Steve Coogan has defended a new film about the discovery of Richard III’s skeleton, which has been criticized for its depiction of scholars from the University of Leicester.
Philippa Langley’s study led to the discovery of the king’s remains beneath a city car park in 2012.
Claims that the university grabbed credit for her work and demoted her are “far from the truth,” according to the university.
However, Coogan stated, “The university is accountable for its demise.”
This film would not have been necessary if they had been fairer to Philippa from the beginning and given her the front and center position she deserves.
However, they marginalized her at every turn since she was not of the correct material.
Mrs. Langley, portrayed by Sally Hawkins, is depicted as important in the finding of the skeleton; the impetus behind pinpointing the burial place and procuring funds for the excavation.
However, several academics and university personnel are seen to be dismissive and condescending towards her, before seeking to take credit for her research when it turns out to be accurate.
‘Utterly untrue’
Richard Taylor, a former assistant registrar at Leicester University, told the Daily Mail that the movie was “horrific.”
He stated, “I was utterly shell-shocked.” “They have depicted me as a condescending sexist who makes fun of Richard III’s scoliosis. They portrayed the university as sexist, male-dominated, and indifferent to women.”
He further stated, “My relationship with Philippa was positive… It is abhorrent and completely wrong to represent me as undermining her, being sexist, being a bully, and making fun of her disabilities.
According to reports, Mr. Taylor is so offended by his portrayal that he has threatened legal action to have a scene removed and a disclaimer inserted into the credits stating that the character is not based on him.
Several university staff employees are depicted in the film as not-entirely-bad people, but they frequently act condescendingly to Langley and attempt to garner media attention for themselves.
Another real-life figure, Dr. Richard Buckley, is shown as disdainful of Mrs. Langley, only becoming interested when his department is faced with closure and he risks losing his job.
Dr. Buckley told the Mail, “There is no truth to the rumors that our department is threatened with closure or that my employment is in jeopardy.” “What utter rubbish!”
He continued, “The film claims to be based on a true story, but it is evident that a large portion of it is not accurate.”
The newspaper claimed to have seen Mrs. Langley and Mr. Buckley’s correspondence from the time, which is “full of ideas, proposals, cooperation, and positivism.”
Coogan, who co-wrote the film and portrays Mrs. Langley’s husband, stated on the Today show that he was “incensed” by how she was handled and that there was a “fundamental error” in the media coverage at the time.
“Leicester University did not lead the search for Richard III,” he stated.
When asked if the film depicts university personnel as “patronizing glory hunters,” co-writer Jeff Pope responded, “Well, I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I believe there is something to those… words.
“I believe so… Philippa was in charge of the search for the king. She funded the excavation. She engaged archaeologists from the University of Leicester to dig.
“There is no doubt that once the bones were discovered, university professors conducted the DNA tests. The problem is that they then utilized this to leverage credit for the entire transaction. This is what the movie intends to address.”
Mrs. Langley stated in a recent interview with the Guardian that she felt “sidelined and marginalized.”
“I was extremely susceptible because I am neither a doctor nor a professor. She said, “In the end, I came to find my voice.”
A representative for the university stated, “We feel that the depiction of the University of Leicester’s role in the project does not accurately reflect the actual work that took place.”
“Throughout the duration of the project, we collaborated closely with Philippa Langley, who was not marginalized by the university. Indeed, she was a member of the team interview panel for every news conference involving the monarch.
