The Suicide Squad Soars Despite Joel Kinnaman Controversy

While it didn’t garner the box office figures for which Warner Bros. had hoped, there’s no question that The Suicide Squad is still soaring. The film rocketed to the top of critic and fan lists of the best DC Universe films immediately upon its release this past Friday. If you believe HBO, it was the second-highest viewed premiere since WB and HBO instituted simultaneous releases.  That simultaneous release coupled with the upsurge of the COVID-19 Delta variant likely account for the film’s box office blues…. But we have to wonder if the controversy surround the film has anything to do with it, as well. We’re not talking about James Gunn’s “sordid” social media past, either. This time it’s actor Joel Kinnaman at the center of the story… And the story has recently taken an interesting turn.

The Swedish-American actor makes his second go-round as Colonel Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad. (See our review of the film HERE.) He’s also garnered critical acclaim for his roles in Netflix’s Altered Carbon and For All Mankind, airing on AppleTV+. It is the “relationship” between Joel Kinnaman and model Bella Davis that is filling the news cycle now, however. The Swedish-Jamaican model (real name Gabriella Magnusson), has leveled allegations of sexual assault against the actor. The claim stems from an encounter between the two in New York in 2018. Davis alleges it was rape; Kinnaman asserts that it was consensual.

The Suicide Squad Star Joel Kinnaman embroiled in controversy

What’s interesting about this story, however, is that Joel Kinnaman isn’t just offering a blanket denial of the claim. He has fired back at Davis, claiming that Davis has fabricated her story in an effort to extort from The Suicide Squad star cash and other Hollywood connections. According to Kinnaman, Davis went so far as to make such “serious and specific” threats against him and his family that he needed to seek a restraining order.

Regardless of jurisdiction, the burden of proof for a claimant seeking a restraining order is often difficult to meet. (You can read the California statute governing such orders HERE.) Joel Kinnaman, though, apparently met that burden of proof. In this case, the judge found “by clear and convincing evidence ” (as required by the statute) that there were sufficient grounds for the restraining order, which the court granted. The court ordered Davis to have no contact with the actor and to stay at least 100 feet away from him and his property at all times.

How this controversy will shake out, and if it will have a lasting effect on the success of The Suicide Squad, remains to be seen. We here are That Hashtag Show want to make something abundantly clear, however:  

We in no way condone the abhorrent behavior of which Joel Kinnaman is accused.

Any claim of sexual misconduct must be taken seriously, and we anticipate and hope for a full investigation into Davis’ claims.

We’ll keep you posted as this story progresses.

Source: Variety