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Writer and actress Issa Rae called out Warner Bros. for protecting beleaguered actor Ezra Miller–who has repeatedly been the subject of controversial news headlines for multiple arrests and disturbing behavior.
Miller, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they and them pronouns, has been accused of committing disorderly conduct, assault, and burglary in addition to being accused of grooming minors.
Yet, Warner Bros. Discovery went ahead and featured Miller in two of its cornerstone franchises, including the Harry Potter spinoff series Fantastic Beasts and DC Comics' The Flash in which they play the titular role.
The Flash is set for release in theaters in June 2023.
Miller even recently filmed reshoots for the film even after reports of them being arrested for felony theft and a 2020 incident in which they were caught on camera choking a woman outside a bar in Iceland.
Though Miller, who first played the role of Flash/Barry Allen in 2017’s Justice League, has since entered treatment for "complex mental health issues," Rae believed the studio was sending a dangerous message.
\u201cIssa being the only celeb to call out Hollywood for staying silent and supporting Ezra through all the violence and harm they've caused, is what using your power for good looks like. \nHollywood's culture is to protect abusers, and abandon victims.\nhttps://t.co/OobCF64mlf\u201d— Carolyn - #SHWHTIFF22 - Hinds \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde7 (@Carolyn - #SHWHTIFF22 - Hinds \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde7) 1665706975
Rae, who in 2011 gained recognition with her YouTube series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl told Elle:
"It starts with a backbone. While I don’t support people jumping to immediate conclusions and I think it’s entirely fair for investigations to happen, I think it’s extremely important to, like the mantra says, ‘Listen to women.’"
"I’m gonna be real, the stuff that’s happening with Ezra Miller is, to me, a microcosm of Hollywood," said Rae and went on to describe the characteristics of a celebrity who does not deserve accolades and to be supported by the entertainment industry.
"There’s this person who’s a repeat offender, who’s been behaving atrociously, and as opposed to shutting them down and shutting the production down, there’s an effort to save the movie and them."
She added:
"That is a clear example of the lengths that Hollywood will go to to save itself and to protect offenders."
Twitter strongly agreed with her statement.
\u201c@Variety Amen!\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety ABout time someone said it.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety She\u2019s not wrong\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety Good on Issa for calling this out!\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety She is totally right about #ezramiller \nI do hope they get the help they need & deserve. Continuing to release this film is disheartening. Understand a lot of money is involved but money over health/safety isn\u2019t right. It sets a bad example of getting rewarded for poor decisions\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety She's really not wrong. This dude has commited every crime under the sun and he's out here doing reshoots to save his $200m movie.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
Some people thought Warner Bros. going ahead with a project that featured a controversial actor in a leading role was typical of a studio serving its own best interests.
\u201c@Variety I have no clue why Erza is still attached to this project \ud83e\udd14 The word is that the film is being adjusted for Superman but Erza is still the lead\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety WB caring more for the money they\u2019ll lose compared to firing said person so yeah.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety They\u2019re not gonna throw away millions so ofc they\u2019re gonna do anything to prevent that from happening\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety That\u2019s pure naivety. They are not protecting Ezra, they\u2019re protecting the 200 million dollars they spent on the film.\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
\u201c@Variety They\u2019re saving the movie, not them. After the movie is over they\u2019ll cut ties\u201d— Variety (@Variety) 1665691415
In August, Miller broke their silence about their troubled reputation in Hollywood.
A representative issued a statement to Variety on their behalf, saying:
"I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment."
“I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior."
"I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”