Content Warning: misogyny, body-shaming, 'You' season five spoilers
With the arrival of season five, Netflix's beloved and creepy show You has come to a close, and with it came some surprises—not just for the fans but for the cast members.
The psychological thriller series follows Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, as he develops a string of obsessive relationships, and highlights literary references, passionate and intimate scenes, and ultimately violence.
The show has addressed major themes around book smarts, intelligence, sexism, misogyny, and sexual violence, and Badgley has been a loud advocate for women and women's rights throughout the filming process.
The fanbase seemed to match Badgley's energy—at least until the arrival of Madeline Brewer as Brontë in season five.
Brewer, who is known for her roles in The Handmaid's Tale and Orange is the New Black, arrived as Joe's final love interest, but not with the results that fans might have expected. Instead of coming to a similar end as Joe's previous partners, Brewer instead fulfilled the role of the final girl, the one left alive after Joe is captured and incarcerated with a lifetime prison sentence.
What surprised Brewer was the pushback she received from fans, especially those who left crude and degrading comments on her Instagram, calling her ugly.
But Brewer had the perfect response for the haters, which she expressed during an interview with People.
"[I was] a little bit [surprised]. I'll be honest, I didn't expect people to like Brontë, but I didn't expect them to call me ugly, because I'm not."
"I get that I'm not everybody's cup of tea, but I'm not ugly. I had thought that the largest fan base of this show is women, young women, and I never anticipated the amount of misogyny to be fired at me."
She assumed some disappointed fans were projecting their wishes onto her.
"I think that when people are confronted with that misogyny and that deconstruction of their hero, it makes them upset."
"I'm sure it especially p**ses them off that it was a woman. It was a woman to do it. And it was also a new woman, and a woman that they might not find attractive."
"So all of that to deal with, they can't help but get on their cell phones and comment on my pictures and go, 'Oh, you're so ugly. You look like a goblin. And I'm like, 'Girl, lighten up, I'm not ugly.'"
Between growing up, therapy, and the roles she's played, Brewer was grateful she was prepared for the comments.
"I feel very grateful that this didn't happen at an earlier time in my life. If this had happened when I was 25, I would have crumbled, because I wasn't in therapy yet."
"Being in my 30s, I don't care. I knew I could handle it. As long as they're doing it to me and not somebody who can't handle it, bring it on."
Fans reassured Brewer that she was talented and far from ugly.
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
@madbrew/Instagram
Fans of You and Brewer called the haters out on Twitter (X).
@ScottGardnerPOV/Twitter(X)
@okbrianatate/Twitter(X)
@ellarkive7/Twitter(X)
@swiftscoaxed/Twitter(X)
@TRexRamble/Twitter(X)
@unbvrnttt/Twitter(X)
@xxSlinko/Twitter(X)
@shrvztweets/Twitter(X)
@strapnyra/Twitter(X)
@lil_lumpia_/Twitter(X)
People who criticized Brewer's looks missed one of the main points of You and how it addressed sexism, misogyny, and even para-social relationships. It's fine to dislike the character or take issue with how the show wrapped up, but criticizing a person you don't even know is not okay.
