Regé-Jean Page ‘addresses claims he missed out on Superman role due to his race’

Regé-Jean Page has appeared to publicly address claims that he missed out on a high-profile role playing Superman’s grandfather due to his race.

It was reported on Tuesday that DC Comics writer Geoff Johns rejected Regé-Jean as a choice for the role in Superman spin-off Krypton because of the colour of his skin.

Although Johns has denied the allegations of racism, the Bridgerton star, 31, appeared to address the furore in a tweet he posted on Wednesday evening.

He wrote: ‘Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then. The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly.’

A representative for Geoff explained they believed fans would be expecting a young version of Superman actor Henry Cavill due to the fact it was a prequel, the Mirror reports.

Due to the fact Henry is white they suggested that the actor playing his grandfather in Krypton should ‘invoke his appearance’ and therefore also be white.

It was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter that several sources had claimed Johns said Superman couldn’t have a black grandfather.

Despite this it had been suggested the creators wanted non-traditional casting and intended to make at least one character LGBTQ+.

Johns is also believed to have rejected this idea, according to the report.  

A representative for Johns has since addressed both claims, saying: ‘Geoff never said Superman can’t have a black ancestor or be black – there have been diverse versions of Superman throughout the comics for decades so he does and can be diverse.

‘However, the expectation for Krypton was that it would initially be perceived as a possible prequel to Man of Steel by the fans and the lead was expected to invoke a young Henry Cavill.’ 

Also addressing the claims he rejected the idea of a gay character, they said: ‘Geoff celebrates and supports LGTBQ characters, including Batwoman, who in 2006 was re-introduced as LGBTQ in a comic-book series co-written by Johns.’

MailOnline has contacted reps for Regé and Johns for further comment.

An interview with Ray Fisher, published by The Hollywood Reporter, discussed alleged racism and misconduct on the part of Warner Bros DC Films co-founder Johns while filming Justice League. 

Justice League actor Ray also slammed the Warner Bros’ investigation into director Joss Whedon’s onset behavior as suspicious because he claims it was designed to protect top executives who he says aren’t ‘fit for positions of leadership’.

Ray is still demanding an apology from the film studio over its handling of the investigation that he pushed for following his work with Whedon, who directed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, on the set of the 2017 Justice League film. 

The actor, 33, has repeatedly slammed Whedon, producers Johns and Jon Berg and other film executives on Twitter over the past year for what he claims was racist and inappropriate conduct while filming the movie.

He also alleges a subsequent cover up by Warner Bros regarding the investigation and a smear campaign against him after he decided to come forward.

In his first wide-ranging interview about the ordeal, Ray has now slammed the studio’s handling of the allegations and claimed that some executives are not fit for their positions. 

The studio’s parent company, WarnerMedia, said back in December that its investigation into Ray’s complaints had concluded and ‘remedial action’ had been taken.

It did not elaborate and Ray has since demanded that the results of the investigation be released publicly.  

Speaking about what he claims was a cover-up by studio executives regarding the investigation, Ray said: ‘I don’t believe some of these people are fit for positions of leadership.

‘I don’t want them excommunicated from Hollywood, but I don’t think they should be in charge of the hiring and firing of other people.’ 

He said he feels he has been able to make a point over the last year.  

‘If I can’t get accountability… at least I can make people aware of who they’re dealing with.’  

Whedon and the studio have not commented about Fisher’s allegations.

Fisher, who played Cyborg in the film, first came forward publicly with his allegations against Whedon last July when he alleged that the director had displayed abusive behavior on set and that producers Johns and Berg had enabled him. 

He has now detailed those allegations for the first time, telling THR that he felt like he had to explain ‘the most basic points of what would be offensive to the black community’.

Fisher also says there were discussions with top executives that they could not have an ‘angry black man’ at the center of the film.

He said tensions escalated when the issue of having his character say ‘booyah’ came up.

Fisher said his agent eventually called studio chief Toby Emmerich about his on-set concerns.

He claims Johns later called him in for a meeting to say that Fisher’s agent calling studio executives was ‘just not cool’.

‘He said, ‘I consider us to be friends’ – which he knew we were not – ‘and I just don’t want you to make a bad name for yourself in the business’,’ Fisher recalled him saying.

A spokesman for Johns has denied making such threats.

After the investigation was launched in August last year, Fisher claims the process was suspicious because he said it seemed like it was designed to protect the studio executives. 

In response, Fisher said he felt like he had to step up his protests on Twitter. He claims it resulted in the studio smearing him in public. 

Following a September tweet in which he accused DC film boss Walter Hamada of throwing Whedon and Berg ‘under the bus’ to protect Johns, the studio issued a statement calling the actor’s allegations false.  

The studio also said Fisher had refused to speak to investigators ‘multiple’ times. 

Fisher, who has described that statement as a ‘hit piece’, said he demanded an apology for several weeks but to no avail. 

He said he then learned the investigation had been completed in December and in January this year found out his Cyborg character had been removed from an upcoming The Flash film.  

Fisher said he knew speaking out could harm his career and ultimately cost him a place in the DC film world. 

‘When I first spoke up, I assumed there was no way these guys would allow me to do my job in peace,’ he said.  

‘I’m not so indebted to Hollywood that I haven’t been willing to put myself out there.’