James Pattinson is probably best known for playing A.C. Simpson on popular Australian television sitcom ‘The A-Team’. Since then, the actor has become something of a sex symbol in his own right, known for his athletic build and on-screen charisma. But, it seems that Pattinson is finding himself in hot water once again for comments he made about the #MeToo movement.
The 50-year-old, who was previously married to actress Debora Langton, made headlines earlier this month after calling out the ‘fashion police’ for targeting men who wear “men’s underwear or women’s underwear”, as he puts it, in unflattering photoshoots.
“It’s funny, when I first started getting noticed it was because of the way I looked. A lot of criticism was aimed at my body. I would get labelled as a muscle boy, a gym God or a sex symbol,” Pattinson said, according to The Daily Telegraph.
It wasn’t long before the backlash started. Soon after, the actor was disowned by the A-Team star, Dwight Yoakam, and even Simpson himself came forward to condemn the comments.
Why Is James Pattinson Speaking Out Now?
It’s not the first time that Pattinson has spoken out against what he perceives to be unfair criticism. In 2017, he took to Facebook to defend his decision not to work with British director Danny Boyle on the film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ due to Boyle’s “pre-established personal agenda”.
“I’ve seen very little of the film, but I haven’t been made aware of any agenda that Danny Boyle had, other than to make the best possible movie from a fantastic novel,” Pattinson wrote at the time.
Since then, the pressure has been on for Pattinson to say something. And, with the #MeToo movement having recently seen a surge in popularity (and backlash from those who feel their personal space has been violated), it seems that now is the right moment for the actor to finally speak up.
Is James Pattinson A One-Trick Pony?
If you’ve been following the career of James Pattinson at all, then you’ll know that the actor is not your usual choice for spokesperson. In fact, he’s been in quite a few films that don’t necessarily promote a positive view of sexuality or the LGBTQ community, as you might expect from a guy who has been played by Tom Hanks in two movies and has regularly appeared in mainstream comedies.
While A-Team was responsible for some of the most popular comedy series in Australian history, the character of A.C. Simpson was originally created to be a camp version of James Bond, with a “sarcastic British accent”. Since then, the character became so popular that he has appeared in his own spinoff series and inspired a generation of imitators.
Pattinson’s portrayal of the hapless A.C. was both charming and funny. But, it seems that, behind the scenes, the actor’s sense of humor was not always appreciated by everyone. According to The Daily Telegraph, in the first season of A-Team, when the show was still struggling to find an audience, some crew members accused Pattinson of being “mean” to them, while others questioned his acting skills. After the show did well and the producers decided to continue, Pattinson reportedly clashed with the show’s creators over creative differences and was ultimately fired.
Will James Pattinson Lead To Change?
Despite criticism, it’s not clear what roles, if any, Pattinson’s activism will actually have. The Daily Telegraph reports that the actor has “no political agenda” and is simply “fed up with the fashion police”. Even if he is able to secure some kind of change, it seems unlikely that his newfound fame will go to waste. A-Team was responsible for some of the most popular comedy series in Australian history and the actor has found himself in demand as a public speaker, guest judge on reality TV shows and even the subject of sold-out fashion exhibitions.
While some might question what impact an Aussie sitcom could have on global feminism, we can’t help but wonder what other roles James Pattinson might play. The world is becoming more interconnected and, with the continued rise of populism and extremist ideologies, perhaps it’s time for the establishment to open its doors to those who would have been previously ignored.
Whatever the case, we wish James Pattinson all the best in his endeavors as he works to change the fashion industry for the better. We’re sure that he’s going to do great things. And, as A.C. would say, “What else can you do?”