--- description: The Neil Armstrong biopic First Man has many are outraged over the omission of Armstrong's historic planting of the flag on the moon title: 'Total Lunacy.' People Are Freaking Out Over How Neil Armstrong Biopic 'First Man' Handles the American Flag on the Moon image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbfa364c34f385e83/69893900db29875b022608dd/first-man-ryan-gosling-neil-armstrong-21.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [entertainment](/tag/entertainment/) ## entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'Total Lunacy.' People Are Freaking Out Over How Neil Armstrong Biopic _First Man_ Handles the American Flag on the Moon by [Gina Martinez](/author/gina-martinez/) ## Gina Martinez Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 5:52 PM CUTPublished: Aug 31, 2018 4:24 PM CUT  On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, "La La Land," Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star RYAN GOSLING reteam for Universal Pictures’ "First Man," the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. On the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, "La La Land," Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star RYAN GOSLING reteam for Universal Pictures’ "First Man," the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969.Universal Pictures by [Gina Martinez](/author/gina-martinez/) ## Gina Martinez Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 5:52 PM CUTPublished: Aug 31, 2018 4:24 PM CUT The Neil Armstrong biopic _First Man_ premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, but it’s the film’s omission of Armstrong’s historic planting of the American flag on the moon has many outraged. While most people associate Armstrong with the iconic moment when he placed the American flag on the moon, director Damien Chazzell chose to cut out the moment for the biopic based on James Hansen’s biography of Armstrong’s life. Ryan Gosling, who plays the first man to walk on the moon, gave an explanation for the decision that has caused some outraged. Gosling told reporters at the Venice Film Festival that the astronaut’s accomplishments “transcend countries and borders” and that he believes Armstrong did not view himself as an American hero. “I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement and that’s how we chose to view it,” Gosling said, [according to _The Telegraph_](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/08/29/first-man-neil-armstrong-film-fails-fly-flag-us-patriotism/ "undefined"). “Also I think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible.” Gosling’s comments did not sit well with many, with the hashtag #boycottfirstman trending on twitter Friday morning. Senator Marco Rubio called the movies choice “total lunacy.” > [](https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1035502827131613184) > [](https://twitter.com/RphotosJeanne/status/1035283375790014464) Some critics at Venice from outlets [including _Vanity Fair_](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/08/first-man-american-flag-moon-landing-controversy-neil-armstrong-ryan-gosling "undefined") and the Daily Beast said that _First Man_ does show the American flag on the moon. > [](https://twitter.com/MarlowNYC/status/1035527951939522560) > [](https://twitter.com/MarlowNYC/status/1035529207676383233) Hansen and Armstrong’s sons, Rick and Mark, spoke out against those criticizing the movie, saying _First Man_ is not “anti-American in the slightest” in a [statement to Deadline](https://deadline.com/2018/08/first-man-flag-controversy-damien-chazelle-response-1202455597/ "undefined") on Friday. “This is a film that focuses on what you don’t know about Neil Armstrong,” they said. “It’s a film that focuses on things you didn’t see or may not remember about Neil’s journey to the moon.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5383929/first-man-american-flag-moon/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5383929/first-man-american-flag-moon/"},"headline":"'Total Lunacy.' 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