STAR TREK HUNK SLAMS RUSSIAN GAY LAW

Chris Pine, the American star of the recent Star Trek movies, has criticised Russia’s oppressive gay “propaganda” laws.

The 33-year-old actor, who is promoting his new spy thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, spoke out about the issue in an interview with the Associated Press.

Pine described the laws as “clearly awful, archaic, hostile nonsense” and also said that the US should take a more active position on the matter.

“I think we should do more than just send gay Olympians there… What’s happening there in terms of gay rights or the lack of it is extraordinary and awful,” he said.

The topic is particularly apt for Pine as the new Jack Ryan movie, the fifth in the series, is largely set in Russia and sees his character attempting to thwart a Russian based terrorist attack on the global economy.

The character of Jack Ryan, created by the late author Tom Clancy, has been previously played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck in the earlier films.

Russia’s regional and federal laws banning gay “propaganda” to “protect” children have been used to restrict press freedom and music concerts, to ban gay Pride events and protests and have led to an increase in violence and discrimination against LGBT people.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens in South African cinemas on Friday 17 January.