HELLBOY Star Ron Perlman Addresses Controversial Instagram Post: "We Should Be Loving Each Other"

HELLBOY Star Ron Perlman Addresses Controversial Instagram Post: "We Should Be Loving Each Other"

Hellboy star Ron Perlman recently shared a passionate response to an unnamed studio exec's reaction to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, and the video led to a level of backlash the actor "didn't expect."

By MarkCassidy - Jul 28, 2023 06:07 PM EST
Filed Under: Hellboy

Hellboy star Ron Perlman recently shared a passionate response to an unnamed studio exec whose comments about the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes caused major uproar.

While speaking about the strikes and the studios' gameplan, the individual was quoted as saying: "The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their homes."

Understandably, this did not go over very well, and Perlman's since-deleted Instagram rebuttal did get pretty heated - although the actor insists that his comments were greatly exaggerated in the media.

After telling The Wrap that he "didn't expect" his video to receive such backlash, Perlman noted that the response "exemplified the sensational ability for the press to take somebody who has a strong context… even further out of context.”

“I got back on later that afternoon to express my full intention, which is that none of us should be wishing any of us that kind of harm,” Perlman said. “None of us should be wishing any of our families that we start losing things that we worked a lifetime — worked really, really, really earnestly and loyally and beautifully — to just put a roof over our head. None of us have golden f*cking parachutes.”

Perlman has since shared several follow-up videos, and his perspective and message are well worth hearing.

“We should be loving each other, respecting each other, and dropping all of the posture that you think you need to do in order to point out that you’re better than us and stronger than us and more powerful than us — we don’t need that pointed out to us,” he added. “What we need is throw your arms around us, thank us, and then just if you have a huge success, because you’ve managed to sell something that resonated a million times over, we should join you in that.”

The strikes are still going, and are not expected to end anytime soon.

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MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 7/28/2023, 6:40 PM
Really loved Perlman as Hellboy, even if I didn’t find the movies overly exceptional. Plus he loved kitties, so big plus right there.
Cap1
Cap1 - 7/28/2023, 6:44 PM
Video went insanely hard. Shit rocked. Nothing to apologise for
Origame
Origame - 7/28/2023, 10:56 PM
@Cap1 - ...pretty sure the thinly veiled threat was worth apologizing over.

Unless you can explain what "ways to go homeless" he was referring to.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this was based on lawyers getting involved.
JackBurton1
JackBurton1 - 7/29/2023, 12:08 AM
@Cap1 - I called this on here right after it happened...a fake tough rich guy bitching about other rich people...it's comical and he'll follow it up with message of love in the days and weeks following the post...and just like that...I'm right!
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/29/2023, 5:14 AM
@Origame - It was fun posturing, nothing more. He wasn't genuinely threatening the guy. Just reminding him that maybe it's not such a good idea to threaten peoples livelihoods when they all know where you live. It was a verbal bitch-slap, not a statement of intent.
Origame
Origame - 7/29/2023, 8:48 AM
@ObserverIO - first of all, the exec didn't threaten them. That exec is literally just saying they're willing to hold out on the strike.

Perlman, on the other hand, pointed out he knows the exec who said that, where he lives, and "there's many ways to get homeless". If the exec threatened the strikers, I genuinely don't get how you don't view Perlman comment as a threat.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/29/2023, 10:17 AM
@Origame - I think the key difference is that Perlman had no genuine intention of actually burning the guy's house down. If he did then he would probably be in a lot of trouble after posting that video. In fact, I though that exact thing when he first made that post, I thought Oh shit, anyone could burn that dudes house down now and Perlman would be culpable.

But the exec and all the studios actually do have every intention of waiting until writers and actors are starving to death on the street.
Origame
Origame - 7/29/2023, 10:39 AM
@ObserverIO - first of all, where are you getting the house burning from? He didn't say that directly. My point is he's clearly inferring something along those lines. And it's Undeniable here since even you're seeing its something along those lines.

Second, intentions are subjective. And technically all threats can be hand wave away by saying "he didn't mean it". Also, most likely he did get in trouble, hence this post.

Third, the strikers would be making themselves starve from this logic. This is the game the strikers are choosing to play. When you go on strike, it's effectively a battle of attrition. All the exec is saying is he's willing to hold out for the long haul. The strikers can choose to just settle for the agreement already on the table, which is pretty close to what the unions want.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/29/2023, 10:50 AM
@Origame - lol, I don't know where I got burning his house down from, I guess that's just where my mind went to. That's probably a me thing. I better get that looked at.

Intentions are subjective, true. But if you were to ask Ron Perlman if he actually meant it he would say "Of course not" and if you ask the exec if he meant it he would say "Yes, of course I did".

But I have to agree with you on the battle of attrition thing. I guess those are just the risks you have to take.
Origame
Origame - 7/29/2023, 11:02 AM
@ObserverIO - 1) yeah, but the fact your mind went there, and it fits in perfectly well (even when you're actively defending him) proves there's an inherent undertone of a threat.

2) but again, anyone can threaten someone and just say later "I didn't mean it".
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 7/29/2023, 11:08 AM
@Origame - There is that undertone. But like I say the difference is, the exec would not say "I didn't mean it". The exec means it and he means the actors or writers to know he means it. But like you say that's the risk you take when you strike.

Also I guess burning down someone's house (or whatever he was implying) is way worse than starving out striking workers.
Origame
Origame - 7/29/2023, 11:13 AM
@ObserverIO - I mean, if we knew this exec he would probably say "I didn't mean that". He only isn't saying it now because of anonymity.
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 7/28/2023, 6:51 PM
While he did went a little too far it's completely understandable from where that emotional response was coming from, these greedy execs decided to show their ugly true selves and needed to be called out someway. It emboldened his fellow SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikers to keep fighting this long battle so all in all it's ok in my book.
Origame
Origame - 7/28/2023, 10:59 PM
@NinnesMBC - ...how was that ugly? The entire point of a strike is that the union is trying to force their hands, and the execs are basically just calling their bluff.

The execs have already agreed to compromises. From 4% pay increases (they asked for 5%), and even agreed not to use AI for now, just want the door open for further discussion as the tech evolves.
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 7/28/2023, 6:52 PM
So after he threatens the homes of the Studio Exec the blowback was bad for him and his P.R. team swooped in and told him to do damage control on social media.

Also, that could implicate him if something bad did happen to the Studio Exec's house so he needed to cover his ass just in case.

DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 7/28/2023, 7:01 PM
@TyrantBossMedia - Also, keep a note of all of the people praising him for his violent words, while they freak out about the smallest thing from someone with whom they disagree.

Hypocrites as far as the eye can see
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 7/28/2023, 8:26 PM
@DarthOmega - Absolutely. You hit the nail right on the head. The only standard they have is a double standard.
Origame
Origame - 7/28/2023, 11:01 PM
@DarthOmega - it wasn't even bad what the exec said. It's just saying "we're willing to hold out". This is exactly what the strike itself is doing.
OmegaBlack13
OmegaBlack13 - 7/29/2023, 1:52 PM
@DarthOmega - If an exec’s house burns down he will be fine from insurance and would probably be able to buy another one if he wanted. Some of the strikers are receiving checks for $11. Hope this helps.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 7/29/2023, 2:29 PM
@OmegaBlack13 - It doesn't. Saying it's ok to burn someone's home because they may have insurance is pure insanity
Knightrider
Knightrider - 7/28/2023, 7:00 PM
I was thinking about this the other day and I had a moment where I played the devil advocate.
Many jobs in technology, manufacturing and retail have been replaced by computers and machines and will continue to do so.
Why are we ok with that, but not OK with studios using technology to reduce costs by creating digital actors for example.
Now, I am not talking about creative work like screenwriting, which AI will get to a point where it can match and produce high quality work, but the more I think about it the more I feel the writers and actors on strike have to accept their industry needs to change… heck computers already took animators and puppeteer jobs, so it just feels like now it actually hurts them they suddenly care.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 7/28/2023, 7:02 PM
@Knightrider - Just to add to that, when I say digital actors I mean either where they have created a completely original actor, not scanning a likeness.
That is the way I think it will go as there are already virtual influencers so why not virtual actors
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 7/28/2023, 7:05 PM
@Knightrider - True.

I also seem to remember the phrase "Learn to code" to people who lost their livelihood. Also people who refused to get an experimental drug shot into their bodies and the bodies of their children were told they should lose their jobs, their freedom. Now we are supposed to care about a bunch of multi millionaires mad because AI will do their jobs better than them? Sorry. I will waste no tears on the Ron Pearlmans of the world and all of their "Righteous indignation"

Pay people what they're worth of course, but that extends to everyone not just Hollywood writers
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 7/28/2023, 7:06 PM
@Knightrider - AI isn't perfect, but damn. I have gotten really close to decent scripts with the right prompts
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 7/28/2023, 7:09 PM
@Knightrider - That a great point. We on the outside of those industries are okay with replacing humans with computers and tech, but those on the inside who are affected directly by it are not. However, We all come to learn to live with it and adjust.

The biggest problem with actors especially is all they can do in the industry is act in most cases. They can't direct and there are only so many director spots available if they can direct. They aren't really producers. They don't want to be crew. So all they have is acting.

Writers can always write. AI will only go so far with writing, but acting...once you replaced them with deep fakes or fully CGI that's the end of that.
Even hand drawn animation has been replace with computer animation.

Like the women in Hidden Figures. They knew they were going to be replaced with computers so they learned how to program them.
Actors however, aren't able to do that.

But when they order online, or stop going to stores to buy things or use computers to do other tasks that replace humans, like you said...they are okay with it.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 7/28/2023, 7:09 PM
@DarthOmega - Yeah, and it isn’t like there aren’t bad scripts produced my humans.
I just feel, and they don’t help themselves with some of their comments, that the studios are just being painted as bad and I don’t think that is the case
At the end of the day making movies is a business the goal is the spend as little for a large return, if AI does that then of course they will do it.
If this was about minimum wage jobs, like robots replacing cleaners, we wouldn’t see this on front page news
Knightrider
Knightrider - 7/28/2023, 7:16 PM
@DarthOmega - Yeah, I disagreed with the plan to scan actors and then own their likeness for eternity, that ain’t right, I feel either pay a rental type fee for use after scan or created fully artificial actors, which is where I think we will end up.
Knightrider
Knightrider - 7/28/2023, 7:19 PM
@TyrantBossMedia - Yeah, I remember shopping with a friend who said they wouldn’t use the automatic check outs as they replace a human at the till.
However, they drive a car or use a phone and both of those industries have become highly automated replacing humans, so I found his comment to be a tad hypocritical.
Look, I work in comms, and while I think AI isn’t quite there yet, I am under no illusion that in 5 years it will be and I will likely need to look for a new industry.
Now, the way I see it, while it would suck, I have greatly benefited from automation in other industries so can’t complain when it comes for mine.
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