Silence of the Lambs' Star Ted Levine Denounces His Iconic Villain Role

Actor acknowledges 'unfortunate' lines in script and says film 'vilified' transgender community

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Ted Levine, who played the serial killer Buffalo Bill in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs, has spoken out about the transphobia criticism the movie has received over the years. Levine acknowledged that certain aspects of the film 'don't hold up too well' and that the portrayal of Buffalo Bill 'vilified' the transgender community. He said he didn't play the character as being gay or trans, but rather as a 'fucked up heterosexual man.' The film's producing partner, Edward Saxon, also expressed regret over not being more sensitive to the harmful stereotypes perpetuated by the character.

Why it matters

Silence of the Lambs was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film, winning five Oscars. However, the portrayal of the transgender-coded Buffalo Bill character has been widely criticized as perpetuating harmful stereotypes and vilifying the transgender community. Levine's acknowledgment of the film's problematic elements and the producers' regret over not being more sensitive highlights the evolving understanding of transgender representation in media.

The details

In the film, Levine played Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who murdered women in order to harvest their skin to wear. While the character's sexual orientation was not explicitly stated, he was perceived as transgender or gender-nonconforming. Levine said he did not play Buffalo Bill as gay or trans, but rather as a 'fucked up heterosexual man.' The film's producing partner, Edward Saxon, admitted that they were not sensitive enough to the harmful stereotypes perpetuated by the character, stating that they 'missed it' and that there is 'regret' over the legacy of the portrayal.

  • Silence of the Lambs was released on Valentine's Day in 1991.
  • The film is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

The players

Ted Levine

The actor who played the serial killer Buffalo Bill in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs.

Buffalo Bill

The serial killer character portrayed by Ted Levine in Silence of the Lambs, who was perceived as transgender or gender-nonconforming.

Edward Saxon

The producing partner of Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme, who expressed regret over the film's lack of sensitivity to harmful transgender stereotypes.

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What they’re saying

“There are certain aspects of the movie that don't hold up too well. We all know more, and I'm a lot wiser about transgender issues. There are some lines in that script and movie that are unfortunate.”

— Ted Levine, Actor (The Hollywood Reporter)

“It's unfortunate that the film vilified that, and it's fucking wrong. And you can quote me on that.”

— Ted Levine, Actor (The Hollywood Reporter)

“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. 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.”

— Edward Saxon, Producing Partner (The Hollywood Reporter)

What’s next

The film's legacy and its impact on the transgender community will likely continue to be discussed and debated as Silence of the Lambs reaches its 35th anniversary.

The takeaway

Silence of the Lambs' enduring popularity has been marred by its problematic portrayal of a transgender-coded villain, which has been widely criticized as perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The acknowledgment by the film's star and producers of their lack of sensitivity on these issues highlights the evolving understanding of transgender representation in media and the need for more thoughtful and inclusive storytelling.