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Miles Teller criticises Esquire profile: 'I felt extremely misrepresented'

The actor says the profile left him feeling 'helpless'

Maya Oppenheim
Monday 22 August 2016 05:47 EDT
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Teller says the interview made him feel 'helpless'
Teller says the interview made him feel 'helpless' (Getty Images)

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Miles Teller has said his Esquire profile made him feel “extremely misrepresented” and a “little angry”.

The profile of the 29-year-old actor, who is known for his roles in Whiplash and Fantastic Four begins: “You’re sitting across from Miles Teller at the Luminary restaurant in Atlanta and trying to figure out if he’s a d***”.

The piece which came in August 2015 uses the word “d***” multiple times and concludes with the line: “Charm the world with his d***ishness.”

Teller has now said the interview made him feel “helpless” and the average person reading the article would have perceived him in a negative light.

“Oh, I felt frickin’ helpless, I felt extremely misrepresented, I felt a little angry,” he told The Guardian.

“For the average person, they are reading this article, they haven’t met you, they’re like, ‘Oh, Miles is an a***hole. You didn’t hear it? You didn’t read that Esquire? Yeah, she said he was an a***hole – he must be!’

“I’d say that you get a little more guarded but I’m actually not,” he continued. “Certain times I’ll choose my words very carefully and maybe come off a little more boring. But I also think that’s why people - certain people - do relate to me: because there is no agenda, honestly. I was raised middle-class in a small town.

“I have all my same friends from high school. I’m close with my family. I’m dating a normal girl. So I want to feel people think I’m a man of the people. Because I feel that way.”

Teller has been in a relationship with Keleigh Sperry, a model, for three years.

Teller expressed his displeasure after the initial article came out and tweeted: “@Esquire couldn’t be more wrong. I don’t think there’s anything cool or entertaining about being a dick or an a***hole. Very misrepresenting.” His Fantastic Four costar Kate Mara jumped to his defence, calling him “a truly fantastic person.”

The Independent contacted representatives of Esquire and Teller for comment.

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