Biopics That Were Criticized By The Real People And Their Families

by Ellen DurneyBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffHi, I’m Ellen!

When I’m scrolling through my TV or deciding what to watch at the movie theater, it sometimes feels like everything is a biopic or inspired by a true story. Like, at this point, we must be running out of iconic musicians to make movies about? Right?

With so many biopics come many opinions, both from viewers and the real people who inspired the projects. And while there are a lot of celebs who loved the movies made about them, there are plenty of people who’ve voiced strong criticisms about the way that their stories — or their family’s stories — have been adapted for the screen.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette vs. Jack Schlossberg

Where else to start than with Jack Schlossberg: the nephew of John F. Kennedy Jr., who has publicly criticized prolific TV producer Ryan Murphy and his team for their “grotesque” portrayal of the Kennedy family in their latest show, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. Jack was six years old when his uncle and aunt were killed in a plane crash in 1999, and when a series about the tragedy was announced last year, he immediately made it clear that the Kennedy family did not approve and had not been consulted.

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At the time, Murphy snarkily responded, saying: “I thought it was an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.” But since the first few episodes were released in February, Jack has doubled down on his criticism. “If you want to know someone who’s never met anyone in my family, knows nothing about us, talk to Ryan Murphy,” he said while discussing his congressional campaign on CBS Sunday Morning. “The guy knows nothing about what he’s talking about, and he’s making a ton of money on a grotesque display of someone else’s life.”

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“I would hope that Mr. Murphy would donate some of the millions of dollars of profits that he’s making to maybe some of the causes that John championed throughout his life,” the 33-year-old continued. “Maybe he would donate some of that money to the JFK library to help keep President Kennedy’s memory alive, but he’s not. He’s making money. This is not a documentary.”

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House of Gucci vs. The Gucci Family

House of Gucci may have given us a hilarious press tour, but it’s safe to say that the real Guccis didn’t love the movie, which was about the story behind the murder of Maurizio Gucci, a member of the famous Gucci fashion family.

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“The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them,” the family said in a statement obtained by Variety in November 2021, around the time the film came out. “This is extremely painful from a human point of view and an insult to the legacy on which the brand is built today.”

As you may remember, Lady Gaga played Patrizia Reggiani in the film. The Gucci family pointed out in their statement that Patrizia is portrayed as “a victim trying to survive in a male and male chauvinist corporate culture.” However, the real 1980s-era Gucci employed “several women who held top positions,” including the president of Gucci America and the company's head of global public relations and communications.

Fabio Lovino / © MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

Director Ridley Scott responded to the criticism at the time, saying that he and his team tried to be “as respectful as possible by being as factual as possible.”

Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images

The Social Network vs. Mark Zuckerberg

The Social Network, which depicts the creation of Facebook in the 2000s, is widely regarded as one of the defining movies of the 21st Century so far. But one person who didn’t love it was Mark Zuckerberg, who is portrayed in the movie by Jessie Eisenberg.

“Basically, the framing is that the whole reason for making Facebook is because I wanted to get girls, or wanted to get into clubs,” he said during a speech to students at Stanford University in 2010, around the time of the film’s release. “[The film's creators] just can't wrap their heads around the idea that someone might build something because they like building things.”

Hilariously, he did say that the movie, which was directed by David Fincher and received eight Oscar nominations, totally nailed his 2000s wardrobe, which included a lot of sweaters, socks, and sliders. “Like every single shirt and fleece they had in that movie is actually a shirt or fleece that I own,” he said.

The Blind Side vs. Michael Oher