Murphy and 'Peaky Blinders' creator Steven Knight, along with Caryn Mandabach
Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions, and Banijay Rights, expressed their
disapproval of the video's narrative
Following the circulation of a
homophobic video by Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign, the creators of the
British crime drama 'Peaky Blinders' have disapproved of the video, stating
that the footage from the show was used without permission or official
license.
The video, shared on Twitter by DeSantis' campaign, criticizes
fellow 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump for his support of LGBTQ
rights. It mocks Trump for defending Caitlyn Jenner's bathroom choice and
allowing transgender women to participate in his Miss Universe pageants. The
edited video, initially posted by @ProudElephantUS and later shared on
DeSantis' campaign account @DeSantisWarRoom, includes a clip of queer rapper
Tyler, the Creator exclaiming "Psych!" before highlighting DeSantis'
legislative actions against LGBTQ individuals.
Within the video, there is a frame featuring the Republican
governor of Florida, DeSantis, wearing sunglasses, accompanied by the
headline: "DeSantis Signs 'Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern
History.'" Alongside images of shirtless men and alarming headlines, there are
two clips of Cillian Murphy's character, Tommy Shelby, from "Peaky Blinders."
— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) July 5, 2023
In a joint statement, Murphy and "Peaky Blinders" creator Steven
Knight, along with Caryn Mandabach Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions, and
Banijay Rights, expressed their disapproval of the video's narrative and the
unauthorized use of the show's content.
This is not the first
instance where DeSantis has clashed with Hollywood. He notably engaged in a
legal dispute with Disney by revoking the company's authority to self-govern
its 25,000-acre site in Orlando. Disney CEO Bob Iger referred to DeSantis'
actions as retaliatory in response to the entertainment conglomerate's
opposition to DeSantis' controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill in 2022 during an
earnings call in May.
