Fans jumped to Brie Larson's defense after she dodged a reporter's question regarding Johnny Depp at a Cannes press conference.
The reporter asked how the Marvel star felt about Depp's new film opening the Cannes Film Festival, to which Larson responded:
"You’re asking me that? I’m sorry, I don’t understand the correlation or why me specifically."
The reported replied his reason was because Larson was on the advisory council for TIME'S UP and there has been controversy surrounding the film opening Cannes due to Depp's "case being well played out in American and national media."
After Larson acknowledged his justification, she responded:
"Well, you’ll see, I guess, if I see it, and I don’t know how I’ll feel about it if I do."
You can watch the interaction below.
\u201cBrie Larson was surprised to be asked about Johnny Depp's opening film: "You\u2019re asking me that? I\u2019m sorry, I don\u2019t understand the correlation or why me specifically." https://t.co/5Ec2S23051 #Cannes\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
Viewers had Larson's back, though, many noting the journalist singled out Larson, a woman, when there were plenty of people on the panel he could have asked.
\u201c@Variety he literally only asked bc she\u2019s a woman and he watched a gotcha moment, she answered so well\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety Go, Brie. A woman (or anybody for all that matters) shouldn't be forced to answer ANY question and some journalists take it too far IMO.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety Not toe mention its wildly sexiest to ask the woman on the panel when they are 2 men right there. Oh so men wont have reaction to Johnny Depp but I am sure a woman might. SMH\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety Good for her. Ask the men as well.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
Others pointed out that, sadly, Larson is no stranger to sexism given the criticism she faced playing Captain Marvel.
\u201cBrie larson the woman that was hollywoods most hated actress up until recently has every right to keep her opinion to herself and what yall are not gonna do is call her anti feminist because none of you were defending her when she got hate for just playing captain marvel\u201d— chloesevignytits (@chloesevignytits) 1684250999
\u201cbrie larson herself has been and still is a victim of an insane misogynistic campaign so i actually get why she would choose to be vague and evasive with her answers because whatever she says, on top of what she already experiences, especially online, shes not gonna win\u201d— TOTK LOCKDOWN !! sybil grimalkin (@TOTK LOCKDOWN !! sybil grimalkin) 1684261086
\u201cBrie Larson was a victim of one of the most degenerate and violent misogynistic hate campaign on the internet and I cannot blame her for not wanting to subject herself to that again.\u201d— professional incel inciter (@professional incel inciter) 1684251016
And several more applauded Larson for not taking the bait.
\u201c@Variety Absolutely correct! Perfect answer to an unnecessary question.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety That is a loaded question. They know there are certain contingencies of the internet that don\u2019t like her and this is bait.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety Say what you want about Brie, but that was the right response to have given the circumstances.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety Lets drag this innocent woman Brie Larson into an argument that has nothing to do with her to sell article clicks. That's all that reporter did. \n\nI love Captain Marvel don't f that up for me.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
\u201c@Variety That is the kind of question designed to create a controversy. That was totally the correct response.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1684247440
Cannes Film Festival’s chief Thierry Fremaux addressed the controversy surrounding the film starring Depp, Jeanne du Barry.
"I don’t know about the image of Johnny Depp in the U.S. To tell you the truth, in my life, I only have one rule, it’s the freedom of thinking, and the freedom of speech and acting within a legal framework."
“If Johnny Depp had been banned from acting in a film, or the film was banned we wouldn’t be here talking about it."
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