but impactful setting for a major announcement from Swift. While there has been no official confirmation from Swift or her representatives, fans have been quick to analyse every clue. Social media platforms have been filled with discussions about the meaning of the orange colour scheme and whether it signals a new era in her music. Swift's most recent album, The Tortured Poets Department, was released in April 2024. If the speculation proves correct, the new project would mark her 12th studio release and continue her pattern of embedding cryptic hints in promotional material.