[bold]Jeremy Irons makes 'bizarre' remarks comparing gay marriage to incest between fathers and sons[/bold]
Matilda Battersby
Thursday 04 April 2013
Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons has sparked outrage by suggesting that same sex marriage could lead to incest between fathers and sons, fearing it will "debase" marital law.
In an interview with the Huffington Post the 64-year-old actor, who stated that he didn’t “have a strong feeling either way” on the subject, mused: “Could a father not marry his son?”
When the interviewer reminded Irons about incest laws, the actor continued: "It's not incest between men," adding: "Incest is there to protect us from inbreeding, but men don't breed".
His remarks were branded “bizarre” by lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall.
Referring to Irons’ role as Pope Alexander VI in 2011 television series The Borgias, a Stonewall spokesmen told The Independent: "Few people will agree with Jeremy Irons’ bizarre 'concerns' about equal marriage.”
“Sadly his comments do seem to indicate he's taken his role as a Pope in The Borgias a little too seriously."
In the same interview Irons said he wishes “everybody who is living with one other person the best of luck in the world because it's fantastic,” adding: “Living with another animal, whether it be a husband or a dog, is great.”
Irons, who has been married to the actress Sinead Cusack for 34 years, also entered the debate on civil partnership versus same sex marriage, saying: “It seems to me that now they're fighting for the name. I worry that it means somehow we debase, or we change, what marriage is. I just worry about that."
It is not the first time Irons has made controversial remarks during an interview. In February he revealed that as a young actor he had to fend off the advances of older men..."