The late Mary Kay Letourneau‘s former partner Vili Fualaau is reacting to May December.
In the Todd Haynes movie, Natalie Portman plays Elizabeth Berry, an actress researching a married couple with a scandalous past similar to the real-life case of the former teacher and student.
Screenwriter Samy Burch cited the case as her inspiration. However, no one involved in the production apparently reached out to Vili, who inspired Charles Melton‘s Joe Yoo. Keep reading to find out more… In the movie, Joe is 13 when he is seduced by Julianne Moore’s 36-year-old character. Vili was 12 when 34-year-old Mary Kay Letourneau first victimized him in 1996.
She later pleaded guilty to two counts of child rape. Vili has seen May December and came away deeply dismayed at what he believes is another example of Hollywood and the media exploiting his story and pain, via THR. “I’m still alive and well,” he said. “If they had reached out to me, we could have worked together on a masterpiece.