Editors at Australia's GQ magazine have come under fire for asking Taylor Lautner if gay movie bosses Gus Van Sant and Dustin Lance Black once made a pass at him.
In a recent interview with the publication, the Twilight star was asked if openly gay filmmaker Van Sant and screenwriter Black had come on to him at a dinner the trio shared in Los Angeles.
Lautner replied, "No, definitely not. I think they know I'm straight. But they're great guys. They're a lot of fun. It's not a coincidence that there was a writer, a director, and an actor at dinner."
Oscar winner Black was quick to react to the controversy, writing in a post on his blog, "Above and beyond this clear attack on my character, I'm shocked that GQ would allow their writer to lean on the scurrilous, outdated stereotype that gay men are by nature sexual predators. I mean, would you have asked this same question if it were Diablo Cody and Kathryn Bigelow at dinner with Mr. Lautner?"
Now GQ bosses have taken to Facebook.com to apologize for the question.
A statement reads, "We've seen some of the comments floating around regarding our recent interview with Taylor Lautner and apologize if anyone was offended by anything in the article. It certainly wasn't our intention to paint anyone in the story as a sexual predator.
"The point we were actually trying to push was that Taylor is irresistible to virtually everyone - regardless of sexuality or gender. Hence the film crew cheering at his shirtless scenes while shooting Twilight, and Mark Wahlberg deeming him better looking than Leonardo DiCaprio."