Ben Stiller 'makes no apologies' over controversial Tropic Thunder featuring Robert Downey Jr in blackface

24 February 2023, 19:30

Ben Stiller has refused to apologise for a controversial Tropic Thunder movie he directed 15 years ago, featuring Robert Downey Jr in blackface.

Stiller's 2008 film, about a group of Hollywood stars making a Vietnam War movie that becomes all too real, stars Downey Jr as A-lister and method actor Kirk Lazarus, a white man.

But in the film-within-a-film, Lazarus is playing Sergeant Osiris, a black soldier. To 'become' Osiris, Lazarus undergoes surgery to look like a black man - meaning Downey Jr is effectively in blackface, albeit ironically.

The move sparked some controversy at the time of the film's release, which has periodically resurfaced in the 15 years since. But Downey Jr was even nominated for an Oscar for his performance.

Others have defended the performance, including black actor Jamie Foxx.

But director Stiller has never publicly apologised and this week said he was still proud of it, despite some reports he had said sorry.

"I make no apologies for Tropic Thunder," he said on Twitter. "Don’t know who told you that.

"It’s always been a controversial movie since when we opened. Proud of it and the work everyone did on it."

Downey Jr himself said later that he had mixed feelings about the role.

He told the popular podcaster Joe Rogan: "90 per cent of my black friends were like, ‘Dude, that was great.’

"I can’t disagree with [the other 10 per cent], but I know where my heart lies. I think that it’s never an excuse to do something that’s out of place and out of its time, but to me it blasted the cap on [the issue].

"I think having a moral psychology is job one. Sometimes, you just gotta go, ‘Yeah I effed up.’ In my defense, ‘Tropic Thunder’ is about how wrong [blackface] is, so I take exception."

Other controversy arose from Stiller's depiction of Simple Jack, a character with learning difficulties played by his character, Tug Speedman. Stiller said he apologised for the insensitive depiction at the time.

He said: "Actually Tropic Thunder was boycotted 10 years ago when it came out, and I apologized then.

"It was always meant to make fun of actors trying to do anything to win awards. I stand by my apology, the movie, Shaun White, And the great people and work of the @SpecialOlympics."