On its 35th anniversary, some of the creatives behind The Silence of the Lambs want to apologize for certain aspects of the iconic film. While long celebrated as one of the greatest horror/thrillers of the ’90s—if not all time—modern gender activists have claimed that the film has raises concerns about reinforcing negative stereotypes when viewed through a contemporary cultural lens.
News clipping from The Silence of the Lambs trailer – Amazon MGM Studios, YouTube
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The conflict comes from the characterization of Buffalo Bill, the serial killer who skinned his female victims so that he could make himself into a woman. Now, Edward Saxon, who produced the film, and Ted Levine, who played Buffalo Bill, are expressing some regret.
Creators Reflect on Cultural Shifts
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Saxon and Levine discussed the film’s legacy and how their feelings about The Silence of the Lambs have changed. “There are certain aspects of the movie that don’t hold up too well,” Levine said. “We all know more, and I’m a lot wiser about transgender issues. There are some lines in that script and movie that are unfortunate.”
Up until now, this has never been an issue for anyone. The Silence of the Lambs won best picture, director, actor, actress and screenplay at the Academy Awards. Released on February 14, 1991, it had the earliest release date for a Best Picture winner, and is arguably the only horror film to win top honors.
Anthony Hopkins from The Silence of the Lambs – Amazon MGM Studios, YouTube
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Regarding his portrayal of Buffalo Bill, Levine said that his understanding the gender experience has changed. “It’s unfortunate that the film vilified that, and it’s f—ing wrong. And you can quote me on that.” For his part, Levine said that putting minority groups in a bad light was never his intention. “I didn’t play him as being gay or trans. I think he was just a f—ed-up heterosexual man. That’s what I was doing.”
Critics of Levine’s remarks were quick to push back, arguing that apologizing for portraying one of cinema’s most iconic villains fundamentally misunderstands both the character and the film itself.
From their perspective, The Silence of the Lambs was never a morality play about gender identity but a psychological thriller centered on evil in its most extreme form. To retroactively frame Buffalo Bill through a modern activist lens — and then apologize for it — strikes these observers as an overcorrection meant to placate a relatively small but very vocal ideological faction. In their view, villains are meant to be disturbing, transgressive, and uncomfortable, and softening or second-guessing that portrayal decades later risks undermining what made the performance — and the film — so enduring in the first place.
Intent vs. Impact
That there was never any malicious intent was echoed by Saxon. “As we made the film, there was just no question in our minds that Buffalo Bill was a completely aberrant personality — that he wasn’t gay or trans. He was sick,” he said. The Silence of the Lambs becoming controversial within gender activist communities was nothing he anticipated. “From my point of view, we weren’t sensitive enough to the legacy of a lot of stereotypes and their ability to harm.”
Saxon emphasized it further, adding, “There’s regret, but it didn’t come from any place of malice.”
However, some users on X argued that no apologies for The Silence of the Lambs are needed. They point out that both the book and the movie are clear that Buffalo Bill is not a trans character.
Audience Pushback
In a lengthy post on X, YouTube personality ThatStarWarsGirl notes that a line in the film clarifies Buffalo Bill’s underlying mental health issues. “If they actually read the book or watched the movie they’d know that Buffalo wasn’t actually a transsexual,” she wrote.
If they actually read the book or watched the movie they’d know that Buffalo wasn’t actually a transsexual
“Billys not a real transsexual but he thinks he is. He wants to be”
Jame Gumb failed the psychological evaluations that are requirements for sex reassignment surgeries.…
— thatstarwarsgirl (@thatstarwarsgrl) February 14, 2026
The film features a scene where Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter are building a psychological profile of Buffalo Bill. Clarice notes that there is no correlation between “transsexualism and violence.” Buffalo Bill, however, is kidnapping and murdering women.
Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs – Amazon MGM Studios, YouTube
Hannibal Lecter replies: “Billy is not a real transsexual. There are three major centers for transsexual surgery. I wouldn’t be surprised if Billy had applied for sex reassignment at one or all of them and been rejected. Billy hates his own identity you see, and he thinks that makes him a transsexual.”
Legacy and Reflection
While Levine and Saxon may feel the need to apologize in light of recent cultural shifts, The Silence of the Lambs remains one of the highest-praised thrillers of all time. Decades after its release, the film is still sparking conversations about the nature of good and evil, even as it captivates through cinematic language. More than that, it demonstrates how art can be both timeless and a mirror reflecting the society that watches it.
What do you think of Levine and Saxon’s apology? Do see the film differently now? Let us know in the comments!
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