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Sam Altman biopic actors break silence after Amazon drops film: 'I don't know who's running everything'
Mike Marsland/WireImage (L); Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images (R)

Sam Altman biopic actors break silence after Amazon drops film: 'I don't know who's running everything'

'I think there are certain things that fit certain places.'

Actors from the Sam Altman biographical movie are not surprised.

Amazon said in June that the Altman biopic would be better served by going to another studio after dropping the film on mysterious grounds.

'I'm shocked they picked it up in the first place.'

Drop it like its hot

Amazon parted ways with the film, "Artificial," saying it had the "utmost respect and admiration" for director Luca Guadagnino, despite no longer distributing the film.

"We believe that 'Artificial' will be better served if it were released by a different studio and are working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home," the company added.

Little was known about the split, despite obvious theories made about the Big Tech connections between Altman and Amazon owner Jeff Bezos. Now, stars of the film have gone on the record about the movie, with actor Cooper Hoffman offering the most intriguing take.

Son of deceased actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, the 23-year-old was asked by a reporter if it caught him off guard when the movie left Amazon.

"Were you surprised?" Variety's Marc Malkin asked Hoffman.

"That it got dropped? No!" the actor replied emphatically. "I'm shocked they picked it up in the first place."

Hoffman continued, "I was like, this feels like you all are in, like, I don't know — I don't know who’s running everything," the young star went on, seemingly stopping his train of thought.

"When they dropped it, I was kinda like, 'Oh, yeah, that actually kinda, I guess, makes sense," he added.

RELATED: Amazon drops Sam Altman biopic — and everyone wants to know why

Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images

Neon dreams

Andrew Garfield, who plays Altman, told the reporter, "I was and I wasn't [surprised]."

"I think there are certain things that fit certain places and don't fit other places and they [Amazon] were nothing but supportive and nothing but encouraging while we were making the film," the former "Amazing Spider-Man" actor explained.

Garfield added that he was grateful to Amazon for helping the film find new distribution.

That new company is Neon, the New York-based distributor behind films like Stephen King's "The Monkey" and "Ferrari" from 2023.

Hoffman said he "couldn't be more happy" about working with the company.

RELATED: OpenAI wants to make its losses public property

Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Too close to call

Critics have pointed to Altman's appearance at Bezos' wedding last year as evidence of a possible relationship responsible for the movie not fitting in at Amazon.

Meanwhile, actor Ike Barinholtz — who plays Elon Musk in the film — added fuel to the Big-Tech fire last year when he was asked if he had considered meeting Musk before portraying him.

"I'm OK," Barinholtz said, adding that Musk is "famous enough that you get it."

The "MADtv" alumnus added, "All I hope is that if he puts me into a gulag, it's one with all of my friends. That way we can have a party."

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Andrew Chapados

Andrew Chapados

Andrew Chapados is a writer focusing on sports, culture, entertainment, gaming, and U.S. politics. The podcaster and former radio-broadcaster also served in the Canadian Armed Forces, which he confirms actually does exist.
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