Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson has hit headlines after falling for an obvious April Fools gag.
Peterson is a rather controversial figure.
And he seems to be in the news a lot lately.
He went super viral last year.
After being namechecked by Olivia Wilde as an inspiration for a character in Don’t Worry Darling.
She said to Interview Magazine that a character in her new movie is “based that character on this insane man, Jordan Peterson.”
“Who is this pseudo-intellectual hero to the incel community.”
She went on to describe incels as “disenfranchised, mostly white men, who believe they are entitled to s*x from women.”
Peterson then responded to Wilde’s claims …
Now, when the first trailer for Don’t Worry Darling was released back in May, many fans were shocked by how steamy the movie appeared to be.
The thriller follows Pugh as Alice, a housewife in the ’50s, and her husband Jack, played by Harry Styles. Things begin to unravel for Alice as she discovers what dark secrets Jack is hiding.
One thing many people have picked up on is how prominent the s*x scenes are in the trailer, despite the premise of the movie appearing to be totally different.
However, Florence Pugh spoke out about her thoughts on the raunchy scenes with Harry Styles in an interview with Harpers Bazaar. Despite not being overly impressed with how the character has been portrayed, she admitted this was understandable due to who she was working with.
“When it’s reduced to your s*x scenes, or to watch the most famous man in the world go down on someone, it’s not why we do it. It’s not why I’m in this industry,” Pugh told the outlet.
“Obviously, the nature of hiring the most famous pop star in the world, you’re going to have conversations like that,” she continued. “That’s just not what I’m going to be discussing because [this movie is] bigger and better than that. And the people who made it are bigger and better than that.”
Her recent comments have caused speculation to rise online that there is tension between Wilde and Pugh, with fans highlighting how Pugh has barely posted anything to do with the movie on her socials.
She finally made her first post last week, sharing a trailer — minus the s*x scenes — along with the blunt caption: “‘Not everyone gets this opportunity…’ Not long now! Only in theatres September 23rd #dontworrydarling.”
Now Pugh isn’t one to wait until the last minute to promote a movie, especially when she plays the lead.
Comments were also made by fans after Wilde praised Pugh on Instagram, writing: “Watching this woman work was such a f**king thrill! Cannot wait to show you more. @florencepugh.” A post that Pugh totally ignored.
And Pugh failed to return the favor to Wilde when filming ended back in February 2021, instead, she praised all the COVID-19 nurses and health workers who worked on set ensuring they could carry on filming through the pandemic.
Considering everything, it didn’t take long for social media users to come up with theories as to why Pugh refused to acknowledge Wilde after working on the movie. Many were left wondering if it had something to do with the overpromotion of the s*x scenes.
One Twitter user wrote: “Florence: sucks that ppl are reducing this film to my s*x scenes with harry, Olivia: female pleasure !!!, cl*t test !!!! good s*x,” referring to Wilde constantly leaning into the s*x hype.
“Florence speaking out on dont worry darling and dragging Olivia Wilde in the process bc she is marketing it around s*x when that’s not what the movie is actually about is just chef’s kiss!” a second said. “Thank you for your service Flo, a real trooper.”
Another added: “Olivia Wilde needs to stop promoting dwd like it’s a p*rno. Clearly, Florence isn’t okay with it, and Wilde needs to stfu and stop making it all about the s*x scenes.”
Someone else tweeted: “Florence rly said put [some] respect on our names Olivia and I’m so here for it.”
Others pointed out that as well as failing to mention Wilde in any of her interviews and promotion of the film, she also reposted multiple Instagram posts on her stories congratulating her on her HB cover, all the while ignoring Wildes’.
One fan said: “Florence once again had the opportunity to cease the rumors about her and Olivia by reposting her story like she did for harris and gemma but chose to ignore her. love that for her.”
But it’s not just the movie’s s*x scenes people are claiming have caused a rift between the 2, it’s also how Wilde acted while directing the movie that many are alleging rubbed Pugh up the wrong way.
Some have suggested it could be down to Wilde and Styles’ behavior while on set together, claiming they were “all over each other” making Pugh “uncomfortable.”
While others think it could be the fact that Pugh was paid just $700,000 as the leading lady, while Styles made a whopping $2.5 million although he only played a supporting role, as previously reported by Showbiz Galore.
In an interview with Interview magazine, Wilde opened up.
She revealed the true inspiration behind the character of Frank, played by Chris Pine, in Don’t Worry Darling with actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Which brings us back to Jordan Peterson.
“We based that character on this insane man, Jordan Peterson, who is this pseudo-intellectual hero to the incel community,” said Wilde.
Wilde asked: “Do you know Incel?”
Gyllenhaal, however, was not at all familiar with the word.
Wilde explained the “incels” as a community of “disenfranchised, mostly white men, who believe they are entitled to s*x from women”
She added: “They believe that society has now robbed them – that the idea of feminism is working against nature, and that we must be put back into the correct place.”
For any who don’t know, Peterson started to get public attention in the late 2010s for voicing his controversial opinions.
Many of which are anti-political correctness.
“This guy Jordan Peterson is someone that legitimizes certain aspects of the incels movement.”
“Because he’s a former professor, he’s an author, he wears a suit.”
“So they feel like this is a real philosophy that should be taken seriously,” Wilde added.
And soon after, Jordan Peterson responded to Wilde’s comments…
Talking to the National Post, Peterson said: “Now, [Pine] has a reputation as quite an attractive man … so that could be worse.”
He also added that he hoped Pine would do his wardrobe justice in the movie.
“I also hope that Chris Pine at least does the sartorial splendor of my very formal public wardrobe justice.”
“As he pillories me in the latest bit of propaganda disseminated by the woke, self-righteous bores and bullies who now dominate Hollywood, and who insist that the production of such tripe,” he said.
Peterson also appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
And broke down in tears after Morgan asked him about Wilde’s remarks.
Peterson initially hit back: “People have been after me for a long time because I have been speaking to young men, what a terrible thing to do.”
However, after a moment, he then teared up and added: “I thought the marginalized were supposed to have a voice?”
He then went on: “It’s very difficult to understand how demoralized people are, and certainly many young men are in that category.”
“And you get these casual insults, these ‘incels’ — what does it mean? It’s like these men, they don’t know how to make themselves attractive to women.”
Peterson went on to say that women are “very picky” and “demand high standards” from men.
He puts this in contrast with “alienated” and “lonesome” men who “everyone piles abuse on.”
And this week, Peterson has hit the headlines once again.
He was going off on Twitter about a Western Standard that jokingly unveiled a $100 billion plan from Justin Trudeau to remove a lane of the TransCanada highway to replace it with a bike lane.
He wrote: “This idiot country is sheathed in ice seven months of the year and the trans Canada highway (an underdeveloped national disgrace) is 5000 miles long. Is there nothing so stupid you won’t do it @JustinTrudeau ?”
Awkwardly, the article itself concluded with “From of all us at the Western Standard, have a happy April Fools Day.”
Oops.