Warner Bros. Discovery continues to suffer from scandal, as seen from reactions to the recent trailer for the upcoming film “The Flash.”
After reading some of these opinions, my understanding of mental illnesses expanded to view them as some of the most insidious and difficult issues in our lives.
“The Flash” star Ezra Miller has battled mental issues and experienced various incidents over the course of their career. The previous year saw outlandish and erratic behavior from the actor as various harassment and assault charges were levied against them.
They were also accused of grooming an eighteen-year-old female friend, and a restraining order was filed against them. Miller has since claimed that their behavior was a result of their own perception that the KKK, the FBI and mystical forces were driving them to either “help” or oppose others. In since-deleted Instagram posts, the star also claimed to be in “another universe” and that they were sending a “message from another dimension.”
Recently, Miller pled guilty to the lesser trespassing charge in a burglary case and admitted to going through an intense period of mental anguish.
Whether or not people go to see “The Flash” is a question of art versus artist. The unhindered streak of crimes and lack of obstacles Miller encountered are more interesting because of the length of their crime spree.
Considering the facts, Miller’s activities show the danger of mental illness in that there’s no easy fix and it cannot be addressed or remedied overnight. Miller’s situation is perhaps more complicated due to their celebrity status with access to millions of fans offering support.
Seeing certain people on social media disregard Miller’s actions in favor of seeing the movie without any reservations is thoughtless and irksome. Many other fans have called for the role of Barry Allen to be recast, and in some cases, for “The Flash” to be scrapped completely.
Warner Bros. Discovery is open to keeping Miller as the Flash since they have begun treatment, but that still does not erase the crimes the star has committed. Would a person without the fame and fortune of a Hollywood superhero be afforded the same chances that Miller has received? No.
It’s good that Miller is getting the help that they need, but at what cost? What does this situation mean for regular people with similar intense mental struggles without access to proper care?
Not many companies would continue to employ a person with these allegations. Clearly, Warner Bros. Discovery is willing to bet on Miller, as “The Flash” runs into theaters on June 16.
