The Ray/Fisher/Warner Bros. drama continues, but this time the actor has stepped away from social media in order to air his grievances in more detail via a lengthy interview with Forbes - and some shocking new information has come to light.
Fisher says the first inkling that something wasn't quite right came back in 2017 when Warner Bros. announced that Joss Whedon would be taking over from Zack Snyder as Justice League's director after the latter was forced to step away to deal with a family tragedy. The studio said that Snyder personally chose Whedon to handle the reshoots, but Fisher now claims that was a complete fabrication.
“For one thing, the cast and crew were told that Zack had handpicked Joss to finish the film for him,” said the actor. “I didn’t find out until after the reshoots that that was a complete lie. I heard whispers and rumblings of things being off behind the scenes, but nothing concrete until much later. They had us go out to San Diego Comic-Con in 2017 and say Zack picked Joss and that Joss was a great guy. I still have the email with those talking points.”
While disingenuous, this kind of studio spin is not unheard of, but Fisher also outlines some far more sinister goings on behind the scenes in the build-up to those initial reshoots.
“Prior to Justice League’s reshoot process, blatantly racist conversations were had and entertained—on multiple occasions—by former and current top level executives at Warner Bros. Pictures,” Fisher states. “Decision-makers that participated in those racist conversations were Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, and current Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich.”
It's been well documented that several actors of color had their roles reduced or completely removed from the theatrical cut of the movie (Zheng Kai, Karen Bryson, and Kiersey Clemons among them), and Fisher believes this was "neither an accident nor coincidence."
“What set my soul on fire and forced me to speak out about Joss Whedon this summer was my becoming informed that Joss had ordered that the complexion of an actor of color be changed in post-production because he didn’t like the color of their skin tone,” Fisher adds. “Man, with everything 2020’s been, that was the tipping point for me.”
Fisher admits that some of what he outlines in the interview is second-hand information, and a representative for Whedon has already responded with an explanation for the above. Nevertheless, there are some very serious allegations being made here.
Fisher finishes by acknowledging the risks he's taking by speaking out, but says he's "not worried about the consequences."
"I’m well aware of what’s at stake. If people don’t want to work with me because I’m refusing to tolerate abusive behavior and the coverup culture of old Hollywood, then so be it. If nothing else, I’m going to go out of this business the way I came in; free and of my own volition. Can you dig that?"
There's plenty more to the interview, so be sure to have a read through for yourselves. Warner Bros.' response should be very interesting, to say the least.