Actor Ezra Miller has been in the public eye from a young age, but recently made countless headlines over the past few months thanks to troubling behavior in Hawaii and other locations, resulting in a few arrests. This seemed to put the fate of DC’s Flash movie in jeopardy, before the actor eventually issued an apology and sought out treatment for mental health issues. And Insecure’s Issa Rae is calling out Hollywood for enabling Miller in the wake of various controversies and arrests.
While Ezra Miller has been quiet since starting treatment, there was a period of months where the Fantastic Beasts actor was constantly in the news for their startling behavior. Namely multiple arrests in Hawaii, which resulted in headlines, a restraining order, and even viral videos. But it looks like The Flash is still moving toward its release, and Issa Rae recently got honest with Elle about how she felt the studio was protecting Miller. In her words:
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. 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. That is a clear example of the lengths that Hollywood will go to to save itself and to protect offenders. So, don’t do that, and women may be able to thrive. They won’t have to live in fear of keeping silent because it’ll ruin their careers. It’s just a constant pattern of abuse that’ll only persist if Hollywood continues to insist on being this way.
Well, she certainly didn’t mince words. It looks like Issa Rae has a serious problem with the way Ezra Miller was seemingly welcomed back to the fold following their various controversies and legal issues. And she’s citing it as a reason why Hollywood still has much more to learn in the way it advocates for victims, compared to people of power.
Issa Rae’s comments to Elle come from a larger conversation about her career, and Hollywood as a whole. While discussing the #MeToo movement and holding folks accountable, she eventually brought up the various controversies surrounding Ezra Miller. And she seemingly sees his comeback as a dangerous precedent for the entertainment industry, which is still in the process of advocating for victims and changing policies.
Ezra Miller’s controversies start from back in 2020, where a video of them choking a woman circulated online. But things really heated up a few years later in March 2022, where the Perks of Being a Wallflower actor was arrested in Hawaii for disorderly conduct and harassment. Their time on the islands would be full of more starling incidents, including a second-degree assault charge. They were also involved in further controversies surrounding behavior on their farm, their relationship with teenage advocate Takota Iron Eyes, and an August felony burglary charge.
But while fans debated whether or not this would derail either the Flash movie (which was filmed ahead of the 2022 issues), it seems that Warner Bros. is moving forward with the ambitious project, as Ezra Miller began treatment for “complex mental health issues.”
The Flash is expected to arrive in theaters on June 23rd, 2023, so time will only tell how the situation with Ezra Miller unfolds. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
