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AlthoughThe Flashgained a reputation for its tragic decline in quality, the series did help in forming some very meaningful bonds among its castmates. Grant Gustin and the rest of the main cast got to be a part of the series for nine seasons, getting to bond through the high and low ratings and the many months spent on the sets.
With this, it is not surprising that their bonds left the confines of a professional environment, all of them connecting with each other on a personal level. Through these trials, a lot of the conflicts they have faced haven’t always been fictional in the series.
One of the most notable ones has to be the choice of casting Candice Patton in the role of Iris West.
Comic Book Casting and Racist Criticism
It has become an evident factor when it comes to comic book adaptations that audiences like accuracy to the highest degree. While this can be very good to verify the actors that play beloved characters can actually embody their essence, things can often get out of hand. Most frequently, it has been seen that when a person of color plays the role of a character who is originally Caucasian in the comics, they get the brunt of a lot of hate.
This was very evident when Zendaya was cast in the role of MJ Watson in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy, with many fans hating on the choice. Unfortunately,Candice Pattonfaced similar backlash when she was cast in the role of Iris West inThe Flash.
CW’s The Flash Was So Predictable It Became Annoying- Grant Gustin’s Brilliance as the Flash Was Seriously Damaged With Lousy Writing
While there is nothing wrong with wanting a beloved character to translate well on screen, wanting something to be accurate and being specifically upset about the race of a character treads a very thin line. This is especially true when their race is the only thing that is changed about them. Such racism was something that Patton frequently faced when she first joined the series, as she revealed during an interview onThe Open Up Podcast.
I remember being like, ‘I can’t do this.’ I’m not going to make it through. I don’t want to be here.
The actress confessed that during the second season of the series, the backlash she received because of the color of her skin got so bad that she considered quitting the series altogether.
Unfortunately, rather than focusing on those who were leaving such comments on Patton’s posts, fans focused on Grant Gustin.
Grant Gustin Was Called a Racist
In 2019,Grant Gustinmade a since-deleted post on his Instagram account where he advocated for the LGBTQ+ community (viaInsider). He asked people to care about their cause and asked his fans to donate to Tie the Knot and the ACLU. In this, many fans were upset at the fact that the actor was advocating for one cause while not commenting on the racism his on-screen love interest was receiving.
When one fan commented along similar lines, Gustin was quick to clear the air and undo the interpretation that fans had about him being racist. He mentioned that he has never been afraid of speaking his mind and will do so when he sees something like this happening.
As far as defending any of my costars, I absolutely will when I see it on my page. I don’t go looking for trolls or hate about me or any of my friends or coworkers. When I see someone say something racially insensitive, straight-up racist, just trolling or being a bully, I block them without hesitation. That’s the most amount of energy I’m willing to waste on an internet troll.
However, he specified that he would only do this if it was on his page, not wanting to actively look for trolls and racist fans to paint himself better in the eyes of his audiences. Not naming Candice Patton or any of his co-stars, he mentioned that he does not seek out the hate they get, but he also has no tolerance for it when it shows up on his page.
Gustin mentioned that he simply blocks these individuals and does not wish to indulge them any further than that.
The Flashis available for streaming on Netflix.
Ananya Godboley
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2219
Ananya Godboley is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows, with over 2,000 articles published. She has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years. Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology from K.R. Mangalam University, Ananya also likes to fangirl as a full-time job. She covers news and analyses on anything from Rick and Morty to Hannibal and even Arcane. In between these lines, she also enjoys superheroes and Taylor Swift.A philosophy enthusiast, Ananya enjoys digging deeper into the media she consumes, trying to understand the root of her favorite characters' behavior.
