People aren't happy about Jared Leto playing Hugh Hefner

News that Jared Leto is to play ‘Playboy’ publisher Hugh Hefner in a new biopic movie from director Brett Ratner has not been met with the rapturous response the pair may have hoped.

Hefner died last week at the age of 91, and the initial round of coverage celebrating his life has taken a more sour turn in recent days.

Many outlets have since published articles rather more critical of Hefner, and perhaps plans for a biopic have been tainted as such.

Or maybe some people just have an allergic reaction to Jared Leto.

Whatever the reason, it looks like there’s a fair few people who won’t be waiting for Leto’s method-acting transformation with baited breath.

Others found the timing a little off…

Ratner, who is best known for making movies like the ‘Rush Hour’ series and the recent ‘Hercules’ with The Rock, has nothing but admiration for Hefner, however.

In a piece for The Hollywood Reporter, he wrote that Hefner was ‘trying to make [America] a better place’.

“Hef was my friend. He was the coolest. And the hippest. And at the same time, the squarest. His heart was a well of emotion, open for all to see. He was the least prejudiced man I ever knew,” he added.

As for casting Leto, he said: “Jared is an old friend. When he heard I got the rights to Hef’s story, he told me, ‘I want to play him. I want to understand him.’ And I really believe Jared can do it. He’s one of the great actors of today.”

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