More than 6,000 petitioners have rallied to boycott the Ben Stiller film because of an androgynous supermodel played by Benedict Cumberbatch.
- Nov 21, 2015
AceShowbiz - A recently released trailer for "Zoolander 2" is creating a bit of stir because of a new character played by Benedict Cumberbatch, an androgynous supermodel named All. More than 6,000 people have signed a petition created by LGBTQ activist Sarah Rose, calling for the Ben Stiller movie boycott.
"In the 'Zoolander 2' trailer, an androgynous character played by Benedict Cumberbatch is asked by Zoolander and Hansel if he is a 'male or female model,' and if they 'have a hot dog or a bun.' Additionally, Cumberbatch's character is clearly portrayed as an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals," the petition reads, "This is the modern equivalent of using blackface to represent a minority."
The petition continues, "If the producers and screenwriters of 'Zoolander' wanted to provide social commentary on the presence of trans/androgyne individuals in the fashion industry, they could have approached models like Andreja Pejic to be in the film. By hiring a cis actor to play a non-binary individual in a clearly negative way, they film endorses harmful and dangerous perceptions of the queer community at large."
Paramount Pictures hasn't commented on the petition yet. "Zoolander 2" is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on February 12, 2016.
