All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The Power of the Dog keeps on picking up awards -- and director Jane Campion is speaking out on its haters.
Before Saturday night's Directors Guild of America Awards, where Power of the Dog won the marquee Theatrical Feature Film prize, solidifying director Jane Campion's status as an Oscar frontrunner, Campion also responded to some recent criticism of her film from popular Western actor Sam Elliott.
"I'm sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. He's not a cowboy; he's an actor," Campion said to Variety before the ceremony. "The West is a mythic space and there's a lot of room on the range. I think it's a little bit sexist."
\u201cJane Campion responds to Sam Elliott's #ThePowerOfTheDog comments: "I'm sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. He's not a cowboy; he's an actor. The West is a mythic space and there's a lot of room on the range. I think it's a little bit sexist." https://t.co/I32wQ8lCiF\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1647139939
Campion was responding to recent remarks the veteran actor made on Marc Maron's WTF podcast. Elliott had called the movie "a piece of shit," saying that there was no "Western in this Western."
Elliott also criticized the movie for it's "allusions to homosexuality throughout the f***ing movie" and said that the cowboys looked more like Chippendales dancers than cowboys "running around in chaps and no shirts."
He also attacked Campion herself, saying she wasn't fit to direct a Western. "What the fuck does this woman -- she's a brilliant director, by the way, I love her work, previous work -- but what the fuck does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American West? And why in the fuck does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, 'This is the way it was.' That fucking rubbed me the wrong way, pal."
Campion countered that, in her opinion, the Western genre is a diverse one. "When you think about the number of amazing Westerns made in Spain by Sergio Leone," she said. "I consider myself a creator. I think he thinks of me as a woman or something lesser first, and I don't appreciate that."
Campion couldn't keep that positive energy however, as she also drew criticism for statements she made while accepting a Critics Choice Award for her film this weekend. Campion started off her speech praising all the incredible women in the room with her, pointing to Halle Berry, and then to Venus and Serena Williams, the subjects of the film King Richard.
"What an honor to be in the room with you," Campion said, adding, "I've taken up tennis -- I truly have -- and Will [Smith], if you want to come over and give me lessons, I would truly love it. I actually had to stop playing because I've got tennis elbow."
She didn't stop there. "Venus and Serena, you're such marvels," she continued. "However, you don't play against the guys, like I have too."
The comment has drawn both cheers and criticism, as the Williams sisters are definitely good enough to beat many men, and there's no reason to pit the sisters against directors like Campion in the first place. There's enough room to celebrate both.
The Power of the Dog now goes into the Oscars as a pretty clear frontrunner. We'll see which awards the film picks up on March 27 when the Academy Awards are held.
RELATED | Benedict Cumberbatch Fires Back at Sam Elliott Over The Power of the Dog
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
38 Male Celebs Who Did Full Frontal Scenes
These are all the celebrities Who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2023
These Pics Prove Maluma Has Always Been a Certified Daddy
32 LGBTQ+ Celebs You Can Follow on OnlyFans
26 actors who showed bare ass in movies & TV shows
16 Times Celebrity Men Had to Say They Weren't Gay
15 Unforgettable Gay Kissing Scenes From TV & Movies
13 Queens Who Quit or Retired From Drag After 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
40 steamy celebrity Calvin Klein ads we'll always be thirsty for
The 15 Best LGBTQ+ Movies of 2023
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Meet the fierce cartoon queens competing in this new TikTok 'Drag Race' parody series
Rebel Wilson claims 'assh*le' Sacha Baron Cohen threatened to block her memoir
Colton Underwood: 'Coming out journeys aren't always clean & pretty'
Lee Pace rings in his 45th birthday with sexy, shirtless pool pics
March 25, 2024
No, the rumors aren't true — 'Euphoria' season 3 is still happening
30 pics of 'Foundation' star Lee Pace that exude Big Daddy Energy
How I bring larger-than-life queer icons to the canvas
Trending stories
Most Recent
Recommended Stories for You
Mey Rude
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.