Martin Freeman is speaking out to defend his movie Miller’s Girl amid backlash for the age gap between him and on-screen love interest Jenna Ortega.

The movie follows a talented young writer (Ortega) who embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.

The characters, an 18-year-old student and a 49-year-old teacher, have a 31-year age gap. The actors also have the same age gap in real life.

Viewers have expressed outraged at an intimate scene between the actors, but they did work with an intimacy coordinator to make sure everyone was comfortable on set.

Now, Martin is speaking in response to the backlash.

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He told The Times of London that the movie is “grown-up and nuanced” and the film is “not saying, ‘Isn’t this great.’”

Martin compared his role in the movie to Liam Neeson‘s work in Schindler’s List.

“Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?” he added.

Watch Miller’s Girl right now on iTunes or Amazon.

Another major star is addressing an age gap in a different movie.

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