Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, the stars of the film 'May December', have responded to the criticism raised by Vili Fualaau, the ex-husband of Mary Kay Letourneau, whose story loosely inspired the movie. Fualaau expressed being "offended" by the film, stating that he was not consulted during its creation.

Speaking to ET at the Golden Globes red carpet, Portman expressed her remorse upon hearing Fualaau's comments, saying, "I'm so sorry to hear that. It's not based on them, it's, you know, obviously their story influenced the culture that we all grew up in and influenced the idea. But it's fictional characters that are really brought to life by Julianne Moore and Charles Melton so beautifully, and yeah, it's its own story, it's not meant to be a biopic."

In the film, Portman portrays an actress who shadows Moore's character, Gracie, as she prepares to play her in a movie based on her life. Gracie had gained notoriety for entering into a relationship with her former student, Joe, played by Charles Melton, when he was just 13 years old. The film explores the complexities of their relationship and its impact on their lives.

Julianne Moore also responded to Fualaau's criticism, stating, "Aww, I'm very sorry that he feels that way. I mean, Todd [Haynes] was always very clear when we were working on this movie that this was an original story, this was a story about these characters. So that's how we looked at it too. This was our document, we created these characters from the page and together."

Fualaau, who had a sexual relationship with his teacher Letourneau starting when he was just 12 years old, expressed disappointment at not being consulted for the film. He expressed his offense towards the entire project and the lack of respect given to him, as he lived through a real story that is still ongoing.

While the filmmakers have acknowledged that Letourneau and Fualaau's story served as inspiration for the film, they maintain that it is not a literal translation of their experiences. Screenwriter Samy Burch clarified that while the big picture concept was rooted in their story, the details and specific conversations depicted in the film were not meant to imply exact representations of their lives.

The controversy surrounding 'May December' highlights the delicate line that filmmakers must navigate when drawing inspiration from real-life events while crafting fictional narratives. As the debate continues, fans eagerly anticipate the release of the film to see how the characters, portrayed by Portman and Moore, bring their own unique perspectives to this thought-provoking story.