Hollywood actor Candice Patton, who has played the female lead on 'The Flash' since the show's inception in 2014, has said that The CW and Warner Bros. failed to protect her against toxic and racist fans when she debuted as Iris West on the show.
According to Deadline, Patton recently recalled on 'The Open Up Podcast' that in the early days of the 'Arrowverse' series, fans' racism toward her was shrugged off by the CW and Warner Bros.
"In 2014, there were no support systems, no one was looking out for that. It was just free range to get abused every single day," she said. Being one of the first Black actresses through the door in the DC TV Universe was not easy, as per Patton.
She continued, "It's a dangerous place to be in when you're one of the first, and you're facing backlash for it and there's no help. Now, people understand a little better and they understand how fans can be racist, especially in the genre, and misogynistic. But at the time it was kind of like: 'Yeah that's how fans are, but whatever.'"
Some genre fans, it seems, may not have changed much given the recent experience of 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' actor Moses Ingram. But Ingram's co-star Ewan McGregor and those behind the 'Star Wars' franchise made it clear she had their support.
Patton says her experience in the early years of 'The Flash' were somewhat different, "With the companies I was working with like CW and Warner Brothers, that ['whatever'] was their way of handling it. I think we know better now that it's not okay to treat your talent that way and to let them go through this abuse and harassment."
She stated that she was treated differently than white actors. "It was more about the protocols in place and the things I see happening for my white counterpart that's not happening to me. Seeing how I was treated differently than other people. Seeing how I'm not protected by the network and the studio. Those were the things that not necessarily hurt me but frustrated me," Patton said, as per Deadline.
( With inputs from ANI )
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