High-profile genre TV shows like The Boys tend to have incredibly passionate fanbases. However, there can sadly also be a level of toxicity that runs through that current of goodwill. Unfortunately, series regular Erin Moriarty, who plays the role of Annie January/ Starlight, has found herself on the receiving end of such viral vitriol. As a result, the actress recently took to social media to discuss the toxicity she’s faced, and her comments were met with support from co-stars like Jack Quaid.
In an Instagram post, Erin Moriarity shared excerpts from an article that analyzed the backlash she’s received from the fanbase. Many of the remarks revolve around the actress’ appearance and others pertain to the actions of her character. The screenshots were accompanied by a lengthy caption, in which stated that she feels “silenced” and “dehumanized” due to the remarks that she’s seen online. The star also opened up about how she’s grown as a result of the situation:
I do feel silenced. I do feel dehumanized. I do feel paralyzed. I’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into this role (over & over & over again), I’ve grown UP in this character’s shoes (*emphasis on grown up - we change & evolve mentally AND physically). a) thank you to @butcherscanary b) this does break my heart - I’ve opened up a vein for this role and this kind of trolling is exactly what this role (Annie) would speak out against and c) everyone’s going through their own battle(s); let’s not add to that. I will never intentionally (and ESPECIALLY) publicly add to yours. This has only strengthened my empathy muscle and to anyone who comes at me: I see you, I I don’t hate you, I only empathize and forgive.
Over the first three seasons of the show, the very moral Starlight has proven to be one of the most complex and tragic characters on The Boys. As a child, she was raised to believe that her powers were a gift from God when in actuality, she was given Compound V at a very young age. And as an adult, she’s been sexually assaulted by fellow teammate The Deep and forced to publicly appear as the lover of Homelander, who has a tendency to do evil things, as part of PR damage control.
Considering everything the character has been through, it’s sad to see that Erin Moriarty herself has been experiencing toxic behavior from fans. However, it was comforting to see the support she received in the comments. Jack Quaid, who plays her on-screen boyfriend Hughie Campbell, provided some sweet sentiments:
Love you Erin. We're all here for you. You're such an incredible, talented force of nature and I consider myself incredibly lucky to know you. Keep shining bright. Leave the trolls to us. We got your back.
Chace Crawford, who plays The Deep, weighed in as well, by simply saying, “Love you!” Black Noir star Nate Mitchell added in a series of heart emojis as a sign of support. And Homelander himself Antony Starr joined the chorus of praise with a lovely message:
[I] support you and what you say here 100%. Well put ;) Your work on the show is and always has been stellar and you are beautiful inside and out. Keep shining ;) xo
The show’s creative team has certainly done an excellent job of making Annie a dynamic individual that many can relate to. On top of that, Erin Moriarty’s performance has been strong. Such a character is a boon for The Boys, which faces an “oversaturated” superhero supermarket at the moment. One can only hope that certain people will come around to appreciating her work as her co-stars and others have.
You can see Erin Moriarity’s work as Starlight by streaming all three seasons of the superhero show with an Amazon Prime subscription. And while you wait for The Boys Season 4 (which has a lot of questions to answer), check out the 2022 TV schedule for info on other small-screen offerings that are on the way.
