Heath Ledger Responds to Theater Cancellations of ‘Brokeback Mountain’
Wed. January 11, 2006 12:00 AM by GayWebMonkey.com
Melbourne, Australia -
Following the announcement that theatres in Washington and Utah have pulled scheduled showings of Brokeback Mountain from their line-up, the film’s star Heath Ledger has spoken out, saying canceling a film because of its gay content is akin to racism.
Ledger made the comments Monday night at the Australian premiere of the movie in Melbourne, according to 365gay.com. the same night, the film picked up three awards stateside at the Critics Choice Awards, including Best Picture honors. "I heard a while ago that West Virginia was going to ban it. But that's a state that was lynching people only 25 years ago, so that's to be expected," Ledger told the Sydney Morning Herald.
So far no theaters in West Virginia officially have cancelled the film. A theatre in Washington and a theatre in Utah announced last week they would not be showing the film as originally scheduled.
"Personally, I don't think the movie is (controversial,) but I think maybe the Mormons in Utah do," Ledger said. "I think it's hilarious and very immature of a society. If two people are loving... I think we should be more concerned if two people express anger in love, than love."
More than 1,000 people turned out to see the Australian born Ledger and his wife Michelle Williams walk the red carpet. Williams missed out on picking up a trophy as Best Supporting Actress at the Critics Choice Awards for the Australian premiere.
Last week, the movie failed to open at Salt Lake City's Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons, despite ads for it in Salt Lake City's two major newspapers. The theater is owned by prominent Mormon businessman Larry H. Miller. The Utah Eagle Forum, a conservative group that backed the state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and regularly fights other LGBT issues praised the decision not to run the film.
The decision by the Miller Group to drop the film came a day after another chain suddenly decided not to show the movie in Poulsbo, Washington. That theater is owned by the Knoxville, Tennessee based Regal Theatres, one of the largest motion picture exhibitors in the world.
Monday night, Brokeback Mountain won three Critics Choice awards, including best picture, best director for Ang Lee and Best Supporting Actress for Michelle Williams. Phillip Seymour Hoffman beat out Ledger for Best Actor honors.
Hoffman plays gay author Truman Capote in Capote.
Ledger made the comments Monday night at the Australian premiere of the movie in Melbourne, according to 365gay.com. the same night, the film picked up three awards stateside at the Critics Choice Awards, including Best Picture honors. "I heard a while ago that West Virginia was going to ban it. But that's a state that was lynching people only 25 years ago, so that's to be expected," Ledger told the Sydney Morning Herald.
So far no theaters in West Virginia officially have cancelled the film. A theatre in Washington and a theatre in Utah announced last week they would not be showing the film as originally scheduled.
"Personally, I don't think the movie is (controversial,) but I think maybe the Mormons in Utah do," Ledger said. "I think it's hilarious and very immature of a society. If two people are loving... I think we should be more concerned if two people express anger in love, than love."
More than 1,000 people turned out to see the Australian born Ledger and his wife Michelle Williams walk the red carpet. Williams missed out on picking up a trophy as Best Supporting Actress at the Critics Choice Awards for the Australian premiere.
Last week, the movie failed to open at Salt Lake City's Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons, despite ads for it in Salt Lake City's two major newspapers. The theater is owned by prominent Mormon businessman Larry H. Miller. The Utah Eagle Forum, a conservative group that backed the state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and regularly fights other LGBT issues praised the decision not to run the film.
The decision by the Miller Group to drop the film came a day after another chain suddenly decided not to show the movie in Poulsbo, Washington. That theater is owned by the Knoxville, Tennessee based Regal Theatres, one of the largest motion picture exhibitors in the world.
Monday night, Brokeback Mountain won three Critics Choice awards, including best picture, best director for Ang Lee and Best Supporting Actress for Michelle Williams. Phillip Seymour Hoffman beat out Ledger for Best Actor honors.
Hoffman plays gay author Truman Capote in Capote.
Article provided in partnership with GayWebMonkey.com.