'Guardians of the Galaxy' Star Dave Bautista Defends Director James Gunn After He Was Fired By Disney

Gunn was let go Friday after old tweets surfaced where he had made some very crass jokes about rape and pedophilia nearly a decade ago. Bautista, who plays “Drax the Destroyer” in the "GOTG" films, defended Gunn, saying that he was "not okay" with that happened.

"I will have more to say but for right now all I will say is this..@JamesGunn is one of the most loving,caring,good natured people I have ever met," he tweeted. "He's gentle and kind and cares deeply for people and animals. He's made mistakes. We all have. Im NOT ok with what's happening to him."

"The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James' Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values, and we have severed our business relationship with him," said Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn in a statement.

Gunn, who wrote and directed the first two installments of the blockbuster Marvel franchise, made the insensitive remarks between 2008 and 2011. In a series of tweets he posted Friday, he argued they were simply provocative jokes and he has matured significantly as a person since then.

"Many people who have followed my career know when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. As I have discussed publicly many times, as I've developed as a person, so has my work and my humor. It's not to say I'm better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. My days saying something just because it's shocking and trying to get a reaction are over. It's not to say I'm better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. My days saying something just because it's shocking and trying to get a reaction are over. For the record, when I made these shocking jokes, I wasn't living them out. I know this is a weird statement to make, and seems obvious, but, still, here I am, saying it. Anyway, that's the completely honest truth: I used to make a lot of offensive jokes. I don't anymore. I don't blame my past self for this, but I like myself more and feel like a more full human being and creator today. Love you to you all."