Actor Hartley Sawyer, who played the role of Elongated Man on The CW series The Flash, has been fired after his tweets containing misogynist and racist references resurfaced earlier this week. The tweets also contained homophobic and sexual assault references.
"Hartley Sawyer will not be returning for season seven of The Flash," read a statement from The CW, producers Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions and executive producer Eric Wallace, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. "In regards to Mr. Sawyer's posts on social media, we do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Such remarks are antithetical to our values and policies, which strive and evolve to promote a safe, inclusive, and productive environment for our workforce."
Hartley Sawyer took to his Instagram to issue an apology on May 31. "My words, irrelevant of being meant with an intent of humor, were hurtful, and unacceptable," he wrote. "I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention at that time. I regret them deeply. This was not acceptable behavior. These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today."
"I am incredibly sorry, ashamed, and disappointed in myself for my ignorance back then," the post further read. "I want to be very clear: this is not reflective of what I think or who I am now. Years ago, thanks to friends and experiences who helped me to open my eyes, I began my journey into becoming a more responsible adult - in terms of what I say, what I do, and beyond. I've largely kept that journey private, and this is another way that I have let so many down. I still have more work to do. But how I define myself now does not take away the impact of my words, or my responsibility for them. I am very sorry."
After the firing, showrunner Eric Wallace took to his social media to speak at length about it. “They broke my heart and made me mad as hell,” Wallace wrote. “And they’re indicative of the larger problem in our country. Because at present, our country still accepts and protects the continual harassment — unconscious or otherwise — terrorizing and brutalizing of Black and Brown people – which is far too often fatal. That’s why our country is standing up once again and shouting “ENOUGH” to bring about active change."
Grant Gustin, who plays the titular role, reposted Eric's statement and added, "I don’t have much to add because Eric’s thoughts are stated so eloquently and powerfully. I will say I was shocked, saddened and angry when I saw the tweets. Words matter."
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