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The Power of the Dog is nominated for 11 Academy Awards—the most nominations of any film this year.
Included among its 11 nominations are Best Picture, Best Director for Jane Campion and Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch.
The critically acclaimed film tells the story of unruly cowboy Phil Burbank who finds himself forced to face his toxic masculinity and repressed homosexuality after his brother's new wife and stepson begin to live with them on their ranch.
As reported previously, not among the film's fans is Academy Award nominated actor Sam Elliott.
Elliott, a veteran of several Western films, openly criticized the film in an appearance on the podcast WTF with Marc Maron. Elliott derided The Power of the Dog, calling it a “piece of sh*t" and took particular exception to any "allusions of homosexuality" being in a Western.
Cumberbatch addressed Elliott's criticisms as part of The British Academy of Film And Television Awards (BAFTA) Film Sessions.
Benedict Cumberbatch's reaction to Sam Elliott\u2019s commentspic.twitter.com/hY5vG0lmGZ— \ud83c\udf08Ayatay (@\ud83c\udf08Ayatay) 1646425734
While never mentioning Elliott by name, the two-time Oscar nominee brought up all the criticisms unleashed upon the film.
"I’m trying very hard not to say anything about a very odd reaction that happened the other day on a radio podcast over here."
"Someone really took offense to—I haven’t heard it so it’s unfair for me to comment in detail on it—to the West being portrayed in this way.”
Cumberbatch emphasized how important it was to tell Phil Burbank's story, as there were definitely men who struggled with those issues during the period the film was set and who face the same struggles today.
"There's also a massive intolerance within the world at large towards homosexuality still, towards the acceptance to any kind of difference."
"These people still exist in our world."
" Whether it’s on our doorstep or whether it’s down the road or whether it’s someone we meet in a bar or pub or on the sports field, there is aggression and anger and frustration and an inability to control or know who you are in that moment that causes damage to that person and, as we know, damage to those around them."
Cumberbatch was hopeful that the lessons taught in the film might have an effect on the way we look at repression and toxic masculinity.
"There’s no harm in looking at a character to get to the root causes of that."
"This is a very specific case of repression, but also due to an intolerance for that true identity that Phil is that he can’t fully be."
“The more we look under the hood of toxic masculinity and try to discover the root causes of it, the bigger chances we have of dealing with it when it arises with our children.”
Cumberbatch's eloquent response received praise on Twitter.
Benedict Cumberbatch. You classy, classy man, you. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/benedict-cumberbatch-sam-elliott-power-of-the-dog_uk_6224861ce4b042f866ef1cf7\u00a0\u2026— \u15f7\u144c\u15f0\u15f7\u14aaY \ud83d\udc1d \u15f7EE (@\u15f7\u144c\u15f0\u15f7\u14aaY \ud83d\udc1d \u15f7EE) 1646628617
This is why Florida's anti LGBTQIA+ laws are so harmful to our kids. They need 2 b who they R so that harmful actions dont arise down the road. So many kids kill themselves bcz they arent being accepted by a society thats still stuck in antiquated areashttps://variety.com/2022/film/news/benedict-cumberbatch-defends-power-of-the-dog-sam-elliott-gay-themes-1235197776/\u00a0\u2026— #GenXHippie #IStandWithUkraine\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2 (@#GenXHippie #IStandWithUkraine\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2) 1646670612
Thank you, #BenedictCumberbatch. This is an excellent response to #SamElliot's homophobia. #PowerOfTheDoghttps://variety.com/2022/film/news/benedict-cumberbatch-defends-power-of-the-dog-sam-elliott-gay-themes-1235197776/?fbclid=IwAR0achK_g2kQKfxNpbjQCs986FAgsprbZUM82sqrdmk0_BsRmbTnktwG0Pg\u00a0\u2026— Cindy Davis (@Cindy Davis) 1646670930
Benedict Cumberbatch has found the most elegant way to say "okay, Boomer" to Sam Elliott re "The Power of the Dog."https://bit.ly/3Cjhlfc— Matthew Rettenmund (@Matthew Rettenmund) 1646666376
Me after listening to Benedict Cumberbatch's reaction to Sam Elliott\u2019s commentspic.twitter.com/VrB6DweFzu— Arru\u26a1 (@Arru\u26a1) 1646427009
While other's took the opportunity to call out Sam Elliott.
Sam Elliott apparently thinks gay people didn't exist in the Great American Old West. He is having a tantrum, says that Power of the Dog movie was a piece of s*** because it portrayed a supressed gay character. Elliott can just shut the f*ck uphttps://www.insider.com/benedict-cumberbatch-sam-elliott-power-of-the-dog-criticism-2022\u00a0\u2026— CrazyCat (@CrazyCat) 1646660018
https://www.insider.com/benedict-cumberbatch-sam-elliott-power-of-the-dog-criticism-2022\u00a0\u2026 Someone tell Sam Eliot that dressing as a cowboy does not make you one or an expert on the west.— Jay Hart \ud83c\udf08 Pronouns: soo wee (@Jay Hart \ud83c\udf08 Pronouns: soo wee) 1646685955
Really weird the way Sam Elliot freaked out over the idea there were gay cowboys. \nBenedict Cumberbatch Defends 'Power of the Dog' After Sam Elliott Slams Gay Themes: 'Very Odd' - Varietyhttps://apple.news/AnSX_aTAaTyaiLrn10cUMhQ\u00a0\u2026— Catlady628 (@Catlady628) 1646683050
Shutout to Sam Elliot for the homophobic garbage he said about The Power of the Dog. Watched it last night and it has easily become one of my fav films. All actors killed it but you could cut the tension between Benedict Cumberbatch and Kodi Smit-McPhee with a knife.pic.twitter.com/ZFiyNfhJkW— moonie \ud83c\udf19 (@moonie \ud83c\udf19) 1646606447
There should be room for all forms of story-telling within the genre, and within the historical narrative. We need to accept that the genre is not the purview of one group of people.— Michelle Muldoon (@Michelle Muldoon) 1646668974
This wasn't the first time Cumberbatch addressed criticism directed towards the multi Oscar-nominated film.
Cumberbatch addressed blowback he received for agreeing to play a gay character.
"I feel very sensitive about representation, diversity and inclusion."
“One of the appeals of the job was the idea that in this world, with this specific character, there was a lot that was private, hidden from view."
"It wasn’t done without thought."
"I also feel slightly like, is this a thing where our dance card has to be public."