At this point there are four people whose work I haven’t or won’t in the future see because of real world behaviors.
Jane Fonda. I can’t get past the whole AAA photos. I’m not adamant about this - if she were in something I really wanted to watch, I probably would. It’s just her presence is enough to tip the balance on a maybe-want-to-see film.
Roman Polanski. At this point I refuse to do any thing that might possibly net the raping bastard so much as a bent ha’ penny.
Angelina Jolie. The whole mess with how she bought her son Maddox as what was basically a black-market baby, while claiming that her adoption was on the up-and-up while all other adoptions from Thailand had to be stopped pisses me off so much I refuse to watch anything she’s in. (It later came out that the people she was doing the adoption through were the only black market baby operation that gov’t could prove was in operation.) Unlike Jane Fonda, I have passed on a few movies I have been tempted by because of her presence in the film.
Mel Gibson. After his most recent public melt-down he’d used up all the understanding I was willing to give him to enjoy his works. No more.
There are other writers, actors, directors and producers whom I will view askance. But those are the only four that are even close to an automatic refusal.
I don’t think it’s ever risen to the level where someone’s personal foibles kept me from enjoying a film. Plus, most of the stories about celebrities all blend together.
The only reason I would avoid a movie because of a celebrity would be to try to inflict monetary damage. And then I’ve got to do a lot more than just boycotting the film myself.
Yes, very much so. The worst is when I develop a “crush” on a person, as their stuff actually seems objectively better.
Unfortunately, I can’t think of any specific example right off, but I know my sister is this way with Johnny Depp, and was that way with Tom Cruise before the Matt Lauer incident.
No. If I think a movie looks like something I’d enjoy, I’ll go see it. I don’t care about something one of the actors may have done outside of the film. I can’t remember that ever having any effect on something I’ve seen. I’m not going to deny *myself *the pleasure of seeing a good movie.
I don’t avoid actors because of their politics but, once I’ve seen then on their soap box trying to convert me to their religion or their political view, I have a had time accepting them in an acting role. Their movies are just less entertaining because I know things about them. I can’t completely suspend my belief in them as whatever character they are playing.
When I watch Mel Gibson now I see a wife beater, pretending to be a good guy. When I watch anything by Woody Allen (what was I thinking?) I see a pedophile (IMO) trying to be funny. When I watch a Tom Cruise movie I am pleasantly surprised there is no weird religious messages (or maybe they’re over my head.)
Right now, Natalie Portman and Gwenyth Paltrow are rubbing me the wrong way for reasons I can’t articulate, so I’m not planning to see their two latest movies. Although, honestly, I would never ever see No Strings Attached anyways, but I really would be interested in something like Country Strong if the picked an actress who at least a little seems like she could be a country star, instead of euro ice queen Gwenyth.
Hanoi Jane (for her Vietnam antics) and Mel Gibson (for his anti-Britishness as well as the other stuff) are two big turnoffs for me. I tend to not like the type of film Woody Allen makes, but that’s different.
I once said the same thing (I saw her on a talk show and was way turned off by her attitude) and I had a dozen Dopers up in arms that I dared speak ill of poor Pam…
(for some reason, I think a lot of people really, REALLY like Jenna Fischer)
I won’t have anything to do Polanski except Chinatown, which the masterpiece of film noir in color.
I know two older men who won’t see a John Wayne movie because of his politics and supposed lack of acting skills. I won’t see a Ronald Reagan movie, but I hear I’m not missing anything. I will watch Schwarzenegger movies.
