Space Jam: A New Legacy's Speedy Gonzales Actor Gabriel Iglesias Responds to Controversy
Another day brings another Space Jam: A New Legacy controversy, and this time Gabriel Iglesias is [...]
Another day brings another Space Jam: A New Legacy controversy, and this time Gabriel Iglesias is weighing in. This week already saw some fans blow a gasket on Twitter about Lola Bunny's redesign. This time the popular comedian stepped up to voice his opinion on Speedy Gonzalez after a New York Times op-ed tried to argue that the Looney Tunes character advanced negative stereotypes about Mexican people. Well, social media exploded again, and the Space Jam film got caught in the crossfire. Iglesias basically said that he would be playing the character in the film and there wouldn't be any changing that. (However, it is worth pointing out no such change would happen and it was revealed that the outrage behind Lola's redesign was based on fan artwork from 2011.) So, just another normal day for anyone looking forward to the Warner Bros. film
For anyone wondering what the new Space Jam will entail, it's a bit of a doozy. There's talk of LeBron James and the Looney Tunes making their way through a Warner Bros. streaming-verse to battle a new threat on the hardwood. The Lakers forward gave some insight on the Road Tripping podcast.
I am the voice of Speedy Gonzales in the new Space Jam. Does this mean they are gonna try to cancel Fluffy too? U can’t catch me cancel culture. I’m the fastest mouse in all of Mexico 💨 pic.twitter.com/Ov4wjO00kM
— G a b r i e l - I g l e s i a s (@fluffyguy) March 7, 2021
"You can call them that/ They have a different name. I won't give the name," James told the hosts. "But it's more of a family movie. It's a parenting movie between me and my son, and me trying to demand my son to do something because I was taught that way growing up. Demand my son to play basketball. 'This is what you're gonna do, this is how you're gonna do it.' And me as a parent not listening to my son and not believing in what my son is actually great at. It's a tackling between me being a parent and supporting my son, and my son basically turning off at some point and me trying to regain that trust throughout the movie. Along with the great Bugs Bunny, and Lola, and Taz, and Tweety. All of them."
Space Jam: A New Legacy will arrive in theaters and on HBO Max on July 16, 2021.
Did you see the Speedy Gonzalez fervor? Let us know down in the comments!