The Fall Guy writer Drew Pearce has addressed the controversy surrounding the joke about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in the action comedy film. Released earlier this month, the film has been receiving backlash for featuring a joke referring to the alleged alterations between the ex-couple, highlighted during the 2022 civil defamation trial.
However, despite the criticism surrounding the joke, Pearce has argued that the dialogue underscores Hannah Waddingham’s character, Gail, in the story, claiming that she is meant to say such things as she is depicted as anything but a decent human being.
Drew Pearce Argues in Favor of the Controversial Joke in The Fall Guy
In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, The Fall Guy writer Drew Pearce argued against the backlash surrounding the distasteful joke, while referring to the context of who is saying the joke in the movie.
He claimed that the joke is delivered by Gail Meyer, a character who is intentionally written to be morally reprehensible, and her jokes reflect her villainous nature. “No decent human being would ever make a joke about that subject, and Gail’s character is clearly not a decent human being,” he said before further explaining,
“She’s our villain, and she says horrible things, and this is just one of them. But just like what I hope continues to happen in our industry and others, Gail is ultimately held accountable for her worldview and her behavior.”
Pearce also argued that they wanted to keep all the characters “authentic” and that Waddingham’s character making jokes about such sensitive topics represents how awful of a person she is, rather than the perspective of the filmmaker.
“Sometimes shitty people say shitty things, but a character’s opinion in a movie is not the same as the perspective of either the film or the people making it.”
However, he also acknowledged that it is the responsibility of the filmmaker to anticipate how such content may impact the audience. While he said that characters could say offensive things, Pearce also argued that filmmakers must recognize and respect the audience’s reactions to such content.
David Leitch Reveals His Favorite Scene From The Fall Guy
The director of The Fall Guy, David Leitch recently revealed his favorite shots from his movies, including John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and the recently released The Fall Guy. The filmmaker shared that his favorite scene in the 2024 film is from the opening scene. He said in an interview with IGN,
“The opening scene where he’s in the trailer with Jodie and we’re establishing their relationship and he walks out and we’re on set with this stunt man, and you’re kind of feeling like you’re seeing a day in the life of Colt Seavers.”
Leitch likened it to a typical day on a film set, where crew members interact before diving into action. He praised the complexity of the shot and Ryan Gosling’s performance in executing it seamlessly.
The action comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt has fared well among critics. However, The Fall Guy has been struggling at the box office, having grossed 39.5 million domestically and $36.7 million in receipts overseas. Considering its reported budget of $125 million, the film is believed to be on course to be a flop.
The Fall Guy is playing in theaters.
