Charli XCX's latest album 'Music, Fashion, Film' has been released, but fan attention has focused on her choice of collaborator for the single 'Camera'. The music video stars French actor Vincent Cassel, who has drawn criticism for his past statements and associations.
Controversial Collaborator
In 2023, Cassel voiced support for Andrew Tate, who has since been arrested on assault and trafficking charges. Cassel told The Guardian: 'There’s so many things he says, especially when you see his background, that come across as really wrong. But in the middle of that, I think, he’s saying stuff that is actually interesting because he wants to defend masculinity.' He added that it's 'almost shameful to be masculine these days' and warned that if men become 'too vulnerable and feminine', there will be a problem.
Cassel also starred in the biopic 'Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti', criticized for a rose-tinted view of the artist, and has worked with convicted child rapist Roman Polanski, advocating for separating art from the artist's personal life. His personal life has raised eyebrows: he married 21-year-old model Tina Kunakey when he was 51, and after their split, he began dating model Narah Baptista.
Fan Backlash
Fans expressed disappointment on social media. Artist Solumeak wrote on X: 'Charli, I adore you and all, but Vincent is a very bad person…' Brandon said: 'Crazy that you have someone who supports Andrew Tate in your video. So much for being a girls girl…' Tristan simply begged 'not him', while Gabiii added: 'A misogynistic man? I would say I’m surprised, but I’m not.'
Some fans accused Charli of being 'edgy' to a fault, while others suggested she might not have known about Cassel's past. A since-deleted Reddit thread by After-Circada noted: 'I mean lets not act like Charli’s moral compass can’t be questioned by some of the people she surrounds herself with.'
Charli's friendship with Dasha, an actress dropped by her team after appearing on a far-right podcast, has also been a sore point. Additionally, some fans still feel Matty Healy and The 1975—of which Charli's husband George is a member—have not atoned for Healy's controversial actions on tour.
Neither Charli nor Cassel has addressed the backlash. Many fans unaware of Cassel's history have simply praised the music video.
Album Reception
The album 'Music, Fashion, Film' has received mixed reviews, with scores ranging from five to two stars. The Guardian called it a 'slippery search into selfhood that hits just as hard as Brat', while The Telegraph branded it 'ugly, vacuous noise'. Metro's review gave it two stars, describing it as 'chaotic, loud, and ultimately a little dull'.
