He making be killing it in Hollywood right now, but Aussie actor Joel Edgerton hasn't forgotten where he came from and speaking exclusively to theMusic in support of his directorial debut psychological thriller, The Gift, the Sydney born star expressed his dismay with the Government's cutting of arts funds in the country in recent months.
"I get disappointed to hear about arts funding," Edgerton said.
"I understand that as filmmakers and as writers and as theatre practitioners and painters and authors, we’re not necessarily at the forefront of changing the world, but we do reflect it. It’s a shame when those fundings are cut as if there’s a complete disregard for the arts community and I think that’s a real shame."
The 41-year-old actor was reported as having "slammed" the Government earlier this week in regards to comments he made about same-sex marriage, which Edgerton said was blown way out of proportion, though he does stand by his opinions.
"I made an off the cuff remark about that situation based on a future project…which is about interracial marriage in the United States in the late ‘60s and I drew a parallel to gay marriage and the situation now," he explained.
"[A journalist] then turned it into a headline saying ‘I attacked the Government’ and ‘I slammed the Government’," he laughed.
"It sounds to me like I'm in a corner with a blade ready to knife fight Tony Abbott!"
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While he spends a large amount of his time now living in the US, Edgerton revealed that he still keeps up to date daily with news happening in his home country.
"...You really start to feel what the big headlines are crossing the ocean because the big news points are the only ones you tend to get over there," he said, adding, "I get online and read the news everyday."
"What I hated about what happened the other day was that people were going 'You celebrities, get off your high horses!' I just made an off the cuff remark," he said.
"I'd be the last person in the world to pretend to be a political spokesperson, but I do have a fucking opinion and if you want to ask me shit, I will say stuff out loud."
The Gift hits Australian cinemas on 27 August — check out the film trailer below.
