"The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is not opening until next week but frenzy is already ongoing as actors Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner are being grilled for calling "The Avengers" character Black Widow as "slut" and a "whore." Black Widow is played by Scarlett Johansson and had been romantically linked to Hawkeye, Renner's character, and Captain America, Evans' superhero identity.
The offhand slut-shaming was prompted during a promotional interview with Digital Spy for the upcoming film. Evans and Renner were told that fans of the franchise had been "shipping" Scarlett Johansson's character Black Widow also known as Natasha Romanoff with multiple male characters, and had been asked what they thought about it, Renner bluntly replied: "She's a slut."
The blasé comment was immediately followed by the cackling of the two actors, to which Evans, 33, added: "She's a complete whore." But it doesn't end there, Renner then poked fun at the character's prosthetic leg. Shortly after the interview, fans and even general public went ablaze as they expressed their fury for the actors. Evans and Renner's comments were deemed "sexist" and "ableist," to which means discrimination against people with disabilities.
However, other Marvel fans defended the actors saying that the two were just joking about a fictional character. Alas, the timing was hapless as the movie "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is causing a debate lately. It is pretty evident as according to Metro, "Iron Man" lead Robert Downey Jr. jokes in some cut scenes that he will be the new leader of Asgard and will reinstitute prima nocta, an ancient custom where a ruler or leader can rape any man's wife on her wedding day.
Robert Downey Jr. Walks Out Of An "Avengers" Promotional Interview
Downey Jr. too shares hullabaloo to the slut-shaming issue as he recently walked out of a Channel 4 News interview. The interviewer and the actor are having a pleasant chat about the new film when the inquirer made a mistake by asking the actor's drug addict past.
The "Iron Man" lead immediately stood up after interrupting the interview. "I'm sorry, I really don't. What are we doing?" Downey Jr. exclaimed.
Meanwhile, to cease the growing upheaval of the fans, Evans and Renner made an apology via a statement to Us Weekly. "I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone," Renner began. "It was not meant to be serious in any way. Just poking fun during an exhausting and tedious press tour," he continued.
Evans also felt apologetic about the whole thing. He said in a statement issued by his publicist. "Yesterday we were asked about the rumors that Black Widow wanted to be in a relationship with both Hawkeye and Captain America," Evan opens. "We answered in a very juvenile and offensive way that rightfully angered some fans. I regret it and sincerely apologize."
"The Avengers: Age of Ultron" will hit US theaters on May 1, but was initially released last April 13 at its Los Angeles premiere and last April 22 in other countries. Apart from Evans, Renner, Johansson, and Downey Jr., the stellar cast also includes Chris Hemsworth (Thor), James Spader (Ultron), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Quicksilver), and among others.
Are you excited for the new "Avenger" film? What are your expectations? Should Robert Downey Jr., apologize too for walking out of an interview? Don't forget to drop in some comments!
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