Last week, I covered Miles Teller’s W Magazine interview. He sort of threw some shade on the Divergent franchise, which oh-by-the-way he’s still contractually obligated for the sequels. He told W that he was “feeling dead inside” during filming of Divergent and “I didn’t have an interesting part, and I’d taken the film for business reasons: It was the first movie I’d done that was going to have an international audience. I called my agent and said, ‘This sucks.’” The backlash against him happened very quickly, and to his credit, he reacted within the same news cycle. He tweeted:
I've never done a movie for "business" reasons. I'm proud to be a part of Divergent franchise and love all of Peter's Princesses
— Miles Teller (@Miles_Teller) September 24, 2014
His rep also went around issuing denials and clarifications. All of this has come about while Miles is trying to promote Whiplash, the little indie film that could walk away with a few Oscar nominations. Miles is incredibly proud of Whiplash, so it’s kind of funny/sad that for the past week, he’s had to answer endless questions about how much he hates Divergent. When he sat down with HuffPo Live yesterday, he got questions about it again!! You can see the video here.
One thing is for sure: Miles Teller is nothing like his rude Divergent character Peter. The actor cleared up his controversial comments that he felt “dead inside” while filming Veronica Roth’s best-selling YA film adaptation during an interview with HuffPost Live on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
“I think we talked on the phone for an hour, and if the conversation was transcribed I don’t think it would have been framed the way it was framed,” Teller, 27, explained of his conversation with W magazine.
“I’ve been offered good money to do absolutely terrible scripts that I haven’t done. I guess the business reasons for me [to join Divergent] — it was a smaller part acting wise — but it would give me an opportunity to be in a film that would be seen internationally,” he continued. “A big reason why I did the film was working with Shailene [Woodley] and director [Neil Burger].”
Teller also explained how his hectic schedule is what made him feel so worn down during production. The actor had just worked on four films back-to-back, and only had a month inbetween his comedy That Awkward Moment before joining Woodley in Chicago for four months. “I was just really burnt out,” he said.
So, basically, he wasn’t misquoted at all. He felt burnt out, dead inside (if you will) and he did the film because he thought it would give him more name-recognition overseas. I love that he can’t even really lie about it. What’s the big deal anyway? I mean, it’s rude and unprofessional to tell the truth about a Hunger Games-ripoff but at the end of the day…I don’t know, it’s not a career-destroyer or anything.
Miles was also on the Tonight Show two nights ago. Fallon didn’t ask him about his Divergent comments, thank God. You can see part of the interview here.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Ungrateful brat!
He really should learn from people like Channing Tatum on how to handle things like that. Tatum never complains about work. He also worked back to back on four movies between 2012-2013.
He has major case of backpfeifengesicht in the header pic.
Ultimately I don’t think his career will suffer in the same way it would for a young, attractive actress shading the production that made her famous.
I can’t wait when he’ll talk about Fantastic Four’s reboot
Lol @ backpfeifengesicht, that’s perfect.
Also, what’s up with his eyebrow situation? It’s confusing me.
He looks like a douchey version of an Elvis/Lisa Marie Presley/KD Lang Wall Street Broker, in that photo.
Omg that’s sheer brilliance. Died a little when I got to the KD Lang bit. 😀
I can’t take credit for the KD Lang thing. Someone else said it first, don’t remember who.
He looks like Ted Cruz to me.
That’s hilariously fantastic. New word for me.
Great comment, well done.
Do you have me confused with some else? lol
+1
mimif says:
October 2, 2014 at 9:05 am
+1
Excellent review and comment.
Yup. He is an actor that Hollywood wants to happen, so he will happen no matter what he says or how his movies do.
I repeat ” don’t bite the hand who feets you”
There is nothing of bad to do a movie for business reasons.Everyone( we,you…) work for money
its totally unfair and shallow, i am aware of this, but if i had to choose a picture in a dictionary to illustrate the word “douchebag” i would choose him.
He also always admitted that he took on the role because Shailene kept asking him to do it as well, it’s really no mystery how he got the movie. Bad phrasing but i honestly think every young actor in hollywood signs to do those kind of franchises for the money and to go on with their lives making indies, a lot of actors admit it (with better words)
An actress with his face and unappreciative attitude would never get the benefit of the doubt, so he can suck it. He seems to be letting the hype around his performance in Whiplash get to his head. If this is how he is when he’s getting a little buzz, one can only imagine what levels of snobbery and douchiness he’ll be unveiling if he makes it A-list.
Completely agree. Any actress carrying out the same kind of attitude wouldn’t get the same reaction. If he gets any douchier I hope he breaks down Shia LaBeouf style.
He better hope his indie movie takes off. Otherwise he will find some producers might think twice about hiring him for their movies.
The sad thing is is that the character he played in “Divergent” was actually pretty awesome(ly evil) in the books. If it had been adapted better, he would’ve had the equivalent of a Draco Malfoy “iconic” part on his C.V. Hopefully it’ll be closer to the books in the next two movies as he has a good arc.
Poss vague spoilers….
Still annoyed the bit with the eye wasn’t in there…
Me too! Did you notice that they didn’t show that he was one of the guys that attacked Tris (It’s not a spoiler if it’s in the movie!) they only focused on Al. I was waiting for Four to at least Evil Eye him.
People often overreact to things celebrities say, but I don’t think this sort of mild backlash is an overreaction….He is straight up being ungrateful. It’s one thing to say….”well, it didn’t work out like we thought it would” or to just look bored/over it (re: Bradley Cooper/The Hangover 3)….but another to mock it or say they are dead inside. I also really dislike that Miles, Chris Evans, RPattz, and other male actors get a pat on the head or mild backlash at worse when they trash a project but someone like Rooney Mara gets raked over the coals for a similar comment. Rooney got so much shit for making a similar comment when promoting Girl with the Dragon Tattoo…I remember reading about it in the mainstream media. It’s a perfect example of how the entertainment media holds women and men to different standards.
All of THIS. He is should be thankful for being a guy. Some women are called ungrateful when they don’t even say anything remotely to what Miles said and they get called ‘ungrateful’ long after that. But for this guy he gets called ‘honest’ and people saying ‘oh this isn’t a big deal’. Please
I agree, he needs to grow up and learn to be professional and humble. As someone said upthread, he’s biting the hand that feeds him, which is extremely unwise.
I always love when actors are openly grateful about their humble roots, such as working on a soap. Or take Tom Hanks and Bosom Buddies, for example. More actors need to take those cues.
He looks a lot like a young Ben savage. Getting major boy meets world vibes here.
Also everyone else in the world complains about their job, a little mild complaining from a teen I’m willing to let slide.
Yes! Ben Savage. Thank you….I knew he reminded me of someone.
He reminds me of Cher.
I haven’t fully caffeinated yet.
I guess I could see the resemblance although I have to say I think Ben Savage is much cuter.
A teen? He’s 27?
Is all of this really that big a deal?
No, not at all.
No,it’s not a big deal ,but there are hundreds of actors that would love to trade places with him.
If he wants to be an actor and not make a big deal about it he should be in theater. Why Hollywood, why did he chose movies? He’s just dumb.
Does he have enough talent to make people forget his dumbness?
He comes off as childish at the very least.He’s lucky he’s a guy.
Yes, Divergent sucked. But Miles honey you need to keep your comments cute, because you ain’t cute.
You said it! He can’t coast along on good looks because he doesn’t have them. He needs to be charming in interviews, not sound ungrateful.
I know this sounds really horrible, but this guy…..I just can’t….he really is very unattractive. Yes, I’m a bitch tonight.
100% to both comments
He just looks punchable to me now that I’ve heard his comments. Love your name, btw!
I think it’s BS because we all know if this was Shailene, she would be destroyed. I mean, granted, he’s kind of a nobody so no one is going to care like they would with Megan Fox, but he should check himself. I agree with someone else above, learn from Channing Tatum. He slogged away for years doing crap and was always grateful.
Why do they always forget they are replaceable?
With all the good actors needing jobs out there, he’s lucky to be working! And there’s a big list of folks who would be happy to take that role and get the exposure it brings. People like him make me sick. Be grateful and humble. If a project isn’t something you want to do, don’t do it! But if you choose to do it, don’t complain about it.
Minority actors would love to get the roles this brats is getting. Another Alex Pettyfer!
Ya know, sometimes you get the role you’re best qualified for….
He is simply not at that position of fame to sh*t on his pop-corn movie. You know I can understand when Pattinson and Stewart are laughing at Twilight while doing third movie. Or when that happened. And Twilight WAS laughably bad.
But the thing is – Divergent is not ridiculously bad. It’s just weak, popcorn movie. No one is laughing at it. Actors and characters were not as bad as in Twilight. People are just like: “Whatevs. That movie was weak. Didn’t deserve those money”.
And Miles is playing some small supporting character, No one even remembers him or cares. Yet he was all diva with: “I’m such talented Oscar actor and had to do that popcorn movie. But I am so above it and did it only for money. I was too good for that movie”.
And it’s like: “Dude, Calm down. Your are not even B list star. No one knows you. You do some indie movies. But you are not movie star. And not Oscar actor. You did not EARN the right to sh*t on your movies yet”. He already acts like the star he is not. You know we don’t hear Sam Rockwell sh*t on being in Cowboys & Aliens and Iron Man 2. He HAS the right to say he took it for money. But he is professional.
Also you can’t be dead inside because of doing small supporting role in Divergent. Even supporting actors on Twilight were more professional.
He should be grateful to be offered any jobs where people have to look at him… wouldn’t be my first choice for any movie… or my one millionth choice really. He straight up looks like an unlikeable guy