Netflix is in hot water from conservatives over a social media post on the first anniversary of the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
On Thursday, September 10, Netflix UK’s X account posted photos of Theo James and Kaya Scodelario from The Gentlemen season 2, along with the caption, “Nearly did himself a neck injury.”
While the caption seemingly referenced James’ character, Eddie Horniman, whipping around to see Scodelario’s Susie Glass, some conservatives have accused the streamer of deliberately making light of the anniversary of Kirk’s death on Thursday.
Kirk was killed at age 31 on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, 2025, after being shot in the neck. (Suspected shooter Tyler Robinson surrendered the following day and subsequently pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges.)
Brady Penfield, a representative of Kirk’s Turning Point USA, accused Netflix of “mocking Charlie Kirk’s death,” condemning the tweet as “disgusting.”
“Very stupid to actually tweet this @netflix do you think this is acceptable? This is going to cost you a boat load of money and all that it would have taken to prevent that was to shut up and not be a disgusting vile idiot,” another X user argued.
Evangelical Christian blogger Jackie Chea wrote, “This is either a shameless mockery of Charlie Kirk or the most stupid and tone deaf post imaginable. DELETE and apologize for your malice or incompetence, @NetflixUK.”
Others came to Netflix’s defense, insisting that the content of the post had nothing to do with the real world events surrounding Kirk’s murder.
When Us reached out to Netflix for comment, a company spokesperson said, “This post directly references a plot point from our UK series, The Gentlemen, which launched its second season on September 3. Suggestions that it has any link to sensitive real world events are inaccurate and ludicrous.”
Turning Point USA marked the first anniversary of its cofounder’s death by describing September 10, 2025, as a day that “changed America’s history forever.”
“One year ago, our founder, our leader, and our friend, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated while doing what he had devoted his life to: standing before young Americans and challenging them to think, to speak, and to have the courage to stand for what they believe,” the conservative activist group wrote in its tribute. “There are no words that can adequately describe what this past year has been like.”
Their statement continued, “We have had to learn how to carry on without the person who was at the center of everything we do. We have celebrated milestones that Charlie should have been here to celebrate. We have stood on stages where his voice should have been heard. We have watched his children grow without their father there to see it. And we have felt the weight of his absence in ways that never seem to get easier.”
Turning Point USA stressed that its members will “miss” and “grieve” their late leader but “will never forget him.” (Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, replaced him as Turning Point USA’s chairwoman and CEO upon his death.)
In August, Erika, 37, joined Charlie’s family in praising a Utah judge’s decision to send alleged killer Robinson’s case to trial. (Robinson, now 23, faces the death penalty if he is convicted of aggravated murder.)
“Every step in this process carries the weight of all that Charlie’s murder has taken from his family, especially his children who will grow up without their father,” the Kirk family told Us in a statement. “We are grateful to all who have continued to pray for us, support us, and stand with us through a year of unimaginable grief.”
They added, “As the next phase of the judicial process begins, our family remains united in our love for Charlie, our commitment to the pursuit of justice, and our prayer for a transparent and timely process.”
Robinson is next scheduled to appear in court on October 23.
