After Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign shared a bizarre video that has been widely described as both homophobic and homoerotic that includes footage of Cillian Murphy’s character in “Peaky Blinders,” the team behind the British crime drama has denounced the video, adding that the footage of the show was “obtained without permission or official license.”
The video, shared by DeSantis’ campaign on Twitter, slams rival 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump for vowing to “protect our LGBTQ citizens.” The video also mocks Trump for standing up for Caitlyn Jenner’s right to choose her own bathroom and allowing transgender women to compete in his Miss Universe pageants. The edit, which was first shared by @ProudElephantUS and then reposted to DeSantis’ “Rapid Response” campaign account @DeSantisWarRoom, then pivots to a clip of outwardly queer rapper Tyler, the Creator yelling “Psych!” before boasting DeSantis’ various legislative attacks against LGBTQ people.
One frame, sandwiched between an image of a male bodybuilder and a clip of Christian Bale in “American Psycho,” shows the Republican Florida governor wearing sunglasses above the headline: “DeSantis Signs ‘Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern History.’”
Alongside other images of shirtless men and recent headlines, there are two clips of Murphy’s “Peaky Blinders” character, Tommy Shelby.
“We do not support nor endorse the video’s narrative and strongly disapprove of the use of the content in this manner,” Murphy wrote in a joint statement with “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, Caryn Mandabach Productions, Tiger Aspect Productions and Banijay Rights.
Representatives for DeSantis did not immediately respond to Variety's request for comment.
This isn’t DeSantis’ first brush with Hollywood. Notably, the Republican presidential candidate has picked a legal battle with Disney by taking away the company’s power to self-govern the 25,000-acre site of its Orlando amusement parks. In an earnings call in May, Disney CEO Bob Iger called DeSantis’ actions a “matter of retaliation” against the entertainment conglomerate for its stance against the Florida governor’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022.