BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Amanda Abbington expresses an opinon on fanart.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 27, 2014 4:33 pm

Apparently Amanda expressed some less than enthusiastic opinions on explicit johnlock fan art in an interview and the net is a buzz. Of course some people are attacking her and others are defending her.
I can't seem to find the particular interview people are quoting but the small samples I've seen don't particularly hurt me as a fan.

She doesn't particularly like the art that depicts Martin and Ben in explicit situations and mentions worry about her kids finding it someday. From what I've seen she doesn't say people don't have a right to make this kind of art, but does say that if you post it on the internet you shouldn't be surprised that it's commented on, negatively or positively.

Anyone else have any more info on this or a link to the interview?

**Posted by Molly Hooper** January 27, 2014 4:34 pm

Here's a link to that acrticle

http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2014/01/sherlock-season-3-amanda-abbington-and-martin-freemans-not-wedding.html

**Posted by zeratul** January 27, 2014 4:46 pm

Well I recently joined Tumbler. And then I had to see such really explicit paitings from people which where reblogging mainly normal stuff. I don't have any problem with people having fantasies, but I don't want them to plant pictures in my head. I also don't want to see such paintings and I think they just do NOT belong there.
Also one of my first thoughts was, what do Martin and Ben think about this? Even as a public person I think this goes to far.

**Posted by mrshouse** January 27, 2014 5:12 pm

Hmmmm, this is really tricky stuff...
Would I like my children to find kinky stuff on the internet involving their dad? Certainly not. But I'm not in film or show business. I'm not a public person. The risk of having good or bad press or reactions from fans go to a certain degree with the job, I think. I haven't done fanart or fanfic so far, but I agree to some comments that the situation got really akward when fanart and -fic got threwn into the faces of actors and writers.
But I have to say that Martin and Benedict went along pretty well so far and did not really complain. So I would advise Amanda to teach their kids how to use internet properly and apply kids security.

**Posted by TeeJay** January 27, 2014 5:25 pm

She doesn't really criticize the fanart itself, she commented on the fact that she wouldn't want her children to see pictures of their father in sexually explicit positions with a fellow actor. She also said that it's hard to draw the line between someone drawing Martin and Benedict as John & Sherlock or drawing Martin and Benedict as Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch. I find all of this very understandable, and I absolutely get her position. I think I'd feel similarly if I were her.

And, you know, it's not just the explicit fanart. What I personally find more than borderline is RPF or RPS (real person fiction or real person slash). Yes, there are people out there who openly write slash stories between actors and post them online. I don't know if this also exists for Martin and Ben, but I'm almost sure that it does. I'm usually a "to each his/her own" kind of person, but RPF, to me, is invasion of privacy, and I absolutely understand that actors may have a problem with it.

Last edited by TeeJay (January 27, 2014 7:05 pm)

**Posted by Mattlocked** January 27, 2014 5:42 pm

I remember that people used to send her those pics directly via Twitter. I mean..... ???!??????
I don't think you can avoid everything in the www, but that was... well, no words.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 27, 2014 6:04 pm

I also think that RPS is crossing a line. It just feels very wrong to me.

That said however I love my slash. Art or Fic. Explcit. But for gods sack keep it in the fandom. Don't send it to the actors themselves! If I were ever lucky enough to meet any of the cast of Sherlock in person I wouldn't use that chance to say, I sure do wish John and Sherlock would shag. The actors and writers and directors have produced a wonderful piece of art that in turn has inspired fans to create art of their own. But they don't owe us anything else. And if that art is brought to their attention they have every right to have an opinon on it.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** January 28, 2014 3:08 pm

I literally have no idea why anyone would feel the need to be upset about her comments.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 28, 2014 3:17 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
I literally have no idea why anyone would feel the need to be upset about her comments.

Some people should not be on the internet.

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** January 28, 2014 3:55 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
I literally have no idea why anyone would feel the need to be upset about her comments.

^

**Posted by mrshouse** January 28, 2014 4:19 pm

Except maybe some fans who spent lots of hours drawing or writing stuff, of which some is quite artificially done, and never meant it to be slapped into the actors faces nor invading their personal space. Following a celebrity on twitter doesn't exactly make you their friends, that's also a serious crossing the line and as far as I can see much more common than not being able to distinguish between actors/fictional characters. Maybe I haven't seen enough of fanworks but I have a feeling it was not about the real celebrities?

**Posted by zeratul** January 28, 2014 4:24 pm

I read that Amanda got death threads because of "destroying Johnlock"? wtf...
Maybe the same people are upset because of her comment, which think John should be gay and a couple with Sherlock and not marrying Mary... And because they don't know where to put their childish feelings, they blame the actor for it...

**Posted by mrshouse** January 28, 2014 5:10 pm

Read that, too, and there can't be more than one opinion that this is absolutely out of bounds, threatening a leaving breathing human being, which loves and is beloved by people.
Not mentioning them though, as you can read. Just pointing out thatt I think most of the fans and fan-artists are quite reasonable people, bit crazy, but not dangerous or crossing lines but carefully avoiding to mix fiction and real live. I gues (hope?) it's the minority that Amanda refers to. And she has to protect her children in the internet anyway.

**Posted by mrshouse** January 28, 2014 5:11 pm

meant of course living, not leaving...

**Posted by LoveBug54** January 28, 2014 6:22 pm

tonnaree wrote:
I also think that RPS is crossing a line. It just feels very wrong to me.

That said however I love my slash. Art or Fic. Explcit. But for gods sack keep it in the fandom. Don't send it to the actors themselves! If I were ever lucky enough to meet any of the cast of Sherlock in person I wouldn't use that chance to say, I sure do wish John and Sherlock would shag. The actors and writers and directors have produced a wonderful piece of art that in turn has inspired fans to create art of their own. But they don't owe us anything else. And if that art is brought to their attention they have every right to have an opinon on it.

Absolutely agree. I love the slash and fanart too and none of it is intended for anyone else but the fans. I resent people like Graham Norton or Caitlin Moran rubbing the actors and producers noses in it, not to mention every interview that brings it up. Because of that we now have a backlash of sorts that has started to affect the show. Anderson has morphed into the "crazy fan" who has a Johnlock picture on his mantel. And if anyone thinks the sheriarty moment was anything but mockery really needs to reread every thing Moffat has said about Johnlock over the past two years.

When is the last time we've heard anyone associated with the show refer to it as a love story? Yet they will publish photos of Ben and Martin HOLDING HANDS in character (drunk name game) and call us crazy for assuming it means anything other than "best friends."

My love for this show is second to none but this season as left me very unsettled. And I just can't put my finger on why.

Last edited by LoveBug54 (January 28, 2014 6:23 pm)

**Posted by TeeJay** January 28, 2014 6:33 pm

Yeah, well, this season I think they tried to just put in one too many nods to the fans. TEH was one big episode of pure fan service, even though Moffat and Gatiss keep denying it. Then of course there was the "I am not gay" line. (Which, admittedly, I personally cheered at because I don't see Johnlock at all.) Then of course there's the marriage thing, which I think the hardcore Johnlockers keep wishing away, no matter how much everyone says they like Mary.

Of course I can only speak for myself when I say I very much liked series 3, but I can also see that people very invested in Johnlock find it disheartening.

**Posted by Marva** January 28, 2014 6:37 pm

Interesting, lots of Johnlockers (incl myself) think since S3 that it will actually happen on screen one day. So I can't quite understand the fuss.

**Posted by Mattlocked** January 28, 2014 7:00 pm

Marva wrote:
Interesting, lots of Johnlockers (incl myself) think since S3 that it will actually happen on screen one day. So I can't quite understand the fuss.

I am a Johnlocker, but I hope not!

**Posted by Ormond Sacker** January 28, 2014 7:05 pm

The best response I've heard to the whole thing is this.

**Posted by Mattlocked** January 28, 2014 8:12 pm

Hm. No. It's right, we are all here to have fun. But: "We can’t be generalized. We can’t be put into a giant mass of porny depraved angry trolls." - I think nobody actually does so.
AND, as far as I understand, the biggest problem isn't fanart about John and Sherlock, but about Martin and Benedict.