Actor Martin Freeman, known for portraying Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s same-name novel, has recently addressed the backlash over the intimate scenes with Jenna Ortega in their latest movie, Miller’s Girl.

“And that’s a shame… Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?”

Martin Freeman on the negative reactions to Miller’s Girl

For those who haven’t seen Miller’s Girl, Marvel actor Freeman portrays Jonathan Miller, a creative writing teacher who embarks on an intimate relationship with one of his students, 18-year-old Cairo Sweet, portrayed by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega. Apparently, the intimate scenes involving the two actors with a 31-year age gap between them raised some eyebrows and made some people uncomfortable.

Of course, a portion of the viewers expressed their discomfort over social media, prompting Martin Freeman to address the backlash of the movie.

Martin Freeman stated that the movie is “grown-up and nuanced,” and its story doesn’t glorify the sexual elements. And he’s right. If nothing else, the sexual elements between an older professor and a younger student in a movie are fictional elements based on things that are, unfortunately, common in real life.

Following the fan criticism of Miller’s Girl, the movie’s on-set intimacy coordinator, Kristina Arjona, assured the fans that Jenna Ortega was comfortable and very sure of her intimacy scenes with Martin Freeman.

We’re not saying that such things aren’t problematic; we’re trying to say that the scenes between Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega are conveying much more than just some hanky-panky between two adults in a relationship that implies complicated consent.

Following the fan criticism of Miller’s Girl, the movie’s on-set intimacy coordinator, Kristina Arjona, assured the fans that Jenna Ortega was comfortable and very sure of her intimacy scenes with Martin Freeman, stating that the shooting process of such scenes usually involves many, many people who engage with the actors to ensure that they’re comfortable.

Arjona added that it’s part of her job to support the talent’s decisions and ensure they’re comfortable, especially when the scenes feature large age gaps, adding that Ortega was very determined and sure of her actions.

Some have stated that a large portion of the criticism stems from people who hadn’t seen the film or declared that they have no intention of doing so due to the aforementioned intimacy scenes, which is basically judging a book by its cover and potentially missing a rather important story inside.

So, it’s evident that a large portion of the criticism towards the new Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega movie is based on second-hand information, which contributes to the echo chamber effect and overshadows the film’s content and intentions.

The intimate scenes involving Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega, with a 31-year age gap between them, raised some eyebrows and made some people uncomfortable.

We have to wonder what’s next. Are we going to criticize 2002’s Irréversible for its portrayals of sexual and physical violence, or are we going to start criticizing and banning shampoo commercials so that bald people don’t feel uncomfortable and offended?

Or, as Martin Freeman added to the whole discussion about his and Jenna Ortega’s scene, “Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?” When are we going to start appreciating artistic expression and stop overreacting or imposing unnecessary political correctness on a creative outlet?

Whatever the case may be, Miller’s Girl is currently streaming on Netflix for anyone interested in watching.