WEIGHING IN

Buzz Aldrin Responds to ‘First Man’ American Flag Controversy

He tweeted out two photos of Neil Armstrong planting the flag with the hashtag #proudtobeanamerican.

In an apparent response to the flag controversy involving the new Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin on Sunday tweeted out two photos of Armstrong planting the American flag on the moon with the hashtag #proudtobeanAmerican. USA Today reports that director Damien Chazelle’s new film on the moon landing does not feature a shot of Armstrong planting the flag during the Apollo 11 mission, which has rankled some people, including Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who called it “total lunacy.” The film, which stars Ryan Gosling, reportedly does feature the American flag flying on the moon in certain shots. At the Venice Film Festival, Gosling said that Armstrong “didn't consider himself a hero” and claimed that the mission “transcend[ed] countries and borders.”