Issa Rae says Hollywood’s treatment of troubled actor Ezra Miller is an example of how not much has changed in the industry since the #MeToo movement. The Emmy nominated actress spoke to Elle about how “it feels like we’re regressing, depressingly so.”
“While I don’t support people jumping to immediate conclusions and I think it’s entirely fair for investigations to happen, I think it’s extremely important to, like the mantra says, ‘Listen to women.’ I’m gonna be real, the stuff that’s happening with Ezra Miller is, to me, a microcosm of Hollywood,” Rae shared.
Miller’s been in the headlines for months for disturbing behavior. The Justice League star is accused of inappropriate conduct with women, one a minor, and has been arrested at least twice. Miller, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, has allegedly displayed cult-like behavior. They issued a statement in August saying they are seeking treatment for “complex mental health issues” as the future of The Flash was being weighed at Warner Bros. The studio is sticking by the film and, therefore, its star.
“There’s this person who’s a repeat offender, who’s been behaving atrociously, and as opposed to shutting them down and shutting the production down, there’s an effort to save the movie and them,” Rae continued. “That is a clear example of the lengths that Hollywood will go to to save itself and to protect offenders. So, don’t do that, and women may be able to thrive. They won’t have to live in fear of keeping silent because it’ll ruin their careers. It’s just a constant pattern of abuse that’ll only persist if Hollywood continues to insist on being this way.”
Rae said added that “there are just too many enablers for there to be real change” in Hollywood.
“People have to be held accountable. There have to be legitimate consequences. Hollywood is very bad about consequences. It’s literally the worst industry when it comes to punishing people for misdeeds and actions, because money will always reign supreme,” she declared.
“That’s something that, even by working in this industry, we’re enabling. So it’s hard. What I have realized is that I can control my own environment and who I work with. I can hold people accountable within my world and my bubble,” Rae noted. “I don’t have to work for everybody. All money isn’t good money. All people aren’t good people.”
MORE: A look into Ezra Miller’s dark spiral
