Mark Schultz unhappy with his portrayal in 'Foxcatcher'

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Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Jan 01 2015 | 1:45 PM IST
Former Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who is portrayed by Channing Tatum in 'Foxcatcher', is unhappy with the way his character has shaped up in the film that revolves around the murder of his brother, famous wrestler Dave Schultz by his coach and millionaire John du Pont.
The film, directed by Bennett Miller, has been nominated for Golden Globe, SAG and Critics' Choice awards with hopes to perform well at the Oscars as well.
Mark, a gold medal-winning Olympic wrestler, took to Twitter and Facebook to fact-check the script and rant about Miller and the film.
Mark had previously indicated his support for the film but he became angry when some critics commented about an undercurrent of homosexuality in the film's portrayal of his relationship with his coach John du Pont, played by Steve Carell.
In his fact-checking rant on Facebook, Schultz emphasized he didn't have a close relationship with du Pont and called any reference to a sexual connection "insulting" and "jeopardizing my legacy."
"The personalities and relationships between the characters in the film are primarily fiction and somewhat insulting. Leaving the audience with a feeling that somehow there could have been a sexual relationship between duPont and I is a sickening and insulting lie," Schultz wrote on Facebook.
"I told Bennett Miller to cut that scene out and he said it was to give the audience the feeling that duPont was encroaching on your privacy and personal space. I wasn't explicit so I didn't have a problem with it.
"Then after reading 3 or 4 reviews interpreting it sexually, and jeopardizing my legacy, they need to have a press conference to clear the air, or I will," he wrote besides name calling Miller and threatening to end his career.
The title of the film comes from the Philadelphia estate where du Pont set up a training camp that attracted wrestlers such as Mark and his celebrated brother David, played by Mark Ruffalo in the film.
John du Pont had exhibited bizarre behavior for an extended period preceding the murder of Dave in 1996. John du Pont died in prison in 2010.
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First Published: Jan 01 2015 | 1:45 PM IST

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