Gerard Butler Forced to Take Media Training Course for Saying He Dumbed Down His Acting for Angelina Jolie in $160M Tomb Raider 2

Gerard Butler has worked with numerous actors and actresses throughout his long career, including Angelina Jolie. However, on one occasion, the actor made a remark about the actress that caused him to face a lot of criticism.

Gerard Butler

In 2003, the sequel to Jolie’s initial Tomb Raider film, titled Cradle of Life, hit cinema halls. Once again, Jolie reprised the role of Lara Croft, the daring protagonist of the video game adaptation. Jolie was impressed by Butler’s ability to complement her own on-screen persona.

What Did Gerard Butler Say About Angelina Jolie

Butler, sharing his experience while working with Jolie, said that he shared the sentiment that he and Jolie hit it off right away when they were introduced.

“And then Angelina came up and as soon as we said hello, I thought, This is going to be great. I’m really going to love doing this with her. And I did. And then I was very excited to do the movie after that,” Butler told IGN.

Butler faced some backlash backstage for teasing his co-star. While promoting the film, he said that he had to tone down his acting abilities in Tomb Raider to match Jolie’s performance. Although the 300 actor’s comment was intended to be lighthearted, he acknowledged that some people took offense to it.

Gerard Butler

How Did Angelina Jolie React To Gerard Butler’s Comment

Later on, Jolie and a major film studio became aware of Butler’s remark. Butler claimed that the two parties had divergent responses to his comment. While his co-star seemed chill about the comment, the studio wanted the actor to take a media training course.

“Angelina was cool. She said she knew I was joking, but Paramount said I was going on a media training course,” he said.

Due to Butler’s personality, Jolie and her team believed he injected a sense of rivalry into the film. Nevertheless, Butler maintained that the competition between himself and Jolie was more playful than serious. In fact, Butler also expressed admiration for the amount of dedication Jolie put into her physically demanding scenes.

Gerard Butler in a still from 300

The Actors Supported Each Other Throughout The Shoot

During the filming of challenging scenes, the actors offered support and motivation to each other. For instance, there was a sequence where Butler had to be suspended upside down, which made him feel nauseous and uncomfortable. Despite his discomfort, he also worried about Jolie’s well-being.

Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider

“I’m doing this, and I’m trying to tuck both my knees in. And I’m like, ‘Fine!’ And doing this for two days, over forty times, it was a killer. I would then be looking to Angelina and thinking, ‘How’s she lookin’? How’s she gettin’ along?’ It was a tough stunt for both of us. We were only there to encourage each other, and that kind of stuff,” he said.