Joss Whedon Finally Responds To Justice League Criticism
In the late 1990s, Joss Whedon took an unsuccessful B-movie and turned it into an uber-successful TV series that's still being discussed to this day. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was a ratings smash that spawned a hit franchise across several forms of media and gained a huge cult audience in the process (via The Hollywood Reporter). However, the show is also notable for its depiction of strong female characters and subverting tropes that were synonymous with horror and action storytelling at the time (per GamesRadar).
The success of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" led to Whedon having a successful career in Hollywood, helming blockbusters such as "The Avengers" and "Justice League." These days, however, Whedon's legacy isn't that of a talented creator with progressive sensibilities. It seems that the filmmaker has a dark side, having been accused of misconduct by several people who have worked with him in the past.
Whedon's time working on "Justice League" was especially controversial, with stars including Ray Fisher and Gal Gadot speaking out about his on-set behavior. Whedon has now responded to the allegations, and he had some choice words for Fisher.
Whedon comments on Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher's accusations
Joss Whedon's former "Justice League" colleagues haven't had nice things to say about working with Whedon on the 2017 blockbuster. As Variety notes, Gal Gadot accused the director of threatening to ruin her career, while Ray Fisher stated that Whedon's behavior was "gross, abusive [and] unprofessional." However, Whedon denied both of these claims in a recent interview with Vulture.
Regarding Gadot's claims, Whedon responded by saying that the "Wonder Woman" actor misunderstood him and took offense. "English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech," he said. The director then went on to discuss how he and Gadot had a creative dispute over a scene she reportedly wanted to be removed from the film. According to Whedon, he told the "Wonder Woman" star that she'd "have to tie his body to a railroad track before he would" agree to cut the scene in question.
Whedon was even more critical in his assessment of Fisher, who plays Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg, in "Justice League." The director downplayed the actor's accusations of gross behavior, saying none were "true or merited discussing." The filmmaker then went on to criticize Fisher's intentions, as well as his performance. "We're talking about a malevolent force," Whedon said. "We're talking about a bad actor in both senses."