Eric Kripke, showrunner of satirical superhero series The Boys, slams the toxic 'fans' of the show. Gritty Prime Video series The Boys, based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, tackles plenty of hot topics in its clever cultural commentary. Erin Moriarty's character Annie January, aka Starlight, has a particularly timely arc on The Boys. While chasing her dream of becoming a beacon of hope and a symbol of representation for young girls, Annie faces misogyny, sexual assault, and exploitation in person and on social media. Oversexualized from a young age, she is used by Vought International as a symbol of feminine morality even as the corporation continues to commercialize her as a sex symbol, forcing her into a PR relationship with Homelander until she finally quits in The Boys season 3, episode 6, "Herogasm."
Unfortunately, the public's treatment of Annie on The Boys has extended to Moriarty herself. The actor dealt with misogyny online since the show's inception, but it seems that the toxic side of the fandom has ramped up their harassment of Moriarty since The Boys season 3. She has been subject to unnecessary comments on social media about her physical appearance. In an Instagram post, she responded to an article by @butcherscanary that documented her cruel treatment at the hands of The Boys 'fans.' Moriarty expressed feeling "silenced," "dehumanized," and "paralyzed" by the online harassment, and stated that "this kind of trolling is exactly what this role (Annie) would speak out against."
After a wave of support from Moriarty's The Boys co-stars, showrunner Kripke tweeted a fitting response to the so-called 'fans' harassing Moriarty. The showrunner didn't hold back, making it clear that the series isn't made for those engaging in the misogynistic discourse. See Kripke's full message to the trolls below:
Kripke's colorful language is only appropriate coming from the mastermind behind the irreverent series, especially considering the situation. As Kripke and Moriarty mentioned in their statements, the entire point of The Boys is to dismantle and ridicule the exact misogyny that Moriarty has been subject to. With the effort that The Boys puts into providing biting commentary on relevant topics like misogyny and harassment, it makes sense that Kripke is frustrated over so many self-proclaimed 'fans' refusing to get the message.
Though many actors have become more vocal about harassment and stood up for themselves in recent years, the continuing misogyny faced by Moriarty and her female co-stars on The Boys shows there is plenty of work to be done. Kripke's vehement support of the actor, along with the kind words from her co-stars in the comments section of her original post, is an encouraging example of progress. The simple and aggressive put-down of trolls by Kripke is also satisfying for those more interested in the actual content of the series over comments on an actor's body. Hopefully, the firm stance from the showrunner will help eliminate the toxic online chatter and redirect the conversation to exciting updates about The Boys season 4.
Source: Eric Kripke/Twitter