He has found himself in hot water after saying this.
An iconic figure in the entertainment world, Angelina Jolie is a well-known actress and philanthropist who has worked with a wide range of actors throughout the course of her career. In 2003’s “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life,” Jolie shared the screen with one of her prominent co-stars, Gerard Butler, whose casual comment about working with Jolie stirred up a minor scandal.
In the sequel to the original “Tomb Raider” movie, Jolie reprised her role as the iconic video game character Lara Croft. In contrast to the first picture, which starred Daniel Craig and her, the second one included Butler as a co-star.
In expressing her approval of the selection, Jolie emphasized the necessity for a male protagonist who could match her strength and ferocity on screen. Butler’s portrayal, which emphasized the equality between their characters, was applauded by the actress.
She even said to Black Film, “I think we wanted to make sure there was a man who wasn’t some weak boy that loved her. We wanted to find a man that would be equal to her and just as strong and military and wild, and he’s certainly has that, and he’s a strong man, and he has a great role, and they are equal. He sometimes has one up on her and vice-versa.”
Butler immediately noted his spark with Jolie and looked forward to working with her. His love for Jolie’s skill was evident as he talked about his excitement for the movie. However, during a media interview, Butler made a tongue-in-cheek comment that raised eyebrows behind the scenes.
He jokingly claimed that in order to work on “Tomb Raider” with Jolie, he had to compromise his acting ability. Although he meant it as a joke, his statements were misunderstood, and some people took offense.
The actor said at that time, as per Daily Record, “I sat down and said, ‘Hey, you know, she may have won the Oscar, but I think I really had to bring my acting down to do these scenes with her.’ It was a complete joke. You read it in print, and you think it sounds terrible.”
Butler’s comments generated a media frenzy that reached Jolie and the associated film company. While Jolie, who is renowned for her grace and compassion, dismissed the remark, the studio adopted a more circumspect stance.
Butler claims that the film’s production company, Paramount, required that he participate in media training to hone his public speaking abilities, saying, “Angelina was cool. She said she knew I was joking, but Paramount said I was going on a media training course.”
Butler’s competitive spirit was primarily considered to have given the movie a vibrant quality despite the slight issue. The “The Copshop” actor stressed that any competition he may have had with Jolie was constructive and benefited both of their acting. In fact, Butler was particularly moved by Jolie’s commitment to the rigorous training and stunt work required for the character, which she put into it.
“I love doing the stunts. It’s as simple as that. I also loved watching her doing her stunts, and I loved watching her train. She trained really hard. And it was nothing but an inspiration to me,” he said.
Butler and Jolie were each other’s pillars of strength during the whole filming, especially in the most trying situations. Butler recalls one particular instance when he was hanged upside-down, a posture that made him queasy. Despite his own discomfort, he found himself concerned about Jolie’s well-being, demonstrating their regard for one another on set.
“I’m doing this, and I’m trying to tuck both my knees in. And I’m like, ‘Fine!’ And doing this for two days, over forty times, it was a killer. I would then be looking to Angelina and thinking, ‘How’s she lookin’? How’s she gettin’ along?’ It was a tough stunt for both of us. We were only there to encourage each other and that kind of stuff,” he remarked.
As time went on, the controversy around Butler’s statement subsided, enabling attention to return to the movie. In the end, “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life” demonstrated Jolie and Butler’s unmistakable ability and compatibility, further confirming both of their respective spots in Hollywood.
Butler’s remark originally created a commotion, but it also demonstrated the difficulties and occasionally wrong interpretations that may occur in the world of celebrity interviews. Ultimately, the partnership between these two accomplished actors added a unique spark to the screen, enthralling viewers everywhere with their chemistry on-screen and dedication to their work.