'Ant-Man and the Wasp' Actor Defends 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Director James Gunn

Fans were shocked by the news that Disney had fired James Gunn from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Now one of the stars of Ant-Man and the Wasp is speaking up in Gunn’s defense.

David Dastmalchian, who plays Scott Lang’s friend Kurt in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made a post to Instagram speaking to Gunn’s character.

“I’ve been saying this FOR YEARS! James Gunn is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever known - both professionally & personally. there are so many people in our lives that we would never have known without the incredible magnet of talent & goodness that is James (& his awesome partner in life, Jennifer Holland). Thanks for making us a part of your family, buddy.”

Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista has also spoken out on social media on James Gunn’s behalf.

"I will have more to say but for right now all I will say is this.. [James Gunn] is one of the most loving, caring, good natured people I have ever met. He’s gentle and kind and cares deeply for people and animals. He’s made mistakes. We all have. I'm NOT ok with what’s happening to him," Bautista tweeted.

Gunn’s tweets, which were made before Disney hired him to direct the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, were brought to the fore by an alt-right media personality. This caught Disney’s attention, and the company was quick to sever ties with Gunn.

"The offensive attitudes and statements on James' Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values, and we have severed our business relationship with him," Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn wrote in a statement.

Gunn himself has made multiple apologies for the tweets.

"My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative," Gunn said in his most recent statement. "I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.

"Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all."

It is still unclear how Gunn’s firing will affect the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which was expected to begin filming in early 2019.

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