Gyllenhaal Refuses Apology About 9/11 Comment

Gyllenhaal Refuses Apology About 9/11 Comment

BY ROBERT KAHN
STAFF WRITER

April 26, 2005

Even as a Web site devoted to her was overwhelmed with scathing criticism, actress Maggie Gyllenhaal refused Monday to back down from her statement that the United States "is responsible in some way" for the attacks on the World Trade Center.

"Not to have the courage to ask these questions of ourselves is to betray the victims of 9/11," she said in a new statement issued by her publicist yesterday in response to the controversy.

The actress appears in "The Great New Wonderful," which features five stories about people living in the aftermath of the Twin Towers attack.

It began screening last week at the Tribeca Film Festival, which actor Robert DeNiro helped get off the ground in 2002 to help Lower Manhattan recover.

Gyllenhaal said on Friday on NY1, the all-news cable channel, that the movie dealt with complexities and subtleties of life after Sept. 11, 2001.

"Because I think America has done reprehensible things and is responsible in some way and so I think the delicacy with which it's dealt allows that to sort of creep in," she said on the channel.

A Web site on the actress, www.maggie-gyllenhaal.net, was besieged Monday with harsh words, some of them from city firefighters. The site posted a note saying the actress does not view the site.

"She won't see the comments so please don't leave hate messages," the site indicated.

One city firefighter, asking not to be identified, said his firefighter chat room was consumed with the topic Monday. He said firefighters were telling each other to sent their comments to the Web site.

The Fire Department declined comment late Monday. The Uniformed Firefighters Association could not be reached for comment.

Staff writer William Murphy contributed to this story.

Poll

Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is being criticized for remarks suggesting the U.S. bears some responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. What do you think?

30.9% / I disagree and think she should apologize for the remarks. (674 responses)

41.7% / I agree with her position. (910 responses)

15.6% / I disagree but think she has a right to voice her opinion. (340 responses)

1.3% / I don't have an opinion either way. (28 responses)

10.5% / I think this incident has been blown out of proportion. (229 responses)

2181 total responses

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment...vote17294341=1

Nice!!!!!

I just voted, everyone else do the same.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment...vote17294341=1

We should somehow offer this girl some support. She is no doubt being attacked for her views.

She has a place for comments on her site. I left her a little note.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gold9472

She has a place for comments on her site. I left her a little note.

---

Excellent, it says she doesn't read them, but I think its important some positive responses get left too.

Actress was ready to quit Sept. 11 movie

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies...yllenhaal.html

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
5/6/2006

NEW YORK -- When Maggie Gyllenhaal caused a stir with comments about the U.S. role in the Sept. 11 attacks, she was particularly concerned about the opinions of two people - Port Authority Officer William J. Jimeno and his wife, Allison.

The 28-year-old actress says she was ready to drop out of Oliver Stone's upcoming "World Trade Center" film if the couple didn't accept her explanation.

"I wanted to tell them the absolute truth of what I meant," Gyllenhaal said of her visit to their home following her comments last year.

"If they still didn't want me to play Allison after that, then I wouldn't have," she said in an interview published Monday in the New York Post.

The movie, also starring Nicolas Cage, is based on the story of two Port Authority police officers, Jimeno and Sgt. John McLoughlin, who became trapped during rescue efforts after the collapse of the twin towers.

In April 2005, Gyllenhaal said the United States "is responsible in some way" for the attacks. She later said that she regretted the comment and issued a statement saying that Sept. 11 was "an occasion to be brave enough to ask some serious questions about America's role in the world."

The couple told the Post that a long talk with Gyllenhaal in their Chester, N.J., home last summer smoothed over any concerns they might have had.

"Right away, both Will and I felt comfortable with her and realized how sincere and passionate she is. We had no problem with her in this movie," said Allison Jimeno, 34.

Gyllenhaal recalled her nervousness as she traveled to the couple's home. "I was shaking," she said.

The native New Yorker's film credits include "Mona Lisa Smile," "Secretary" and "Donnie Darko," co-starring her brother, Jake Gyllenhaal.

She is engaged to Peter Sarsgaard and is pregnant with his child.

Michael Pena stars as William Jimeno in the film, which is set for release Aug. 9.