Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore respond to Vili Fualaau’s “May December ”criticism

"It's not meant to be a biopic," Portman said on the 2024 Golden Globes red carpet.

Mary Kay Letourneau's ex Vili Fualaau said he was “offended” by May December — and now, the film’s stars Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore have responded to his comments.

"I’m so sorry to hear that," Portman told ET at the Golden Globes red carpet. "It's not based on them, it's, you know, obviously their story influenced the culture that we all grew up in and influenced the idea. But it's fictional characters that are really brought to life by Julianne Moore and Charles Melton so beautifully, and yeah, it's its own story, it's not meant to be a biopic."

In the film, Portman stars as an actress who shadows Moore’s character Gracie as she prepares to play her in a movie based on her life. Gracie made headlines for beginning a relationship — and eventually marrying and having children — with her former student Joe (Melton), who was 13 when they began dating.

Moore shared a similar response when she learned of Fualaau’s criticism. "Aww, I'm very sorry that he feels that way," Moore told ET at the Golden Globes red carpet. "I mean, Todd [Haynes] was always very clear when we were working on this movie that this was an original story, this was a story about these characters. So that's how we looked at it too. This was our document, we created these characters from the page and together."

Fualaau, who was 12 when his teacher Letourneau began a sexual relationship with him, said he wasn’t consulted on the film. “If they had reached out to me, we could have worked together on a masterpiece. Instead, they chose to do a ripoff of my original story," Fualaau said, adding, “I’m offended by the entire project and the lack of respect given to me — who lived through a real story and is still living it."

The filmmakers have acknowledged that the story of Letourneau and Fualaau loosely inspired the project, but never stated that it was intended to be a literal translation of their story. “Certainly that’s the seed of it, the big picture thing, but it was important to me that this wasn’t the Mary Kay Letourneau story,” screenwriter Samy Burch said. "It wasn’t the same details — I certainly don’t want anyone to assume that we’re trying to say all these conversations happened behind closed doors, it’s not. This was just a jumping off point and a way that something like this made sense to me emotionally.”

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Related content:

• May December stars address that ending, what happens next

• Mary Kay Letourneau's ex Vili Fualaau says he's 'offended' by May December

• How Todd Haynes' May December channeled Mary Kay Letourneau and classic female melodramas

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