Martin Freeman responds to concerns over age gap with co-star Jenna Ortega in “Miller’s Girl”

The “Sherlock” actor argues that the film only explores the complexities of relationships with large age gaps.

Martin Freeman is addressing the controversy surrounding his new film “Miller's Girl.” 

The erotic thriller, which features Freeman alongside Jenna Ortega, sparked debate due to the actors' 31-year age gap and their characters' student-teacher relationship.

Speaking to The Times of London, Freeman defended the film, calling it “grown-up and nuanced.” He emphasised that “Miller's Girl” does not glorify such relationships, but rather, explores their complexities.

“It's not saying, 'Isn't this great?'” Freeman explained, highlighting that acting in a film does not necessarily mean an actor is endorsing the subject matter.

He compared his role to Liam Neeson in “Schindler's List, “Are we going to have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?” 

Freeman's comments follow intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona's earlier interview with the Daily Mail. 

Arjona assured viewers that both actors felt comfortable filming intimate scenes, “There were many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do.”

She continued, “I’m hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we’re consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed.”

“Miller's Girl” is currently streaming on Netflix in North America.