Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman Address May December Criticism from Vili Fualaau

“It’s not based on them,” Portman said while talking about ‘May December’ at the 2024 Golden Globes.

Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman respond to criticism of Vili Fualaau, the man whose real-life story partially inspired their latest project.

On Sunday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association held the 2024 Golden Globe Awards at the legendary Beverly Hilton. Before the ceremony, May December actresses Moore (63) and Portman (42) gave separate interviews for the red carpet Party tonight regarding the Netflix film and the controversy surrounding it.

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Moore said ET she was “sorry” to learn that Fualaau, 40, was not happy with the film.

“I mean, Todd [Haynes] When we were working on this film, it was always clear that this was an original story, that this was a story about these characters,” Moore said of May December director. “So that’s how we looked at it too. This was our document, we created these characters off the page and together.”

Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Charles Melton.

Monica Schipper/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty; Jon Kopaloff/WireImage; Kevin Mazur/Getty

The film was partially inspired by the story of Mary Kay Letourneau, a woman who died of cancer at the age of 58 in 2020, and the tabloid culture of the 90s in general. She was a Seattle teacher sentenced to seven years in prison on two counts of second-degree child rape after she began having sex with Fualaau, then 12, in 1996. She became pregnant twice with Fualaau’s children before he was born 15, despite court orders to keep them apart.

IN May DecemberMoore portrays a woman named Gracie Atherton-Yoo, who, when she was 36, began an affair with 13-year-old Joe Yoo at the pet store where they worked, sparking a tabloid obsession. Riverdale alum Charles Melton plays a former pet shop employee, and Portman plays Hollywood actress Elizabeth Berry, who comes to town to explore their relationship as she prepares to play Gracie in the scandal film. Elizabeth’s interference in their lives causes Joe to reevaluate his dynamic with Gracie.

May December promo shot.

Francois Duhamel/Netflix

On Sunday, Portman spoke with ET about Fualaau’s disapproval of the film.

“I’m very sorry to hear that,” she told the publication. “It’s not based on them, but, you know, obviously their story influenced the culture we all grew up in and influenced the idea. But Julianne Moore and Charles Melton really brought the fictional characters to life so beautifully, and yes, it’s its own story, it’s not meant to be a biopic.”

Last week, Fualaau said The Hollywood Reporter that he was “insulted” by the film – claiming he was never contacted by Haynes, screenwriter Samy Burch or Melton, 33.

Charles Melton, Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman.

Natasha Campos/Getty

“I am still alive and well. If they had approached me, we could have worked together on a masterpiece. Instead, they decided to make a ripoff of my original story,” Fualaau said.

He added: “I am offended by the whole project and the lack of respect for me – who lived the real story and still lives it.”

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Fualaau said that “my story is not nearly as simple as” May December shows it.

Netflix spokespeople did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. A representative for Haynes had no comment.

Watch PEOPLE’s full coverage of the 81st Golden Globe Awards live from The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on CBS and Paramount+.

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