Yesterday, the internet was awash with a leaked picture of Grant Gustin in a new suit. Soon, we started hearing about how thin The Flash actor looked in the costume. The suit is expected to be the new thing for Season 5 of The CW series, but Grant Gustin isn't taking the criticisms of the look lying down. This week, he took to social media to talk a little bit more about the suit and the changes that are coming to it. He's also not happy with the body-shaming that came with the leaked photo. Per the actor:
So, here's the thing about this bullshit photo leak. It's a cool suit. That's a terrible photo that I was unaware was being taken, much less being posted. Some things need work and they will be worked on. We'll get there. As far as the body shaming. That's what pisses me off. Not even just for my sake. I've had 20+ years of kids and adults telling me or my parents I was too thin. I've had my own journey of accepting it. But there's a double standard where it's OK to talk shit about a dude's body.
Speaking out in a text post on Instagram, Grant Gustin first revealed that he likes the Season 5 suit and any minor issues with it will be fixed before the new look makes its TV debut. As for the body-shaming, Grant Gustin is really pissed, noting he's spent his entire life taking crap from people about the way he looks.
Grant Gustin went on to talk about how maintaining and gaining weight has always been "a challenge" to the actor and that he was pleasantly surprised when The CW wanted him to play Barry Allen on the show. He also notes that even if others aren't happy with his looks, he is, also saying,
I'm happy with my body and who I am and other kids who are built like me and thinner than me should be able to feel the same way. Not only that, but they should be able to feel like THEY could be a superhero on TV or film or whatever it may be someday.
First and foremost, The Flash burns up a lot of energy running at high speeds. In the comics, he's a character who has to eat a lot, so Grant Gustin looking thin would not be totally off-brand for someone with a high metabolism. Secondly, that quick pic of Gustin was taken when he wasn't looking, it's not a great angle and as Gustin implies it probably doesn't reflect what the new suit is going to look like on the show. As Grant even notes "things have been adjusted" since the photo was taken when the actor wasn't paying attention. The Flash will return to The CW's schedule on Tuesday, October 9 at 8 p.m. ET. So, if you'd like a real, official look at Grant Gustin ahead of Season 5, stay tuned for a trailer and more in the coming months.
