Actor Viggo Mortensen has labelled the criticism of Dr. Don Shirley's family as "unjustified" and "unfair".
The comedy-drama feature, directed by Peter Farrelly, is about a tour of the Deep South in the 1960s by classical and jazz pianist Dr. Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali) and Tony Vallelonga (Mortensen), an Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard.
Family members of Shirley have criticized the film for its alleged narrative falsehoods.
Dr. Shirley's nephew, Edwin Shirley III, and brother, Maurice Shirley, claimed that the film twisted truths and manipulated the friendship between Dr. Shirley and Vallelonga.
During the 30th Palm Springs International Film Festival, where the film is set to receive the Vanguard Award, Mortensen, 60, defended the film.
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"(Writer) Nick Vallelonga has shown admirable restraint in the face of some accusations and some claims including from a couple of family members that have been unjustified, uncorroborated and basically unfair, that have been countered by other people who knew Dr. Shirley well," Mortenson told Variety.
"There is evidence that there was not the connection that (the family members) claimed there was with him, and perhaps there's some resentment," he added.
Farrelly, who is also attending the festival, expressed "disappointment" over the controversy.
"I wish they were, and they have a right to their opinion, but when we went down that road, we looked into the heirs of Don Shirley, and unfortunately it wasn't the family. The heirs were friends," the director said.
"When we found out about the family, we tried to embrace them, and they're not having it right now, and it's very disappointing," he added.
The film had previously come under fire after Mortensen used the N-word during a promotional panel discussion in November last year. The actor later apologised, saying that his "intention was to speak strongly against racism".
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