The Boys Season 4 has been at the receiving end of some criticism as this season failed to impress fans. Many blamed the poor writing, while some shared that it was the politics of the show that brought its quality down. Interestingly, Eric Kripke has been open about how the supes under Homelander more or less took inspiration from Republican politics.
Now, Antony Starr, who plays the villain, has subtly shifted the blame towards the writers, saying that he just did his job with the material provided to him. He also revealed a Michael Jordan quote in his defense, saying that he was not biased toward any particular political group.
Antony Starr Says He Just Acts On The Script Written By The Writers On The Boys
Unlike the previous seasons, the fourth season of The Boys did not try to hide its political commentary. Even Antony Starr admitted that showrunner Eric Kripke took some characteristics from former President Donald Trump to develop the character of Homelander. However, some viewers have caught on to the sneaky politics of the show and have responded in a rather negative way.
When asked about the political commentary of the series in an interview with Vulture, Starr shared that he was just an actor hired to portray Homelander and did not carry any of the politics in the show. He shared that his job was not writing scripts and he just turned up to deliver on the creative input of the writers.
The Banshee actor also added that he was a big believer in Michael Jordan‘s quote, “Republicans buy sneakers, too”. He shared that the brand of Antony Starr would not alienate anyone based on their politics. Starr shared with Vulture:
I don’t carry any of it, to be honest, because I don’t write the scripts. That’s not my job. I turn up, and I do what I can with the material provided and try to add whatever creative input I can. But I’m a big fan of the Michael Jordan quote, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” I don’t want to alienate anyone. Antony Starr as a brand has room for everyone.
Starr further added that he had a very objective view of American politics since he was not originally born in the States. He shared that the character of Homelander was not representative of what his views were. Outside of the spandex, he believed that the country had been good to him.
Eric Kripke Was Open About The Show’s Politics From The Beginning
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Eric Kripke shared that the satirical nature of the series will tackle some themes like the Presidential Elections and the rise of ‘authoritarianism’ in America. He particularly shared about weaving the Trump politics into the narrative, sharing that it has been a natural fit for The Boys. He shared with THR:
When he got elected, we had a metaphor that said more about the current world. Suddenly, we were telling a story about the intersection of celebrity and authoritarianism and how social media and entertainment are used to sell fascism. We’re right in the eye of the storm. And once we realized that, I just felt an obligation to run in that direction as far as we could.
Not everyone was a fan of Kripke’s open statement and the fourth season proved that the show’s politics and shock value had worn off on people. However, both Kripke and Starr have openly denounced people idolizing Homelander as a leader for their real-world causes.
The Boys Season 4 is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
