Key Takeaways
- Mr. T called Netflix’s Untold Mr. T: I Pity the Fool “garbage,” arguing that it overplays his tough-guy persona while overlooking his Christian faith, Army service, charity work, and support for homeless communities.
- He rejected claims that poor choices cooled his career, saying he had already achieved his goal of buying his mother a house and defended his Bearded Lady role in the 1993 comedy Freaked.
- Netflix and director Scott Weintrob declined to address his criticism ahead of the documentary’s global September 8 premiere.
Mr. T has spent more than four decades being one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture. Now, with Netflix preparing to release a documentary about his life, he has a problem with the man it puts on screen.
“The documentary pissed me off, because they didn’t cover a lot of stuff,” the 74-year-old told The Guardian about Untold Mr. T: I Pity the Fool, which premieres September 8. “When I saw it I was like: ‘What the heck?’ It’s garbage. You build me up, then you try to punk me out.”
At the center of Mr. T’s complaint is what he believes the film leaves out. The born-again Christian says his faith, charity work, and service in the U.S. Army received too little attention, while stories reinforcing his famous tough-guy image were given considerably more room.
He specifically pointed out that his pastor was interviewed for two days but appeared for roughly 30 seconds. “I’m more than that,” he said. “If you don’t know me, you’re gonna think I’m some monster.”
Mr. T also disputes the documentary’s suggestion that bad decisions contributed to his career cooling after his massive 1980s run. His explanation is much simpler: he had accomplished what he wanted.
“All I wanted to do was buy my mother a beautiful house and pretty dresses,” he said. “I done that in the 80s, so the game was over.”
According to Mr. T, accumulating money was never the goal: “I’m not chasing the dollar. I never did.”
He particularly objected to commentary from former agent Peter Young criticizing some of his career choices, including his appearance as the Bearded Lady in the 1993 comedy Freaked. Mr. T defended the role, noting that the movie also featured Brooke Shields, Keanu Reeves and Randy Quaid.
He argues that juxtaposing the part with his familiar gold-chain-and-mohawk image creates a misleading contrast. “They had to undercut what I’m about,” he said. “What a joke!”
As a child on Chicago’s South Side, she struggled to convince friends that they hadn't seen her dad because he was away doing things like teaming with Hulk Hogan at the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985.
Clark eventually followed her father into entertainment after working as a special education teacher, despite Mr. T preferring that she stay out of show business. He told The Guardian he doesn't attend her comedy shows because of the language in her act.
Mr. T, meanwhile, says the Netflix film missed an opportunity to show more of the life beyond the character—from his work with Make-A-Wish to his years helping homeless communities. Netflix and director Scott Weintrob declined The Guardian’s request for comment on his criticism.
Young responded, “Please give Mr. T my best, and let him know I forgive him.”
Untold Mr. T: I Pity the Fool arrives globally on Netflix Sept. 8.
