Ezra Miller was always something of a divisive choice to play the DCEU's Barry Allen, but any ill feeling towards the actor (who uses them/they pronouns) only intensified when they found themselves embroiled in a string of controversies.
Those included charges of disorderly conduct and harassment, restraining orders, accusations of grooming and burglary, and all manner of peculiar behaviour. Despite that, Warner Bros. forged ahead with The Flash's release, attempting damage control with a statement from the actor and a fleeting appearance from them at the movie's premiere. The movie later bombed.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Justice League director Zack Snyder said he occasionally speaks with Miller and lent them support during their recent mental health and legal issues. "[They] did a great job in that Flash movie," the filmmaker said. "It’s very difficult to play against yourself."
Also no stranger to controversy is Amber Heard. Snyder cast her as Mera in Justice League, a role she later reprised (minus the English accent) in Aquaman. A very public divorce from actor Johnny Depp has seen allegations of defamation and domestic violence thrown around from both sides.
Online, Heard is widely painted as the villain, and Snyder admits he's been left dismayed seeing the actress suffer such a great deal of online abuse. "I just don’t get it," he tells the trade. "If other people don’t like her, I don’t know what to say. I would work with her in a second."
The filmmaker arguably has a strong insight into both Miller and Heard's situations as, unlike the online pundits, he knows them both. It's unclear whether either will be able to make a Hollywood comeback, but Snyder has reunited with Cyborg actor Ray Fisher for Rebel Moon.
While he didn't comment on the allegations of racism the actor has sent Warner Bros.' way, Snyder did say, "He’s weathered the storm in a way not many people could or get to do."
Snyder himself is no stranger to being painted in a negative light online, particularly when it comes to critics. Reflecting on their tumultuous time spearheading the DC Extended Universe, producer Deborah Snyder - who is also Zack's wife - said, "It took a toll. It was amazing to come up with a new Superman, and to bring Wonder Woman to the big screen for the first time. There are so many amazing moments. Then, at the end, there were so many heartbreaking moments."
Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire arrives on Netflix on December 22, 2023.