Page 3 Profile: Tilda Swinton, actress

Tilda Swinton, actress (AFP/Getty Images)

Are we in for ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin 2’?

We’re not, although yesterday Swinton did battle with someone arguably more evil than the little blighter who (spoiler alert!) slayed his classmates in the film adaptation of the classic novel.

Michael Bay? Tom Cruise?

Step forward Vladimir Putin. The Russian President’s regime has passed horrific anti-gay legislation this past week, banning the adoption of children by same-sex couples and criminalising the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”. Now, if someone tells a child that being gay is a-okay, they get a 5,000-ruble (£100) fine. If foreign citizens decide to head to Russia to hold a gay pride rally, they can be jailed for up to 15 days before being deported.

Did she give him a slap?

Sadly not. Instead, her agent posted a photo of Tilda holding a rainbow flag outside the Kremlin. Alongside it was the message: “In solidarity. From Russia with love.” The agent pressed well-known tweeters to share the image, but when contacted by this paper, a representative said: “We do not have any further comment to make.”

Not exactly “doing battle” then, is she?

In fairness to the Oscar winner, when most celebrities are confronted with the political issue of the day, they tend to retreat, baffled, and instead tweet a plug for their fragrance line. So good on her, then, for having a little bit of a go. It can’t have done her image as the art-lover’s crumpet any harm, either.

Surely everyone has condemned this government-sanctioned homophobia?

You would think so, but several influential conservative groups in the US have voiced their support for Putin. The Catholic Family and (prepare to laugh) Human Rights Institute lamented that it would be “impossible” to pass the same laws in America. Americans for Truth About Homosexuality were also overjoyed by Russia’s unconscionable stance. Imagine, just years ago they would have been horrified by the idea of learning any lessons from the Commies.