Jane Campion reacts to Sam Elliott’s criticism of The Power of the Dog
“He’s not a cowboy; he’s an actor."
Jane Campion has called Sam Elliott “a little bit of a b***h” after he criticised her Oscar-nominated film The Power of the Dog over its portrayal of cowboys and the American West.
Elliott, who is known for starring in Westerns such as Yellowstone prequel 1883, said that he took the film’s portrayal of the West as “f**king personal”.
He compared the cowboys in the movie to Chippendales dancers who “wear bowties and not much else”, adding: “That’s what all these f**king cowboys in that movie looked like.
“They’re running around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the movie,” he continued, seemingly alluding to Cumberbatch’s Phil Burbank, whose toxic masculinity is implied to be as a result of being a closeted gay man.
Speaking of Campion, he added: “What the f**k does this woman from down there [New Zealand] know about the American West?”
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However, speaking to Variety ahead of the Directors Guild of America awards on Saturday (12th March), where she won the feature film prize, Campion hit back at Elliott’s criticisms.
“I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a b***h,” she said. “He’s not a cowboy; he’s an actor. The West is a mythic space and there’s a lot of room on the range.
"I think it’s a little bit sexist... I consider myself a creator and I think he sees me as a woman or something lesser first. And I don’t appreciate that," she continued.
The Power of the Dog's lead star Benedict Cumberbatch previously reacted to Elliott’s criticisms.
Speaking at the BAFTA Awards Film Sessions with Leading Actor nominees earlier this month, the Doctor Strange star explained why it’s so important to portray a character like Phil in the 21st century.
Cumberbatch explained that, “because there are many [Phil Burbanks] in the world”, in order to achieve gender equality and oust toxic masculinity, we must “look under the hood" of characters like Burbank to “see what their struggle is and why that’s there in the first place".
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Campion was named Best Director at last night's BAFTA Film Awards, while The Power of the Dog picked up Best Film.
- Read more: Power of the Dog ending explained: What happened to Phil Burbank?
- Read more: Kirsten Dunst reveals why Jane Campion made changes to Power of the Dog's Rose
- Read More: Best movies to watch on Netflix right now
The Power of the Dog is available now on Netflix and in UK cinemas.
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