Benedict Cumberbatch Reacts To Sam Elliott's Criticism Of His New Movie
Benedict Cumberbatch has responded to Sam Elliott's vitriolic comments about his new movie The Power of the Dog. The film, which premiered in theaters in November 2021 and on Netflix in December 2021, is a psychological Western drama following Cumberbatch's character Phil Burbank, a ranch owner who struggles with his repressed sexuality in 1925 Montana. The film has been nominated for 11 Oscars at the 2022 Academy Awards, the most of any film this year, including Best Picture and a Best Actor nod for Benedict Cumberbatch.
Sam Elliott, who recently starred on the Yellowstone prequel series 1883 on Paramount+, spoke about The Power of the Dog during a recent appearance on the podcast WTF with Marc Maron. He was upset by the film's queer subtext and called the film a "piece of sh*t." He also went on to lambast New Zealander director Jane Campion for not being from America, saying "what the f*ck does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American west? And why in the f*ck does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, ‘This is the way it was.’ That f*cking rubbed me the wrong way, pal." Elliott's comments on the film drew criticism from across the film community.
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Per Digital Spy, Benedict Cumberbatch spoke about Sam Elliott's comments during the BAFTA Film Sessions on March 4, 2022. While discussing why it is necessary for films to address toxic masculinity, he mentioned that "without meaning to stir over the ashes of that, someone really took offence to… the West being portrayed in this way." He said that "people still exist in our world," who experience "aggression and anger and frustration and an inability
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