Musk called Ben Stiller a derogatory name on his X account as a response to comments the actor made about the difficulties of making comedy movies that push boundaries today.

Over the years, Stiller and Downey Jr. have stood by the controversial film, which also received backlash for its disrespectful treatment of people with mental disabilities around the time of its release. They have frequently stated that Tropic Thunder was satirizing actors who engage in insensitive and offensive stereotypes.

Robert Downey Jr. starred in the 2008 satire as an Australian actor who uses blackface to portray an African-American soldier.