Issa Rae Slams Ezra Miller as an Example of Hollywood 'Protecting Offenders'

Issa Rae cited "The Flash" star Ezra Miller as an example of the way Hollywood "protects offenders" and allows abuses to keep on happening, PEOPLE Magazine reported.

Interviewed by Elle, Rae said that "not much" has changed in Hollywood when it comes to punishing, let alone preventing, sexual harassment in the entertainment industry. "It feels like we're regressing, depressingly so," the "Insecure" star told Elle. "There are just too many enablers for there to be real change."

Rae went on to discuss how "The Flash" is going forward despite the recent controversies around Miller. "I'm gonna be real, the stuff that's happening with Ezra Miller is, to me, a microcosm of Hollywood," Rae said. "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."

"That is a clear example of the lengths that Hollywood will go to to save itself and to protect offenders," the entertainer added. "So, don't do that, and women may be able to thrive."

"Following a series of arrests for disorderly conduct and assault charges this year, the 29-year-old Miller, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, made a public statement in August apologizing for their past behavior and revealing that they are seeking treatment for 'complex mental health issues,'" PEOPLE recalled.

Also in August, Miller met with executives at Warner Bros. who had been contemplating scrapping the $200 million superhero film. The movie was already in post-production when a flurry of scandals erupted around the star earlier this year.

The Hollywood Reporter said at the time that Miller and their agent, Scott Metzger, "met with new Warner Bros. film chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy to discuss not only how to stay on course for 'The Flash''s June 23, 2023, release date but to reaffirm their commitment to the movie as well as apologize for bringing negative attention to the production and the company."

An article on Miller that ran in Vanity Fair last month cited the actor's various controversies, and added new details – including the suggestion from some sources that Miller's claims to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, saying that they "weaponize their gender identity in certain situations" and use that as a form of "manipulation, where it's like, are you really queer? Or is that just a fun way to marginalize yourself so you can be even shittier to others?"

"A representative for Miller directed People to the star's August statement when contacted for comment on behalf of Rae's statements to Elle," the PEOPLE Mag article said.