After months of speculation around the issue, Jenna Ortega has finally addressed the backlash for her on-screen age-gap romance with Martin Freeman.
The 21-year-old has been subjected to criticism ever since the release of Miller's Girl, which follows the story of an 18-year-old student called Cairo Sweet who gets entangled in a relationship with her teacher Jonathan Miller, played by Martin Freeman, who is 31 years her senior.
Many branded the on-screen relationship as "creepy", but rather than containing their emotions towards the characters, they misdirected their anger towards the actors, particularly Freeman who was forced to speak out at the time.
In an interview with The Times, Freeman defended the film, asserting that it aimed to portray a "grown-up and nuanced" narrative.
"It's not saying, 'Isn't [an age-gap romance] great,'" Freeman emphasized, addressing the public's concerns head-on.
He further elaborated on the challenges of tackling sensitive subjects in storytelling, drawing parallels to other controversial films.
"Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?" Freeman questioned, referring to Neeson's role in the acclaimed Schindler's List.
Kristina Arjona, the intimacy coordinator for the film, also assured fans that Ortega's well-being was a priority during filming.
"There was many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do," Arjona told the Daily Mail at the time.
She also stated that part of her job required her to "support [the actor's] decisions."
"I adapt to whatever the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors," she continued, before going on to elaborate on the issue.
"I'm hyper-aware of both of my talent and making sure that we're consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed. And again, making sure - especially with someone who's significantly younger - that they are giving continuous consent," she added.
Now, months after the drama, Ortega has finally spoken out about her thoughts on the issue in a new interview with Vanity Fair.
“It’s not supposed to be a comfortable movie,” Ortega said referring to Miller's Girl. “It’s supposed to be awful at times.”
"Art isn’t always meant to be pleasant or happy, [where] everyone skips off into the sunset at the end,” the actress continued. "We all have f***** up experiences at one point or another.”
Miller’s Girl is directed by Jade Halley Bartlett and alongside Ortega and Freeman, it also stars Dagmara Domińczyk, Bashir Salahuddin, Gideon Adlon, and Christine Adams.
