Angelina Jolie has revealed she is ‘sad’ for the countries that have banned her film Eternals over a scene of two men kissing.
The latest Marvel blockbuster has been pulled from release in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming the decision was made after Disney declined to remove scenes featuring a same-sex relationship.
The scenes may have been an issue in the three countries as homosexuality is still illegal across the Gulf.
The news led Jolie, who stars as warrior Thena, to criticize the ‘ignorant’ attitudes which led to the edits requested by the local censors in the Middle Eastern territories.
She told news.com.au: ‘I’m sad for [those audiences]. And I’m proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out.
‘I still don’t understand how we live in a world today where there’s still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love.’
The 46-year-old continued: ‘How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn’t approve or appreciate it is ignorant.’
The film features the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first gay superhero and one scene shows the character Phaston (Brian Tyree Henry) and his on-screen husband Ben (Haaz Sleiman) sharing a passionate kiss.
Eternals was due to debut in the Gulf region on November 11. The movie has allegedly been removed from websites in each of those countries but it is still listed in the United Arab Emirates.
It’s fairly common for movies to be banned in these markets in line with their censorship regulations, particularly regarding depictions of violence, immortality and intimacy overall.
Wonder Woman was banned in Lebanon, Kuwait and Qatar over Gal Gadot’s comments on Israel in 2017, while Cruella was not granted release in Qatar over an LGBTQ+ character.
The Eternals boasts a star-studded cast, with Gemma Chan starring as Sersei, Richard Madden as Ikaris, and Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo in the Chloe Zhao-directed flick.
It is part of the fourth phase of the MCU. The events kick off immediately after 2019’s Avengers: Endgame when an unexpected tragedy forces the Eternals out of hiding to reunite against the Deviants.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.