Ray Fisher has voiced his support for Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page following a racist casting incident.
Page was reportedly turned down from a role on Syfy TV show Krypton, focusing on the grandfather of DC superhero Superman. It has been explained that race was a factor that contributed to the exclusion of Page from the series.
Ray Fisher Supports ‘Bridgerton’ Star In Racist Casting Incident
Despite the show’s producers were open to inclusive casting, co-founder of DC Films Geoff Johns said Superman “could not have a Black grandfather”. A representative for Johns told E! News that his client felt fans would expect Superman’s grandfather “to look like a young Henry Cavill”, the actor who most recently played the superhero on the big screen.
Page was upset, although not surprised, to learn that race was the reason for him not being appointed in the role.
“Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then. The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly,” Page tweeted on April 7.
“I feel for you @regejean,” Fisher said to Page.
“If ever you need I’m around. Keep flying, the Justice League actor added.
Fisher Claims Warner Bros Enabled Joss Whedon’s Misconduct
Fisher, who plays Cyborg in the DC movie, is among the actors who have accused writer, director, and producer Joss Whedon of racist and inappropriate conduct on set.
In June 2020, the actor tweeted about Whedon’s "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable" conduct on the set of Justice League.
He also said that Whedon’s behavior was enabled by producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, taking aim at the top executives of DC Films.
In an exposé published by The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher said that his accusations prompted Warner Bros to start an investigation, more than two years after the first version of Justice League was released.
However, the actor found the process to be suspicious. The studio and its parent company seemed to be focused on protecting top executives, Fisher explained. On the other hand, Warners said it has done everything necessary to address the actor's concerns.
Fisher’s 2020 claims were backed by actress Charisma Carpenter earlier this year. Carpenter worked with Whedon on his series Buffy The Vampire Slayer and confirmed Fisher’s allegations against the showrunner. Several Buffy cast members have come forward with their stories on Whedon since.