'Guardians of the Galaxy' Stars Speak Out in Support of James Gunn After Disney Firing

James Gunn’s colleagues have come out in support after he was surprisingly fired by Disney.

Disney cut ties with the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker after a number of the his past tweets, mostly from 2008 and 2009, were brought back into the spotlight by certain conservative people. The tweets were highly inappropriate jokes, some relating to rape and pedophilia.

“To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies,” Gunn said in a statement, accepting Disney’s decision to fire him.

Gunn’s colleagues have come out in support. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax in Gunn’s two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, has been particularly outspoken.

“He’s made mistakes. We all have,” reads Bautista’s first tweet about these developments. “Im NOT ok with what’s happening to him.”

I will have more to say but for right now all I will say is this..@JamesGunn 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. Im NOT ok with what’s happening to him

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) July 21, 2018

Bautista also tweeted:

What will you do when the #cybernazis attack you? Who will stand by you? Who will cowardly distance themselves from you? Who will punish you for horrible JOKES in the past instead of defending you for INSPIRING millions? MILLIONS!!! #Redemption #injustice @JamesGunn

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) July 22, 2018

What happened here is so much bigger then G3, @JamesGunn ,myself,@Disney etc. This was a #cybernazi attack that succeeded. Unless we start to unite together against this crap, whether people are offended are not! …it’s going to get much worse. And it can happen to anyone https://t.co/AMZEd0tfqb

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) July 22, 2018

Sean Gunn, James’ brother and actor in the Guardians films (he played Kraglin and was a stand in for Rocket on set), also expressed his support:

2. Since he was a kid, it was clear he had a desire (maybe destiny) to be an artist, tell stories, find his voice through comics, films, his band. The struggle to find that voice was sometimes clunky, misguided, or downright stupid, and sometimes wonderful, moving, and hilarious.

— Sean Gunn (@seangunn) July 21, 2018

3. Since devoting his entire life to the Guardians movies and MCU six years ago, I’ve seen him channel that voice into his work on those movies and seen him transform from the guy who made up things to shock people.

— Sean Gunn (@seangunn) July 21, 2018

5. I saw that he was more open-hearted than the guy who needed to get a rise out of people by making nasty or offensive jokes (or whatever you choose to call them–I don’t think his bluer material was ever his funniest and neither does Mom).

— Sean Gunn (@seangunn) July 21, 2018

10. Working on those movies made my brother a better person, and they made me one too. I’m proud of that. Peace.

— Sean Gunn (@seangunn) July 21, 2018

Selma Blair shared a petition created to have Gunn re-hired. “Because if people are punished despite changing, then what does that teach people about owning mistakes and evolving?” Blair tweeted. “This man is one of the good ones.”

Marvel: RE-HIRE JAMES GUNN – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/JeVbFZkQLL via @Change. Because if people are punished despite changing, then what does that teach people about owning mistakes and evolving? This man is one of the good ones.

— Selma Blair (@SelmaBlair) July 22, 2018

Other cast members have shared their support, although it appears they did so much more carefully:

Chris Pratt –

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

JAMES 1:19
?♥

— chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) July 22, 2018

Zoe Saldana –

It’s been a challenging weekend I’m not gonna lie. I’m pausing myself to take everything in before I speak out of term. I just want everyone to know I love ALL members of my GOTG family. Always will.

— Zoe Saldana (@zoesaldana) July 22, 2018

Michael Rooker quit Twitter, posting: “This account will be inactive after today. We’re very tired & upset over the ongoing BULLSHIT… neither I nor my rep will use Twitter again. Twitter sucks and I want nothing to do with it.” His account’s profile pic was then changed to an image of him alongside Gunn.

2/2
This account will be inactive after today. We’re very tired & upset over the ongoing BULLSHIT… neither I nor my rep will use Twitter again. Twitter sucks and I want nothing to do with it.

Thank you to all who gave kind words & support. See you on Instagram.
– MR pic.twitter.com/uAyIOPoAle

— MichaelRookerOnline (@RookerOnline) July 22, 2018

Karen Gillan –