"The Replacements", a Howard Deutch comedy inspired by the Redskins' 1987 replacement run, premiered in 2000. The main character, Shane Falco (portrayed by Keanu Reeves), was loosely based on Robinson. The casting of a white actor to play a character inspired by a black athlete generated controversy. A group of Howard University students led by Fred Outten protested the film's opening at the United Artists' theater in Bethesda, Maryland. Responding to the controversy in a subsequent interview, Robinson merely stated that he "didn't read much into" being portrayed by a white actor.