Three and a half decades after it stunned audiences and swept the Academy Awards, The Silence of the Lambs is under fire — this time from its own crew and critics who say the film’s villain fueled harmful stereotypes.

Ted Levine, the actor behind the chilling serial killer Buffalo Bill (Jame Gumb), is now addressing the controversy that has lingered since the film’s 1991 release. In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Levine admitted that time and cultural shifts have changed how he sees certain elements of the movie.

“There are certain aspects of the movie that don’t hold up too well,” Levine acknowledged.

For years, activists have argued that Buffalo Bill — a murderer who skins women in a grotesque attempt to fashion a “suit” from their remains — was portrayed in a way that blurred lines around gender identity. Though the script never explicitly labels the character as transgender, critics say the depiction leaned into imagery they believe painted gender-nonconforming individuals in a negative light.

Looking back, Levine says experience has broadened his perspective.

“We all know more, and I’m a lot wiser about transgender issues,” he said. “There are some lines in that script and movie that are unfortunate.”

He continued, reflecting on what he’s learned over the years: “[It’s] just over time and having gotten aware and worked with trans folks, and understanding a bit more about the culture and the reality of the meaning of gender.”

Then came the line certain to make headlines: “It’s unfortunate that the film vilified that, and it’s f——- wrong. And you can quote me on that.”

But Levine was equally clear in defending his artistic choices. He pushed back on the notion that he portrayed Buffalo Bill as either gay or transgender.

“I didn’t play him as being gay or trans. I think he was just a f——up heterosexual man. That’s what I was doing.”

The film itself — directed by Jonathan Demme — was anything but a minor cultural footnote. Released on Valentine’s Day in 1991, it became a box office powerhouse and an awards-season juggernaut. The psychological thriller famously swept the top five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.

Audiences were captivated by the unforgettable performances of Anthony Hopkins as the brilliant and terrifying Hannibal Lecter and Jodie Foster as determined FBI trainee Clarice Starling. Lecter, a cannibalistic killer behind bars, manipulates and mentors Starling as she hunts down Buffalo Bill in a race against time.

Behind the scenes, the filmmakers insist there was never any intent to target or demean anyone. Edward Saxon, producing partner to Demme, told the outlet that the team remained faithful to the source novel and never viewed Buffalo Bill as representative of any broader community.

“We were really loyal to the book. As we made the film, there was just no question in our minds that Buffalo Bill was a completely aberrant personality — that he wasn’t gay or trans,” Saxon explained.

Still, Saxon conceded that hindsight offers clarity.

“He was sick. To that extent, we missed it. From my point of view, we weren’t sensitive enough to the legacy of a lot of stereotypes and their ability to harm.”

He emphasized there was no ill will behind the creative decisions. “There’s regret, but it didn’t come from any place of malice. It actually came from a place of seeing this guy. We all had dear friends and family who were gay. We thought it would just be very clear that Buffalo Bill adapts different things from society, from a place of an incredibly sick pathology.”