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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“There are certain aspects of the movie that don’t hold up too well” – Fuck off.
Well said.
These people are fragile, self-important, self-absorbed, and they honestly think the world should revolve around them and their feelings. If there’s something that they can’t handle because it hurts their feelings, then they shouldn’t watch it.
Ah, more virtue signalling bullshit. The film accurately portrayed these creatures for what they are, just like that one that recently stabbed his own children or the one that killed 10 people including his mother and stepbrother.
OMFG..
I just lost every ounce of respect for Ted Levine and his performance in TSOTL there..
I don’t understand why 0.003% of the world popuplation can hold generations in a death grip..
Gender dysforia need to go back on the DSM-5 and classified as a mental illness again, which it clearly is, because none of these people think rationally.
“Gender identity disorder” was too mean thus we have “Gender dysphoria” as a softer, gentler entry, but it is still classified as mental illness in the DSM-5. Despite the calls to have it removed entirely, the prevalence of hatred and violence from sufferers and people who embrace that community shows it has a well deserved slot. Quite a hypocritical stance from the “Party of Science” and all.
WHO removed the designation from ICD-11 on mental illness in 2019 though, so where i am from, it is no longer considered a mental illness, and since America is part of WHO i thought your classification manual had adopted the WHO policy..I guess not!
Which by the way was a HUGE mistake, that and giving these loons a platform to spew their hatred on, namely Social Media..
Looking past the morons who “transition” because of likes and attention, how can it not be a mental illness?
I am not a psychiatrist, but any logic thinking being would think a person who was born a boy and wants to chop their parts off and get tits are not right in the head though..
Wasn’t there recently a breakup of a real transgender terror cell? These people are not stable in any way shape or form!
It wouldn’t surprise me to hear many practitioners completely ignore the DSM in favor of the social acceptable rules of the WHO.
Even the DSM lower the severity of people facing this mental illness. It is no longer considered in the same boat as, say, something like Schizophrenia; it is considered a mild manifestation of sexual confusion rather than something people should be concerned about. Like how Asperger’s is a mild form of Autism.
Also, America has thankfully withdrawn from the WHO. Let’s hope that sticks.
It doesn’t matter what they think. Buffalo Bill is the best face for the troon archetype – insane, confused and violent.
I think that’s what really drives the chicks with dicks nuts. The fact his portrayal is so on target. We always have to remember: these are nothing more than cockroaches. And what do cockroaches hate most? When the light is turned on, and they’re fully exposed. That’s why they hide and obfuscate.
Did anyone hear about the awesome Providence, RI hockey dad? Another squared-away member of the alphabet soup brigade. His own children.
Trans rights
That guy is/was two years younger than I am. At my age, I can’t imagine being such a pathetic chud that I need to wear dresses to validate myself and then commit murder. He just needed some buddies to take him out back and beat the ever loving shit out of him to wake him up.
Now they’re not treated as sicko’s…. they’re promoted to management and elected into Congress from places like oregon. (My least favorite state in this nation).
I hate it when people find it necessary to pandering and/or protecting themselves from progressive attacks they feel they need retcon their greatest works with the correct language.
Stop apologize for greatness.
The reason for this narrative is simple. As Anna (TSWG) pointed out, Buffalo Bill wasn’t Trans and was turned down by gender reassignment by the hospitals that perform it. Why? Because not everyone who gets it into their head that they are Trans are actually Trans.
So, even though they are careful to say Buffalo Bill isn’t Trans, it doesn’t matter. Because “THE MESSAGE” (hat tip, Critical Drinker) would have us believe we should provide gender affirming care to everyone. To them, it’s not, “Bill wasn’t Trans and we careful to be mindful of the Trans community.”
To them, “Bill is absolutely Trans because if you think it and feel it then you are. No questions. No deep dive to make sure. We must believe them all. Provide affirming care to all. So, Bill was Trans and you made him a serial killer and now everyone thinks all Trans are serial killers.”
That is “THE MESSAGE.” here. That is what they are trying to push. That is why they hate this movie.
Suppose Levine and the producer just ignored the “problematic” elements altogether and kept their mouths shut–all this b.s. apologizing 35 years after the fact is ridiculous…
If people look hard enough, they can find something to be offended by in any movie; should there be a mass apology for the entire history of cinema?
It’s the same with the whole “stolen land” crap.
Or politicians apologizing for slavery or forced sterilizations or whatever humankind has done to eachother over the eons.
You can’t change the past, only learn from it, but therein lies the rub, these loons wants to erase all things that does not conform to their narrowminded world view, which means “those who will not learn from history, is bound to repeat it”.
I guarentee you the “trans community” would rather see Silence of The Lambs banned instead of A. not watch it, or B. be rational, and see it as a work of artistic freedom..
Unfortunately, they have succeeded in silencing the film industri, as nobody would dare make a tranny the villain today!
The remake is already underway with that pedophile Lilytino playing Buffalo Bill.
Time to pick up physical media before they stick a warning label in the front about how the film reflects an earlier, more bigoted, time. Or remove it from shelves entirely because it makes the Trans-kids angry.
I have a very early Criterion version of the movie that has commentary that was never provided on subsequent releases.