If anyone can help the Turkish doctor on trial for comparing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to a Lord of the Rings character, it is director Peter Jackson.
Earlier this week, the story of Dr. Bilgin Ciftci went viral, as a court in Turkey tried to determine if Gollum was good or bad. If they decided that comparing Erdogan to Gollum in a meme was an insult to the president, Ciftci could go to prison for two years.
Jackson, who directed both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings films, came to Ciftci’s defense. In a statement to TheWrap, Jackson and screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens pointed out that the meme actually showed Smeagol, not Gollum. Smeagol is a much nicer character than Gollum. The statement from the filmmakers reads:
“Smeagol is a joyful, sweet character. Smeagol does not lie, deceive, or attempt to manipulate others. He is not evil, conniving, or malicious — these personality traits belong to Gollum, who should never be confused with Smeagol.
“Smeagol would never dream of wielding power over those weaker than himself. He is not a bully. In fact he’s very loveable. This is why audiences all over the world have warmed to his character.”
The judge and prosecutor on the case had not seen the film, so they called on experts to determine if the meme was an insult or not. The trial will resume in February.
Here’s the meme that got Ciftci in trouble: