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Olivia Wilde says airline censorship of lesbian scene in Booksmart 'breaks her heart'

US actress Olivia Wilde arrives to attend the 11th Annual Governors Awards gala hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on October 27, 2019. (Photo by Chris Delmas / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Olivia Wilde (Credit: Chris Delmas/AFP)

Actress and director Olivia Wilde has responded to the cutting of a lesbian sex scene from her movie Booksmart by some airlines showing the movie.

The movie's star Beanie Feldstein has also since said that she's 'on the case to get this rectified'.

Speaking to Variety, after hearing about the edited version being shown, Wilde said: “I don’t understand it.

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“There’s censorship, airline to airline, of films, which there must be some kind of governing board to determine. We rate it a certain way. If it’s not X-rated, surely it’s acceptable on an airplane.

“There’s insane violence of bodies being smashed in half and yet a love scene between two women is censored from the film. It’s such an integral part of this character’s journey. I don’t understand it.

Booksmart (Credit: Annapurna Pictures)
Booksmart (Credit: Annapurna Pictures)

“My heart just broke. I’m trying to get to the bottom of it; I want people to experience the entire film.”

Many on social media noted that a scene with heterosexual kissing in the movie remained.

Delta Airlines, one of the operators which is showing the edited version of the movie, said that it is not its policy to 'remove homosexual content', and rather it was done by a third party.

It said in a statement: “Delta’s content parameters do not in any way ask for the removal of homosexual content from the film.

“We value diversity and inclusion as core to our culture and our mission and will review our processes to ensure edited video content doesn’t conflict with these values.”

Feldstein, who plays Molly Davidson in the coming-of-age comedy told Variety: “We’re on the case to get this rectified. Our movie is a beautiful representation of the queer experience as young people.

“I’m a queer person. So we’re getting to the bottom of it, don’t worry. If you can watch me and Skyler [Gisondo] kiss, you can watch Diana [Silvers] and Kaitlyn kiss.”