Channing Tatum Defends Jonah Hill After Gay Slur Flap

Channing Tatum has stood up for his friend and 22 Jump Street co-star Jonah Hill after the actor called a paparazzi a gay slur, saying Hill is actually one of the most sensitive actors he knows.

Tatum and Hill sat down with The Associated Press for a question and answer session that ranged from their work on the Jump Street series to Tatum’s cameo in This is the End.

But when the topic turned to Hill’s incident earlier this month in which he called a photographer a gay slur, Channing Tatum stood up for his friend.

“Knowing him, it’s even frustrating,” Tatum said about the fallout. “He’s such a thoughtful person. Even when we’re on set and improv-ing and it starts skirting around anything racist or bigoted, he’s like, ‘I’m going to stop this before we go into any offensive territory.'”

Hill has apologized profusely for the incident, which seemed wildly out of character for the actor who has a reputation as an ally of the LBGT community.

“I played into what he wanted and lost my cool, and in that moment, I said a disgusting word that does not at all reflect how I feel about any group of people,” Hill said on the Howard Stern Show.

With a few more days to look back on the incident, Jonah Hill said it’s been one of the most difficult weeks of his life.

Hill told The Associated Press:

It’s been the most difficult weeks of my life, without any question. I’ll say this: It’s been the most painful week of my life. I’m someone who beats themselves up for their mistakes in life. I don’t want to keep giving a watered down apology because what I said on Jimmy Fallon was from my heart and what I wanted to get out there. But there is a silver lining to it if people who are young and fans of mine hear me say, “Use me as an example of what not to do.”

Many have accepted apologies from Hill, acknowledging that the incident was more the result of an overzealous photographer corps known for hounding celebrities than a reflection of Hill’s true feelings. Jonah Hill has also taken multiple opportunities to apologize.

Channing Tatum has had some much happier milestones in his personal life. He and wife Jenna Dewan Tatum just celebrated the first birthday for daughter Everly, making for what Channing said was the most eventful year of his life.