Leprosy charity slams Hugh Grant's 'Pirates' film

The Leprosy Mission says new trailer for the film is insensitive to those suffering from the disease.

Wed, Jan 18 2012 at 12:28 PM

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A new animated film from Aardman, the creators of the classic "Wallace and Gromit" franchise, is coming under fire from a charity that supports those suffering from leprosy.

The Leprosy Mission England and Wales in the UK slammed the latest trailer for "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" because they say it is insensitive to those with the disease. The film, which as you've likely guessed deals with a rogue of silly pirates, stars the voices of Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek, Martin Freeman, and Jeremy Piven.

In the scene being criticized, Hugh Grant's captain boards a boat demanding gold. The passengers however, which all look close to death, say that they have none because they're on a "leper boat." The man's arm then falls off.

"The word leper is derogatory, outdated and is associated with someone who has been rejected, ostracised, or regarded as an outcast," said Peter Walker, national director of TLMEW, in an interview.

“They have also ensured that facts do not get in the way of their story by portraying a totally erroneous aspect of leprosy," he added. "The misnomer that body parts fall off those affected comes despite the wealth of educational information coming from TLMEW and other leprosy organisations.”

According to the BBC, a spokesman for Aardman says it takes criticism like this seriously and is reviewing the matter.

"Pirates!" is due to be released in March. You can check out the trailer with the offending scene below.

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