Is Kate McKnon’s Ghostbters Character Gay? Pl Feig Isn’t Sayg | Vany Fair

Contents:

• YEP, KATE MCKNON'S GHOSTBTERS CHARACTER IS GAY
• GHOSTBTERS: PL FEIG NFIRMS KATE MCKNON CHARACTER IS GAY BUT STUD STOPPED HIM OM SAYG SO
• PL FEIG GIV FSTRATG ANSWER WHEN ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S 'GHOSTBTERS' CHARACTER IS GAY‘I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ...’{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CRYSTAL BELLJULY 13, 2016/11:06 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}SONY PICTUR ENTERTAMENTBY CRYSTAL BELLJULY 13, 2016 / 11:06 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"PL FEIG GIV FSTRATG ANSWER WHEN ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S 'GHOSTBTERS' CHARACTER IS GAY","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-07-13T15:06:09.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-07-13T15:06:09.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"CRYSTAL BELL","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH CRICS APPEAR TO BE DIVID OVER PL FEIG'S GHOSTBTERS, THERE'S ONE THG THAT THEY UNANIMO AGREE UPON: KATE MCKNON IS THE BREAKOUT STAR OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HER REVIEW, THE DAILY BEAST'S JEN YAMATO REFERRED TO MCKNON'S CHARACTER, A GLOR WEIRDO NAMED HOLTZMANN, AS A "PROBABLY-GAY GEARHEAD" WHO JT SO HAPPENS TO BE THE FILM'S "SECRET WEAPON." PART OF THE CHARACTER'S APPEAL STEMS OM HOLTZMANN'S BRAZEN SEXUALY AND ZERO-FUCKS-GIVEN ATTU. SHE'S FLIRTAT; EVERYTHG AND EVERYONE TURNS HER ON, OM PROTON PACKS TO KRISTEN WIIG'S CHARACTER, ER.SONY ENTERTAMENT PICTURKATE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOWEVER, HOLTZMANN'S SEXUALY IS NEVER EXPLICLY FED THE FILM. WHEN ASKED BY THE DAILY BEAST IF MCKNON'S CHARACTER IS GAY, FEIG ARTFULLY DODGED THE QUTN, STEAD ASKG YAMATO, "WHAT DO YOU THK?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YAMATO SAID SHE THOUGHT HOLTZMANN WAS GAY, AND FEIG GAVE A "GRNG, SILENT NOD" RPONSE: "I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ... BUT WHEN YOU’RE ALG WH THE STUDS AND THAT KD OF THG..."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"YOU KNOW, KATE IS WHO SHE IS AND I LOVE THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN KATE AND MELISSA’S CHARACTERS," HE EXPLAED. "I THK ’S A VERY TERTG, CLOSE RELATNSHIP. IF YOU KNOW KATE AT ALL SHE'S THIS KD OF PANSEXUAL BEAST WHERE 'S JT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO'S AROUND HER FALLS LOVE WH HER AND SHE’S SO LOVG TO EVERYBODY SHE'S AROUND. I WANTED TO LET THAT E OUT THIS CHARACTER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S ONE THG TO CREATE A LOVABLE CHARACTER -- AND HOLTZMANN UNDOUBTEDLY FS THE BILL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE ISN'T FED BY HER SEXUALY. SHE'S A BADASS ENGEER WHO BTS GHOSTS FOR A LIVG. END OF STORY. BUT IF HOLTZMANN WAS NCEIVED AS A PANSEXUAL CHARACTER, THEN WHY SHOULDN'T THE FILM CELEBRATE THAT? GIVEN THE ARTH OF LGBTQ REPRENTATN MAJOR MOVI, SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR MISSED OPPORTUNY TO CELEBRATE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S PECIALLY DISHEARTENG THAT FEIG, THE FILM'S -WRER AND DIRECTOR, HAS TO SAY THGS LIKE "I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT " RPONSE TO A QUTN ABOUT HIS CHARACTER'S SEXUALY BEE OF POTENTIAL STUD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• IS PL FEIG GAY? AGE, HEIGHT, NET WORTH
• IS KATE MCKNON’S GHOSTBTERS CHARACTER GAY? PL FEIG ISN’T SAYG
• GHOSTBTERS DIRECTOR PL FEIG WAS ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S CHARACTER IS GAY: WHY HE'S REMAG "COY"
• PL FEIG PLANS GAY ROM-COM AND 9 OTHER THGS WE LEARNED OVER DRKS
• PL FEIG IS WORKG ON A GAY ROM-COM WH CHANNG TATUM TO STAR
• IN THE WORKS: PL FEIG LIK CHANNG TATUM FOR GAY ROMANTIC COMEDY UPDATED
• DON’T GET TOO EXCED ABOUT THAT GAY CHANNG TATUM ROM-COM JT YET
• ‘GHOSTBTERS’ DIRECTOR PL FEIG ON THE FILM’S MISOGYNISTIC TROLLS: ‘IT’S NOT FOR ALL THE GUYS!’GIRL POWERTHE ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER BEHD ‘BRISMAIDS,’ ‘THE HEAT,’ AND ‘SPY’ OPENS UP ABOUT HIS ALL-WOMEN ANCHISE, KATE MCKNON’S CHARACTER’S SEXUALY, AND GOG TO WAR WH TROLLS. JEN YAMATOUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:53PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY BRIGETTE SUPERNOVA/THE DAILY BEASTPL FEIG’S TWTER B IS SIMPLE AND TO THE POT, PREFACG A MOST NDOWN OF HIS MAJOR ACPLISHMENTS HOLLYWOOD. HE’S THE GUY WHO -CREATED FREAKS & GEEKS, THE HIGH SCHOOL SERI WHOSE CULT STAT OUTLIVED S SHORT-LIVED BROADST LIFE AND SPAWNED A GENERATN OF YOUNG TALENT. HE DIRECTED BRISMAIDS, THE HEAT, AND SPY, THREE EDY HS THAT REFED THE FEMALE-DRIVEN R-RATED EDY GENRE AND LAND HIM HIS HIGH-PROFILE GIG HELMG SONY’S GHOSTBTERS REBOOT. FEIG IS ALSO THE FILMMAKER WEATHERG THE TOUGHT FAN SCTY YEARS, PRECISELY BEE SAID REBOOT SCRAPS THE ST OF THE 1984 ORIGAL FAVOR OF FOUR NEW FEMALE HERO. NOT EVEN THE DIRECTORS RCATG THE STAR WARS ANCHISE HAVE AS BAD. “PL IS A GUY WHO WEARS SUS,” HIS B READS TO 1.89 LN FOLLOWERS AND THE UNTLS TROLLS HE STARTED ATTRACTG AS SOON AS THE GHOSTBTERS PROJECT WAS ANNOUNCED, “AND TRI NOT TO SCREW THGS UP.”HE SPORTS ONE OF HIS SIGNATURE SUS AS WE S FOR A CHAT BEVERLY HILLS, A EP BLUE THREE-PIECE ENSEMBLE ACCENTED BY A LAPEL P SIGNED AFTER THE CLASSIC GHOSTBTERS LOGO, ONLY BEJEWELED. PEEKG OUT BENEATH HIS PANTS CUFFS IS THE KN FACE OF ABRAHAM LLN, GAZG STOILLY OM HIS SOCKS. FEIG S, WARMLY AND NFINTLY, BOLSTERED BY SUPPORTIVE FIRST REVIEWS THAT HAVE JT E .“I’M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE FOUR WOMEN STARRG A MOVIE AND THREE OF THEM ARE THEIR FORTI,” HE BEAMS. “I REALLY CRED [FORMER STUD HEAD] AMY PASL AND SONY FOR LETTG ME DO THIS. IT’S CRAZY THAT THAT WOULD BE A BIG THG NOW, AND ’S SAD THAT IS. BUT THANK GOD.” GHOSTBTERS IS A PLUM VEHICLE FOR EDY STARS MELISSA MCCARTHY AND KRISTEN WIIG, BOTH PAST FEIG LLABORATORS, AND RISG SNL TALENTS KATE MCKNON AND LLIE JON. LIKE BILL MURRAY, HAROLD RAMIS, DAN AYKROYD, AND ERNIE HUDSON BEFORE THEM, THE NEW GHOSTBTERS BATTLE SKEPTICS AND GHOULS NTEMPORARY NEW YORK CY, FORMG THEIR OWN SQUAD OF PARANORMAL ACTIVY EXTERMATORS TO SAVE THE WORLD OM AN VASN OF GHOSTS. AS A FAN OF THE ORIGAL, FEIG KNEW WOULD BE A CHALLENGE REVENTG A ANCHISE AS BELOVED AS IVAN REMAN’S FIRST FILMS. BUT SPE S OBV AFFY FOR THOSE CLASSICS AND A NONSTOP BARRAGE OF REFERENC TO S PRECSORS, 2016’S GHOSTBTERS HAS DIFFERENT END GOALS MD.“THE BIGGT THEME THE FIRST MOVIE, BEE WAS KD OF THAT MID-REAGAN ERA, WAS THAT WAS REALLY ABOUT ENTREPRENRS,” HE SAYS. “I’VE TALKED WH IVAN [REMAN] ABOUT THIS, TOO. IT WAS ABOUT STARTG A BS AND GOG AGAST THE ERNMENT BEE THE EPA WAS GOG TO SHUT THEM DOWN. ME, I RE MORE ABOUT UNRDOGS AND THE IA OF PEOPLE TRYG TO FD THEIR PLACE THE WORLD. AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE IA OF LEGIMACY: HOW IMPORTANT IS TO BE LEGIMATE PUBLICLY VERS GETTG FULFILLMENT OM BEG LEGIMATE PRIVATELY?”THAT’S A THREAD RRIED BY WIIG’S COLUMBIA UNIVERSY PHYSICIST ER, WHOSE BELIEF THE SUPERNATURAL HAS BEEN DOUBTED HER WHOLE LIFE, AND TURN, HAS ED HER TO DOUBT HERSELF. PAIRG WIIG WH MCCARTHY AS THE GROUP’S LEAR, ABBY, FEIG AND -WRER KATIE DIPPOLD BUILT GHOSTBTERS AROUND THE CHARACTERS’ IENDSHIP AND THE IA THAT THE HERO HAVE TO BELIEVE THEMSELV, EVEN IF THE WORLD DON’T.“THE FIRST VERSN OF THE MOVIE WAS LIKE THREE AND A HALF HOURS LONG,” HE SAYS. “WE REALLY LVED PRETTY EPLY TO THAT WHOLE THG. BUT WE REALIZED THERE’S ENOUGH OF THERE, BUT ’S A SUMMER TENTPOLE MOVIE—YOU DON’T NEED ALL OF THAT HANDWRGG. BUT FOR ME, THAT’S THE THEME THAT I’M ABLE TO LATCH ONTO WHICH IS THE IA OF, WHAT IS LEGIMACY?”AS THEY WROTE THEIR FIRST DRAFT, FEIG AND DIPPOLD FOUND THEMSELV THE LASER SIGHTS OF DIEHARD GHOSTBTERS FANS THE VALIDY OF THEIR OWN VISN FOR A BRAVE NEW GHOSTBTERS QUTNED—VEHEMENTLY, VLENTLY, AND WH AN UNMISTAKABLE WHIFF OF BALD MISOGYNY. THE BACKLASH HAS NTUED ONLE EVER SCE, FUELG SUCH HATRED THAT THE FIRST GHOSTBTERS TRAILER BEME THE MOST DISLIKED TRAILER YOUTUBE HISTORY, AND WORSE: JON TOLD INDIEWIRE THAT ONE RPONSE SHE RECEIVED WAS “A PICTURE OF A GUY SHOOTG A BLACK WOMAN THE HEAD.” SO ’S WH NO SMALL SATISFACTN THAT WE SEE THE GHOSTBTERS FLAME THEIR TROLLS RIGHT BACK THE FILM WH L LIKE, DIDN’T ANYONE TELL YOU NOT TO LISTEN TO WHAT CRAZY PEOPLE SAY ON THE TER? “SOME OF WAS ALWAYS THERE—THAT MOMENT WAS ALWAYS WRTEN ,” SAYS FEIG WH A SLY SE. OTHERS ME ANILLY AS THE ST RIFFED ON SET, LIKE A BEFUDDLED ER READG ONE VRLIC ONLE MENT OUT LOUD: “A’T NO BCH… GONNA BT NO GHOSTS.”“I’M VERY REACTIVE MY EDY, AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THGS AND LL OUT,” FEIG EXPLAS. “SO WAS ALWAYS KD OF, WHAT DO WE DO? I DIDN’T WANT TO LE . I JT WANTED TO GO, ‘YEAH, WE HEAR YOU, AND WE’RE GOG TO MOVE PAST YOU.’ I NEVER WANT ANYTHG LIKE THAT TO DISPT THE FLOW WHATSOEVER. BUT ’S A LTLE EASTER EGG FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS .”FEIG HAPPILY DISMISS THE HATERS, OVERJOYED THAT SO MANY YOUNG GIRLS HAVE ALREADY LATCHED ONTO THE NEW PROTON PACK-TOTG WOMEN. “IT’S SO FUNNY. WH ALL THE ANGST AND STUFF AND EVERYBODY GETTG YELLED AT BY MIDDLE-AGED MEN FOR TWO YEARS NOW—WHOSE NEW FAVORE THG IS, ‘WELL, MY WIFE THKS LOOKS TERRIBLE!’ LIKE, ‘SEE, I’M LEG!’—YOU FET THERE’S A NEW GENERATN WE’RE TRYG TO MAKE THIS FOR, TOO. WHY N’T THE BOYS AND GIRLS HAVE THE NEW HERO?”HE RELLS A MOMENT DURG FILMG THAT HEARTENED HIM EVEN WHILE HATERS KEPT HOUNDG HIM ONLE AND THE STUD, WHOSE OWN LEAKED EMAILS REVEALED STRIFE BEHD THE SCEN ON THE GHOSTBTERS REBOOT, ME TO HIM WH THEIR OWN NOT.“WE WERE THE MIDDLE OF PRODUCTN AND GETTG HAMMERED ON ALL SIS JT TRYG TO MAKE THIS FUNNY MOVIE AND I GET SENT THIS PICTURE ON THE TER OF THIS GUY WHO MA HIS DGHTER THE JUMPSU WH THE ORANGE STRIP AND A PROTON PACK,” HE REMEMBERS. “THIS LTLE GIRL, LOOKG FIERCE. I BURST TO TEARS. THIS IS WHY WE’RE DOG . IT’S NOT FOR ALL THE GUYS!”THOSE FELLAS ARE WELE TO JO THE GHOSTPARTY, SO LONG AS THEY DON’T FOR EVERYONE ELSE. “WE WANT THE GUYS WHO LOVED THE ORIGAL TO E ALONG FOR THE RI, BUT THERE’S A WHOLE NEW GENERATN THAT I WANT TO HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE THAT WE ALL HAD WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, WHEN WE GOT THE GHOSTBTERS FERVOR,” SAYS FEIG.“HERE’S THE FUNNY THG: WHEN I TOOK THIS ON EVERYTHG I’VE DONE WAS AN R-RATED EDY. I GOT SO MANY EMAILS OM MOMS SAYG, ‘I JT HOPE YOU N MAKE THIS FAY-IENDLY LIKE THE ORIGAL MOVIE.’ I WAS LIKE, WA A MUTE! THEY SAY ‘SH’ NSTANTLY, THERE’S A BLOWJOB SCENE, THEY SMOKE ENDLSLY…”THE ORIGAL GHOSTBTERS THEME SONG, I ADD, IS STILL THE DIRTIT MOVIE THEME SONG EVER MA. JT ASK RAY PARKER JR. “EXACTLY!” HE LGHS. “I WANTED TO DO THAT SAME TONE—’S ADULT, BUT KIDS N ENJOY . THERE ARE A UPLE OF JOK THAT WE HAD TO LOSE, THAT I HAD TO NEGOTIATE WH THE STUD ON AND LOST. JT THE LANGUAGE THGS, ONE HOLTZMANN JOKE PARTICULAR—BUT ’LL BE ON THE EXTEND CUT.” ONE JOKE HE FOUGHT THE POWERS THAT BE TO KEEP WAS A PARTICULARLY NGHTY FART JOKE, MEMORABLY LIVERED BY MCKNON’S HOLTZMANN, AS SHE CHEEKILY TTS ER’S THRHOLD UPON THEIR FIRST MEETG. “THOSE ARE MY FAVORE KDS OF JOK,” FEIG LGHS. “THERE WAS A LOT OF NSTERNATN ABOUT THAT ONE, TOO, BUT I WAS LIKE, ‘NO, I’M NOT GIVG THAT ONE UP! IT’S TOO FUNNY.’”SPEAKG OF JILLIAN HOLTZMANN: MCKNON STEALS THE MOVIE AS THE ZANY ENGEER WHO NSTCTS THE TEAM’S GHOSTBTG GADGETS AND STTS THROUGH GHOSTBTERS SPORTG GOGGL, A SHOCK OF UNLY BLON HAIR, AND UNNIABLE NFINCE AND CHARISMA. SHE’S THE SEXIT THG GHOSTBTERS—SORRY, CHRIS HEMSWORTH—AND ’S NO CINCE SHE’S STOLEN THE HEARTS OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN WHO’VE SEEN THE FILM. BUT WHILE MCKNON IS SNL’S FIRST OPENLY LBIAN ST MEMBER, GHOSTBTERS OFFERS ONLY HTS ON HOLTZMANN, WHO SPENDS HER EE TIME SHAMELSLY FLIRTG WH ER. I ASK FEIG: IS HOLTZMANN GAY?HE PS, SG. “WHAT DO YOU THK?”I’D LIKE TO THK Y, I SAY. HE OFFERS A GRNG, SILENT NOD. “I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ,” HE OFFERS. “BUT WHEN YOU’RE ALG WH THE STUDS AND THAT KD OF THG…” HE SHGS APOLOGETILLY.“YOU KNOW, KATE IS WHO SHE IS AND I LOVE THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN KATE AND MELISSA’S CHARACTERS,” HE SAYS. “I THK ’S A VERY TERTG, CLOSE RELATNSHIP. IF YOU KNOW KATE AT ALL SHE’S THIS KD OF PANSEXUAL BEAST WHERE ’S JT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO’S AROUND HER FALLS LOVE WH HER AND SHE’S SO LOVG TO EVERYBODY SHE’S AROUND. I WANTED TO LET THAT E OUT THIS CHARACTER.”“I WASN’T LIKE, ‘AND NOW YOU SHOULD WK AT THEM.’ THIS IS STUFF THAT IS G OUT OF KATE! THAT’S WHY YOU NNECT WH THOSE CHARACTERS. THEY’RE PLAYG VERSNS OF THEMSELV. THAT’S WHAT MAK A EDIC ACTOR FANTASTIC, WHEN THAT PERSONALY OUT. THAT’S WHY ’S SO TERRIBLE WHEN WRER-DIRECTORS SAY, ‘STICK TO THE SCRIPT!’ WHY WOULD YOU HIRE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE ENORMO PERSONALI AND THEN JT CUT THEM OFF?”BY THAT SAME TOKEN, HE ADMS, HE UNRSTANDS WHY SOME PEOPLE WERE CRIL OF JON’S CHARACTER PATTY AS PLAYG TO RACIAL STEREOTYP WHEN THE FIRST TRAILERS ME OUT. “I HIRE PEOPLE THAT I THK ARE GREAT AND I THK, WHAT ARE THE ROL THEY WOULD BE AT THEIR FULL POWERS ?” HE SAYS. “I FELT BAD THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOCKED ON THE FACT THAT SHE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO WASN’T A SCIENTIST. I’M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT THAT NEVER CROSSED MY MD.”“WE ORIGALLY WROTE THAT ROLE FOR MELISSA,” HE REVEALS. “IT WAS THAT BIG PERSONALY, THE ONE WHO LLS BULLSH ON STUFF… THEN WE REALIZED MELISSA’S DONE SOMETHG LIKE THAT, PECIALLY JT HAVG DONE THE HEAT AND SPY. NO, LET’S MAKE MELISSA THE LEAR OF THE GROUP—THE FIANT NERD. THE MUTE I FOUND LLIE WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD, LLIE N JT STROY THIS PART.’ THEN ONCE YOU GET SOMEBODY THE PART… AGA, I LET THEM DO THEIR THG. SHE’S PHRASG THGS, SHE’S TAKG THE L THAT WE WROTE… I SAY TO ALL THE ACTORS, MAKE THEM YOUR OWN.”YOU’D THK THAT GHOSTBTERS MIGHT HAVE TGHT FEIG NOT TO READ WHAT HIS HATERS SAY ONLE, BUT “I READ EVERYTHG. I READ EVERYTHG,” HE S EFULLY. HE VIVIDLY REMEMBERS HOW HIS TROLL-BTG REER BEGAN, RIGHT AFTER PRODUCTN END, AFTER HE’D MANAGED TO STAY SILENT FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR OF BEG UNDATED WH GHOSTBTERS HATE.“I WAS READG ALL,” HE SAYS, “AND WAS HEAVY ON MY SOUL. I’VE ALWAYS HAD A LE—HAD—THAT I DON’T BLOCK ANYBODY, BEE EVEN IF SOMEBODY’S GIVG YOU SH ABOUT SOMETHG, I JT NEED TO KNOW.”THE TEMPTATN WAS TOO STRONG TO RIST, HOWEVER, AFTER A FEW GLASS OF WE HIS FAVORE RTRANT CAPRI DURG A POST-FILMG VATN WH HIS WIFE. “I’M HAVG WE, I’M JT SO RELAXED, AND SHE GO TO THE RTROOM,” HE BEGS. “I OPEN UP, AND THERE WERE THE TWO OR THREE GUYS WHO WERE JT HAMMERG ME FOR A YEAR—JT THE MEANT, UGLIT, MISOGYNISTIC SH YOU’VE EVER SEEN. IT WAS JT THIS MOMENT OF, YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK YOU.” “A YEAR’S WORTH OF ANGST!” HE NTU. “MY WIFE BACK AND SAYS, ‘WHY ARE YOU SG?’ ‘I JT TOOK THE GUYS DOWN.’ I WAS SO PROUD. SHE WAS LIKE, ‘SHOULD YOU HAVE DONE THAT?’”SCE THEN HE’S TAKEN OPPORTUNI ON THE GHOSTBTERS PRS TOUR TO LL OUT NOT ONLY THE RAMPANT SEXISM THAT’S PLAGUED THE FILM AS APPROACH THEATERS, BUT THE GENR IMBALANCE THAT DOMAT HOLLYWOOD STUD FILMMAKG. THE ‘GO FUCK YOURSELF” TWEETS, HOWEVER, HAVE ABATED.MAYBE HE LEARNED THE HARD TTH WE MT ALL RECKON WH THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: NEVER DNK TWEET YOUR HATERS. “JUDD APATOW HAD SEEN AND HE WROTE ME SAYG, ‘YOU SHOULDN’T DO STUFF LIKE THAT! THOSE GUYS HAVE LIKE 90 FOLLOWERS.’ THE NEXT MORNG I WOKE UP AND WENT, OH NO,” HE LGHS, SHAKG HIS HEAD. “IT WAS SO THARTIC, THOUGH.” JEN YAMATO

YEP, KATE MCKNON'S GHOSTBTERS CHARACTER IS GAY

Meanwhile, “Saturday Night Live” st member Punkie Johnson picts Marc’ outspoken sister, Ida, who is seen an openly gay relatnship. People hoped the trailer that McKnon’s character was gay gog back to the trailer: her flirtat performance wh Wiig’s character (lots of wks and not-so-subtle pickup l) left many fans wonrg if Jillian Holtzmann was a lbian.

GHOSTBTERS: PL FEIG NFIRMS KATE MCKNON CHARACTER IS GAY BUT STUD STOPPED HIM OM SAYG SO

“It’s one thg for a stud executive to support gay marriage.

It’s another to risk $200 ln on a movie wh a gay protagonist that needs to play Cha and Rsia, untri where LGBT cizens face discrimatn, legal challeng, and vlence, ” Brent Lang wrote. Feig said that was natural for McKnon’s character to be gay: “You know, Kate is who she is and I love the relatnship between Kate and Melissa’s characters. ”Yet, unfortunately, don't look as if Sony will be makg Holtzmann a non gay character anytime soon.

"Ined, any terpretatns of Holtzmann's character seemed fuelled by the fact the actrs who plays her is also gay; wh McKnon beg the first openly lbian st member to appear on Saturday Night Live. Ined, the only other klgs of romance the film e om Er's shamels flirtg wh the team's ptetant secretary Kev (Chris Hemsworth); choosg stead to make female iendship the central glue of the film's, short, if you want Holtzmann to be gay? Then, she's gay.

PL FEIG GIV FSTRATG ANSWER WHEN ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S 'GHOSTBTERS' CHARACTER IS GAY‘I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ...’{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CRYSTAL BELLJULY 13, 2016/11:06 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}SONY PICTUR ENTERTAMENTBY CRYSTAL BELLJULY 13, 2016 / 11:06 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"PL FEIG GIV FSTRATG ANSWER WHEN ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S 'GHOSTBTERS' CHARACTER IS GAY","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-07-13T15:06:09.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-07-13T15:06:09.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"CRYSTAL BELL","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH CRICS APPEAR TO BE DIVID OVER PL FEIG'S GHOSTBTERS, THERE'S ONE THG THAT THEY UNANIMO AGREE UPON: KATE MCKNON IS THE BREAKOUT STAR OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN HER REVIEW, THE DAILY BEAST'S JEN YAMATO REFERRED TO MCKNON'S CHARACTER, A GLOR WEIRDO NAMED HOLTZMANN, AS A "PROBABLY-GAY GEARHEAD" WHO JT SO HAPPENS TO BE THE FILM'S "SECRET WEAPON." PART OF THE CHARACTER'S APPEAL STEMS OM HOLTZMANN'S BRAZEN SEXUALY AND ZERO-FUCKS-GIVEN ATTU. SHE'S FLIRTAT; EVERYTHG AND EVERYONE TURNS HER ON, OM PROTON PACKS TO KRISTEN WIIG'S CHARACTER, ER.SONY ENTERTAMENT PICTURKATE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HOWEVER, HOLTZMANN'S SEXUALY IS NEVER EXPLICLY FED THE FILM. WHEN ASKED BY THE DAILY BEAST IF MCKNON'S CHARACTER IS GAY, FEIG ARTFULLY DODGED THE QUTN, STEAD ASKG YAMATO, "WHAT DO YOU THK?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}YAMATO SAID SHE THOUGHT HOLTZMANN WAS GAY, AND FEIG GAVE A "GRNG, SILENT NOD" RPONSE: "I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ... BUT WHEN YOU’RE ALG WH THE STUDS AND THAT KD OF THG..."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"YOU KNOW, KATE IS WHO SHE IS AND I LOVE THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN KATE AND MELISSA’S CHARACTERS," HE EXPLAED. "I THK ’S A VERY TERTG, CLOSE RELATNSHIP. IF YOU KNOW KATE AT ALL SHE'S THIS KD OF PANSEXUAL BEAST WHERE 'S JT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO'S AROUND HER FALLS LOVE WH HER AND SHE’S SO LOVG TO EVERYBODY SHE'S AROUND. I WANTED TO LET THAT E OUT THIS CHARACTER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S ONE THG TO CREATE A LOVABLE CHARACTER -- AND HOLTZMANN UNDOUBTEDLY FS THE BILL. AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE ISN'T FED BY HER SEXUALY. SHE'S A BADASS ENGEER WHO BTS GHOSTS FOR A LIVG. END OF STORY. BUT IF HOLTZMANN WAS NCEIVED AS A PANSEXUAL CHARACTER, THEN WHY SHOULDN'T THE FILM CELEBRATE THAT? GIVEN THE ARTH OF LGBTQ REPRENTATN MAJOR MOVI, SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR MISSED OPPORTUNY TO CELEBRATE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S PECIALLY DISHEARTENG THAT FEIG, THE FILM'S -WRER AND DIRECTOR, HAS TO SAY THGS LIKE "I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT " RPONSE TO A QUTN ABOUT HIS CHARACTER'S SEXUALY BEE OF POTENTIAL STUD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

I liked the humour of jokg around wh my female iends bee male humour volv, eventually, to homophobia, punchg and name-llg. Though crics appear to be divid over Pl Feig's Ghostbters, there's one thg that they unanimo agree upon: Kate McKnon is the breakout star of the her review, The Daily Beast's Jen Yamato referred to McKnon's character, a glor weirdo named Holtzmann, as a "probably-gay gearhead" who jt so happens to be the film's "secret weapon. When asked by The Daily Beast if McKnon's character is gay, Feig artfully dodged the qutn, stead askg Yamato, "What do you thk?

"Yamato said she thought Holtzmann was gay, and Feig gave a "grng, silent nod" rponse: "I hate to be y about ... But my drama teacher, who was one of the biggt fluenc on my life creatively, was an alholic, and over the urse of my sophomore through senr year, she got worse and worse and started pendg on me. Kowchevsky was gay, but we didn’t end up g that scene.

” His last article for the magaze was about gay sperm donors seekg to be part-time dads. Want to know if Pl Feig is Gay or not? As per marriedbgraphy, Pl Feig isn’t gay.

IS PL FEIG GAY? AGE, HEIGHT, NET WORTH

Feig thought Melissa McCarthy was playg the Megan character as a gay woman durg her dnNow at this pot, had you remembered Melissa om the table read back 2006? At first I thought she was playg gay, and I thought that was really great. One of her favore hobbi is openly flirtg wh her fellow female Ghostbters, which prompts a qutn: Is she gay?

thg…” He shgs, y: the time-honored tradn of passg the one hand, ’s very likely Feig means no harm by beg evasive—and ’s very possible that he is bowg to expectatns, explic or implic, to avoid saddlg anythg more onto a project that’s been fightg unwarranted ntroversy om day the other hand, playg to the ia that havg a gay lead would be ntroversial—reluctantly or not—still perpetuat that perceptn. McKnon herself is gay— fact, she’s Saturday Night Live’s first openly gay female st member. But ’s still a stud’s apparent sire to keep quiet on this prov that for whatever progrs we’ve ma, ’s still ntroversial to feature a gay hero ont and center.

But would this film, which has already urted so much stupid vrl om why trolls, really suffer om havg an openly gay character?

IS KATE MCKNON’S GHOSTBTERS CHARACTER GAY? PL FEIG ISN’T SAYG

When asked if McKnon's character is gay, Feig told The Daily Beast this week, "What do you thk? Y, we said a gay rom-, and one for which he might want to st Channg Tatum*.

But before you start ponrg which pretty starlet wh share space on s poster, let me tell you 's a gay rom-. Smh“-style actn movie for him, wh the twist beg the central duo are an terracial gay uple.

Chattg wh CemaBlend advance of the home vio release of “The Heat” next week, director Pl Feig shared that he’s workg on a gay rom- wh Channg Tatum attached to star. And while Tatum a gay rom- is perhaps novel, the premise is a b rote (if were about a straight uple, we’d already be bored), so here’s hopg that the fal material has a b more to .

GHOSTBTERS DIRECTOR PL FEIG WAS ASKED IF KATE MCKNON'S CHARACTER IS GAY: WHY HE'S REMAG "COY"

The director of hs “The Heat” and “Brismaids” recently spoke wh Cema Blend, revealg that he’s workg on a gay romantic edy and would love Channg Tatum attached to star.

Listen, we don’t take any pleasure the fact that sometim, here at Vulture, we’re required to be dream-killers … however, we’re aaid that we mt bunk a lightful mor that jt popped up on Cemablend: Acrdg to the se, The Heat director Pl Feig is velopment on a gay romantic edy that would star Channg Tatum as the love tert to nerdy Saturday Night Live newbie John Milhiser, who n’t figure out how he land such a too-good-to-be-te hunk.

PL FEIG PLANS GAY ROM-COM AND 9 OTHER THGS WE LEARNED OVER DRKS

Channg Tatum Isn’t Dog Gay Rom-Com Jt Yet. Brismaids director Pl Feig has said that male humour always volv to “homophobia, punchg and name-llg”.

PL FEIG IS WORKG ON A GAY ROM-COM WH CHANNG TATUM TO STAR

“I liked the humour of jokg around wh my female iends bee male humour volv, eventually, to homophobia, punchg and name-llg, ” he said.

I ask Feig: Is Holtzmann gay?

IN THE WORKS: PL FEIG LIK CHANNG TATUM FOR GAY ROMANTIC COMEDY UPDATED

DON’T GET TOO EXCED ABOUT THAT GAY CHANNG TATUM ROM-COM JT YET

‘GHOSTBTERS’ DIRECTOR PL FEIG ON THE FILM’S MISOGYNISTIC TROLLS: ‘IT’S NOT FOR ALL THE GUYS!’GIRL POWERTHE ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER BEHD ‘BRISMAIDS,’ ‘THE HEAT,’ AND ‘SPY’ OPENS UP ABOUT HIS ALL-WOMEN ANCHISE, KATE MCKNON’S CHARACTER’S SEXUALY, AND GOG TO WAR WH TROLLS. JEN YAMATOUPDATED JUL. 12, 2017 7:53PM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY BRIGETTE SUPERNOVA/THE DAILY BEASTPL FEIG’S TWTER B IS SIMPLE AND TO THE POT, PREFACG A MOST NDOWN OF HIS MAJOR ACPLISHMENTS HOLLYWOOD. HE’S THE GUY WHO -CREATED FREAKS & GEEKS, THE HIGH SCHOOL SERI WHOSE CULT STAT OUTLIVED S SHORT-LIVED BROADST LIFE AND SPAWNED A GENERATN OF YOUNG TALENT. HE DIRECTED BRISMAIDS, THE HEAT, AND SPY, THREE EDY HS THAT REFED THE FEMALE-DRIVEN R-RATED EDY GENRE AND LAND HIM HIS HIGH-PROFILE GIG HELMG SONY’S GHOSTBTERS REBOOT. FEIG IS ALSO THE FILMMAKER WEATHERG THE TOUGHT FAN SCTY YEARS, PRECISELY BEE SAID REBOOT SCRAPS THE ST OF THE 1984 ORIGAL FAVOR OF FOUR NEW FEMALE HERO. NOT EVEN THE DIRECTORS RCATG THE STAR WARS ANCHISE HAVE AS BAD. “PL IS A GUY WHO WEARS SUS,” HIS B READS TO 1.89 LN FOLLOWERS AND THE UNTLS TROLLS HE STARTED ATTRACTG AS SOON AS THE GHOSTBTERS PROJECT WAS ANNOUNCED, “AND TRI NOT TO SCREW THGS UP.”HE SPORTS ONE OF HIS SIGNATURE SUS AS WE S FOR A CHAT BEVERLY HILLS, A EP BLUE THREE-PIECE ENSEMBLE ACCENTED BY A LAPEL P SIGNED AFTER THE CLASSIC GHOSTBTERS LOGO, ONLY BEJEWELED. PEEKG OUT BENEATH HIS PANTS CUFFS IS THE KN FACE OF ABRAHAM LLN, GAZG STOILLY OM HIS SOCKS. FEIG S, WARMLY AND NFINTLY, BOLSTERED BY SUPPORTIVE FIRST REVIEWS THAT HAVE JT E .“I’M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE FOUR WOMEN STARRG A MOVIE AND THREE OF THEM ARE THEIR FORTI,” HE BEAMS. “I REALLY CRED [FORMER STUD HEAD] AMY PASL AND SONY FOR LETTG ME DO THIS. IT’S CRAZY THAT THAT WOULD BE A BIG THG NOW, AND ’S SAD THAT IS. BUT THANK GOD.” GHOSTBTERS IS A PLUM VEHICLE FOR EDY STARS MELISSA MCCARTHY AND KRISTEN WIIG, BOTH PAST FEIG LLABORATORS, AND RISG SNL TALENTS KATE MCKNON AND LLIE JON. LIKE BILL MURRAY, HAROLD RAMIS, DAN AYKROYD, AND ERNIE HUDSON BEFORE THEM, THE NEW GHOSTBTERS BATTLE SKEPTICS AND GHOULS NTEMPORARY NEW YORK CY, FORMG THEIR OWN SQUAD OF PARANORMAL ACTIVY EXTERMATORS TO SAVE THE WORLD OM AN VASN OF GHOSTS. AS A FAN OF THE ORIGAL, FEIG KNEW WOULD BE A CHALLENGE REVENTG A ANCHISE AS BELOVED AS IVAN REMAN’S FIRST FILMS. BUT SPE S OBV AFFY FOR THOSE CLASSICS AND A NONSTOP BARRAGE OF REFERENC TO S PRECSORS, 2016’S GHOSTBTERS HAS DIFFERENT END GOALS MD.“THE BIGGT THEME THE FIRST MOVIE, BEE WAS KD OF THAT MID-REAGAN ERA, WAS THAT WAS REALLY ABOUT ENTREPRENRS,” HE SAYS. “I’VE TALKED WH IVAN [REMAN] ABOUT THIS, TOO. IT WAS ABOUT STARTG A BS AND GOG AGAST THE ERNMENT BEE THE EPA WAS GOG TO SHUT THEM DOWN. ME, I RE MORE ABOUT UNRDOGS AND THE IA OF PEOPLE TRYG TO FD THEIR PLACE THE WORLD. AND ON TOP OF THAT, THE IA OF LEGIMACY: HOW IMPORTANT IS TO BE LEGIMATE PUBLICLY VERS GETTG FULFILLMENT OM BEG LEGIMATE PRIVATELY?”THAT’S A THREAD RRIED BY WIIG’S COLUMBIA UNIVERSY PHYSICIST ER, WHOSE BELIEF THE SUPERNATURAL HAS BEEN DOUBTED HER WHOLE LIFE, AND TURN, HAS ED HER TO DOUBT HERSELF. PAIRG WIIG WH MCCARTHY AS THE GROUP’S LEAR, ABBY, FEIG AND -WRER KATIE DIPPOLD BUILT GHOSTBTERS AROUND THE CHARACTERS’ IENDSHIP AND THE IA THAT THE HERO HAVE TO BELIEVE THEMSELV, EVEN IF THE WORLD DON’T.“THE FIRST VERSN OF THE MOVIE WAS LIKE THREE AND A HALF HOURS LONG,” HE SAYS. “WE REALLY LVED PRETTY EPLY TO THAT WHOLE THG. BUT WE REALIZED THERE’S ENOUGH OF THERE, BUT ’S A SUMMER TENTPOLE MOVIE—YOU DON’T NEED ALL OF THAT HANDWRGG. BUT FOR ME, THAT’S THE THEME THAT I’M ABLE TO LATCH ONTO WHICH IS THE IA OF, WHAT IS LEGIMACY?”AS THEY WROTE THEIR FIRST DRAFT, FEIG AND DIPPOLD FOUND THEMSELV THE LASER SIGHTS OF DIEHARD GHOSTBTERS FANS THE VALIDY OF THEIR OWN VISN FOR A BRAVE NEW GHOSTBTERS QUTNED—VEHEMENTLY, VLENTLY, AND WH AN UNMISTAKABLE WHIFF OF BALD MISOGYNY. THE BACKLASH HAS NTUED ONLE EVER SCE, FUELG SUCH HATRED THAT THE FIRST GHOSTBTERS TRAILER BEME THE MOST DISLIKED TRAILER YOUTUBE HISTORY, AND WORSE: JON TOLD INDIEWIRE THAT ONE RPONSE SHE RECEIVED WAS “A PICTURE OF A GUY SHOOTG A BLACK WOMAN THE HEAD.” SO ’S WH NO SMALL SATISFACTN THAT WE SEE THE GHOSTBTERS FLAME THEIR TROLLS RIGHT BACK THE FILM WH L LIKE, DIDN’T ANYONE TELL YOU NOT TO LISTEN TO WHAT CRAZY PEOPLE SAY ON THE TER? “SOME OF WAS ALWAYS THERE—THAT MOMENT WAS ALWAYS WRTEN ,” SAYS FEIG WH A SLY SE. OTHERS ME ANILLY AS THE ST RIFFED ON SET, LIKE A BEFUDDLED ER READG ONE VRLIC ONLE MENT OUT LOUD: “A’T NO BCH… GONNA BT NO GHOSTS.”“I’M VERY REACTIVE MY EDY, AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THGS AND LL OUT,” FEIG EXPLAS. “SO WAS ALWAYS KD OF, WHAT DO WE DO? I DIDN’T WANT TO LE . I JT WANTED TO GO, ‘YEAH, WE HEAR YOU, AND WE’RE GOG TO MOVE PAST YOU.’ I NEVER WANT ANYTHG LIKE THAT TO DISPT THE FLOW WHATSOEVER. BUT ’S A LTLE EASTER EGG FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS .”FEIG HAPPILY DISMISS THE HATERS, OVERJOYED THAT SO MANY YOUNG GIRLS HAVE ALREADY LATCHED ONTO THE NEW PROTON PACK-TOTG WOMEN. “IT’S SO FUNNY. WH ALL THE ANGST AND STUFF AND EVERYBODY GETTG YELLED AT BY MIDDLE-AGED MEN FOR TWO YEARS NOW—WHOSE NEW FAVORE THG IS, ‘WELL, MY WIFE THKS LOOKS TERRIBLE!’ LIKE, ‘SEE, I’M LEG!’—YOU FET THERE’S A NEW GENERATN WE’RE TRYG TO MAKE THIS FOR, TOO. WHY N’T THE BOYS AND GIRLS HAVE THE NEW HERO?”HE RELLS A MOMENT DURG FILMG THAT HEARTENED HIM EVEN WHILE HATERS KEPT HOUNDG HIM ONLE AND THE STUD, WHOSE OWN LEAKED EMAILS REVEALED STRIFE BEHD THE SCEN ON THE GHOSTBTERS REBOOT, ME TO HIM WH THEIR OWN NOT.“WE WERE THE MIDDLE OF PRODUCTN AND GETTG HAMMERED ON ALL SIS JT TRYG TO MAKE THIS FUNNY MOVIE AND I GET SENT THIS PICTURE ON THE TER OF THIS GUY WHO MA HIS DGHTER THE JUMPSU WH THE ORANGE STRIP AND A PROTON PACK,” HE REMEMBERS. “THIS LTLE GIRL, LOOKG FIERCE. I BURST TO TEARS. THIS IS WHY WE’RE DOG . IT’S NOT FOR ALL THE GUYS!”THOSE FELLAS ARE WELE TO JO THE GHOSTPARTY, SO LONG AS THEY DON’T FOR EVERYONE ELSE. “WE WANT THE GUYS WHO LOVED THE ORIGAL TO E ALONG FOR THE RI, BUT THERE’S A WHOLE NEW GENERATN THAT I WANT TO HAVE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE THAT WE ALL HAD WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, WHEN WE GOT THE GHOSTBTERS FERVOR,” SAYS FEIG.“HERE’S THE FUNNY THG: WHEN I TOOK THIS ON EVERYTHG I’VE DONE WAS AN R-RATED EDY. I GOT SO MANY EMAILS OM MOMS SAYG, ‘I JT HOPE YOU N MAKE THIS FAY-IENDLY LIKE THE ORIGAL MOVIE.’ I WAS LIKE, WA A MUTE! THEY SAY ‘SH’ NSTANTLY, THERE’S A BLOWJOB SCENE, THEY SMOKE ENDLSLY…”THE ORIGAL GHOSTBTERS THEME SONG, I ADD, IS STILL THE DIRTIT MOVIE THEME SONG EVER MA. JT ASK RAY PARKER JR. “EXACTLY!” HE LGHS. “I WANTED TO DO THAT SAME TONE—’S ADULT, BUT KIDS N ENJOY . THERE ARE A UPLE OF JOK THAT WE HAD TO LOSE, THAT I HAD TO NEGOTIATE WH THE STUD ON AND LOST. JT THE LANGUAGE THGS, ONE HOLTZMANN JOKE PARTICULAR—BUT ’LL BE ON THE EXTEND CUT.” ONE JOKE HE FOUGHT THE POWERS THAT BE TO KEEP WAS A PARTICULARLY NGHTY FART JOKE, MEMORABLY LIVERED BY MCKNON’S HOLTZMANN, AS SHE CHEEKILY TTS ER’S THRHOLD UPON THEIR FIRST MEETG. “THOSE ARE MY FAVORE KDS OF JOK,” FEIG LGHS. “THERE WAS A LOT OF NSTERNATN ABOUT THAT ONE, TOO, BUT I WAS LIKE, ‘NO, I’M NOT GIVG THAT ONE UP! IT’S TOO FUNNY.’”SPEAKG OF JILLIAN HOLTZMANN: MCKNON STEALS THE MOVIE AS THE ZANY ENGEER WHO NSTCTS THE TEAM’S GHOSTBTG GADGETS AND STTS THROUGH GHOSTBTERS SPORTG GOGGL, A SHOCK OF UNLY BLON HAIR, AND UNNIABLE NFINCE AND CHARISMA. SHE’S THE SEXIT THG GHOSTBTERS—SORRY, CHRIS HEMSWORTH—AND ’S NO CINCE SHE’S STOLEN THE HEARTS OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN WHO’VE SEEN THE FILM. BUT WHILE MCKNON IS SNL’S FIRST OPENLY LBIAN ST MEMBER, GHOSTBTERS OFFERS ONLY HTS ON HOLTZMANN, WHO SPENDS HER EE TIME SHAMELSLY FLIRTG WH ER. I ASK FEIG: IS HOLTZMANN GAY?HE PS, SG. “WHAT DO YOU THK?”I’D LIKE TO THK Y, I SAY. HE OFFERS A GRNG, SILENT NOD. “I HATE TO BE Y ABOUT ,” HE OFFERS. “BUT WHEN YOU’RE ALG WH THE STUDS AND THAT KD OF THG…” HE SHGS APOLOGETILLY.“YOU KNOW, KATE IS WHO SHE IS AND I LOVE THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN KATE AND MELISSA’S CHARACTERS,” HE SAYS. “I THK ’S A VERY TERTG, CLOSE RELATNSHIP. IF YOU KNOW KATE AT ALL SHE’S THIS KD OF PANSEXUAL BEAST WHERE ’S JT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO’S AROUND HER FALLS LOVE WH HER AND SHE’S SO LOVG TO EVERYBODY SHE’S AROUND. I WANTED TO LET THAT E OUT THIS CHARACTER.”“I WASN’T LIKE, ‘AND NOW YOU SHOULD WK AT THEM.’ THIS IS STUFF THAT IS G OUT OF KATE! THAT’S WHY YOU NNECT WH THOSE CHARACTERS. THEY’RE PLAYG VERSNS OF THEMSELV. THAT’S WHAT MAK A EDIC ACTOR FANTASTIC, WHEN THAT PERSONALY OUT. THAT’S WHY ’S SO TERRIBLE WHEN WRER-DIRECTORS SAY, ‘STICK TO THE SCRIPT!’ WHY WOULD YOU HIRE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE ENORMO PERSONALI AND THEN JT CUT THEM OFF?”BY THAT SAME TOKEN, HE ADMS, HE UNRSTANDS WHY SOME PEOPLE WERE CRIL OF JON’S CHARACTER PATTY AS PLAYG TO RACIAL STEREOTYP WHEN THE FIRST TRAILERS ME OUT. “I HIRE PEOPLE THAT I THK ARE GREAT AND I THK, WHAT ARE THE ROL THEY WOULD BE AT THEIR FULL POWERS ?” HE SAYS. “I FELT BAD THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOCKED ON THE FACT THAT SHE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO WASN’T A SCIENTIST. I’M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT THAT NEVER CROSSED MY MD.”“WE ORIGALLY WROTE THAT ROLE FOR MELISSA,” HE REVEALS. “IT WAS THAT BIG PERSONALY, THE ONE WHO LLS BULLSH ON STUFF… THEN WE REALIZED MELISSA’S DONE SOMETHG LIKE THAT, PECIALLY JT HAVG DONE THE HEAT AND SPY. NO, LET’S MAKE MELISSA THE LEAR OF THE GROUP—THE FIANT NERD. THE MUTE I FOUND LLIE WAS LIKE, ‘OH MY GOD, LLIE N JT STROY THIS PART.’ THEN ONCE YOU GET SOMEBODY THE PART… AGA, I LET THEM DO THEIR THG. SHE’S PHRASG THGS, SHE’S TAKG THE L THAT WE WROTE… I SAY TO ALL THE ACTORS, MAKE THEM YOUR OWN.”YOU’D THK THAT GHOSTBTERS MIGHT HAVE TGHT FEIG NOT TO READ WHAT HIS HATERS SAY ONLE, BUT “I READ EVERYTHG. I READ EVERYTHG,” HE S EFULLY. HE VIVIDLY REMEMBERS HOW HIS TROLL-BTG REER BEGAN, RIGHT AFTER PRODUCTN END, AFTER HE’D MANAGED TO STAY SILENT FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR OF BEG UNDATED WH GHOSTBTERS HATE.“I WAS READG ALL,” HE SAYS, “AND WAS HEAVY ON MY SOUL. I’VE ALWAYS HAD A LE—HAD—THAT I DON’T BLOCK ANYBODY, BEE EVEN IF SOMEBODY’S GIVG YOU SH ABOUT SOMETHG, I JT NEED TO KNOW.”THE TEMPTATN WAS TOO STRONG TO RIST, HOWEVER, AFTER A FEW GLASS OF WE HIS FAVORE RTRANT CAPRI DURG A POST-FILMG VATN WH HIS WIFE. “I’M HAVG WE, I’M JT SO RELAXED, AND SHE GO TO THE RTROOM,” HE BEGS. “I OPEN UP, AND THERE WERE THE TWO OR THREE GUYS WHO WERE JT HAMMERG ME FOR A YEAR—JT THE MEANT, UGLIT, MISOGYNISTIC SH YOU’VE EVER SEEN. IT WAS JT THIS MOMENT OF, YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK YOU.” “A YEAR’S WORTH OF ANGST!” HE NTU. “MY WIFE BACK AND SAYS, ‘WHY ARE YOU SG?’ ‘I JT TOOK THE GUYS DOWN.’ I WAS SO PROUD. SHE WAS LIKE, ‘SHOULD YOU HAVE DONE THAT?’”SCE THEN HE’S TAKEN OPPORTUNI ON THE GHOSTBTERS PRS TOUR TO LL OUT NOT ONLY THE RAMPANT SEXISM THAT’S PLAGUED THE FILM AS APPROACH THEATERS, BUT THE GENR IMBALANCE THAT DOMAT HOLLYWOOD STUD FILMMAKG. THE ‘GO FUCK YOURSELF” TWEETS, HOWEVER, HAVE ABATED.MAYBE HE LEARNED THE HARD TTH WE MT ALL RECKON WH THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: NEVER DNK TWEET YOUR HATERS. “JUDD APATOW HAD SEEN AND HE WROTE ME SAYG, ‘YOU SHOULDN’T DO STUFF LIKE THAT! THOSE GUYS HAVE LIKE 90 FOLLOWERS.’ THE NEXT MORNG I WOKE UP AND WENT, OH NO,” HE LGHS, SHAKG HIS HEAD. “IT WAS SO THARTIC, THOUGH.” JEN YAMATO