“The Flash” Actor Hartley Sawyer Fired Over Racist And Misogynist Tweets
2 min read
Hartley Sawyer, known for his role as Ralph Dibny/The Elongated Man on the CW series “The Flash“, has been fired after old twitter posts with racist and misogynistic references recently resurfaced.
According to a statement from Warner Bros. TV, The CW, Berlanti Productions and executive producer Eric Wallace, the actor would no longer be a part of the show:
“Hartley Sawyer will not be returning for Season 7 of The Flash. In regards to Mr. Sawyer’s posts on social media, we do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. Such remarks are antithetical to our values and policies, which strive and evolve to promote a safe, inclusive and productive environment for our workforce.”
Sawyer’s Twitter account has been deleted, but screenshots of the old posts have been circulating online. In one tweet, Sawyer wrote in 2012:
“The only thing keeping me from doing mildly racist tweets is the knowledge that Al Sharpton would never stop complaining about me.”
He also tweeted: “As a lad, one of my favorite activities was kidnapping homeless women and cutting off their breasts,” and “Super Bowl! America! 80% of the prison population is African-American.”
Read More:
“The Flash” Actor Logan Williams Died Of Drug Overdose
Sawyer posted an apology on Instagram with a caption that reads in part,
“I’m not here to make excuses – regardless of the intention my words matter, and they carry profound consequences. And mine can and have caused pain and embarrassment, along with feelings I can only imagine, to supporters and fans, my cast mates, the crew, my colleagues and friends. I owe them all an apology. And I owe each of you an apology. Thank you for holding me accountable.
He also added: “I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention at that time. I regret them deeply. This was not acceptable behavior. These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today.”
