The Boys Showrunner Eric Kripke Has Strong Words For The Series' Misogynist Critics
From its earliest scenes in Season 1, "The Boys" has staked its claim as a show unafraid to go big and bold with its storytelling. The series, set in a fictional world in which superheroes exist (and have largely become depraved and corrupt celebrities), takes aim at everything from politics to pop culture to our real-life obsession with comic book mythos, wearing its satire on its sleeve. Moreover, the show has never shied away from depicting the extreme, showcasing superhero sex and violence (among other things) in intricate detail.
However, the ever-growing popularity of "The Boys" has come with some unwanted and harmful effects as well. Specifically, some members of the show's fanbase have begun directing misogynistic remarks to members of the cast online, with particular vitriol aimed at Starlight actress Erin Moriarty. Now, in the wake of that potentially toxic fan discussion, "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripke has decided to make a strong statement to these misogynistic viewers.
Eric Kripke thinks misogynists should stop watching The Boys
"The Boys" is no stranger to controversy, but now it looks like showrunner Eric Kripke is using his platform to take a stand against misogynists within the show's audience. Specifically, Starlight actress Erin Moriarty recently issued a statement on the difficulty she has had to face with hateful comments coming from fans, all of which have impacted her personal life.
Following Moriarty's remarks on the matter, Kripke has issued a statement of his own on Twitter, unequivocally condemning members of the show's audience who spread that hateful message. Allowing himself to use language that feels particularly fitting for someone involved in a show as vulgar as "The Boys," Kripke tweeted, "Hi trolls! One, this is literally the opposite of the show's f***ing message. Two, you're causing pain to real people with real feelings. Be kind. If you can't be kind, then eat a bag of d*****, f*** off to the sun & don't watch #TheBoys, we don't want you. #TheBoysTV." So, in fairly plain terms that are difficult to misinterpret, Kripke is drawing a line in the sand and definitively saying that he does not want fans of the show to watch if they are not going to treat the people working on the series with respect.
Kripke's statement comes after Moriarty spoke out
Eric Kripke's comments follow a post by Erin Moriarty, highlighting a fan article titled "#IStandWithStarlight?: The Betrayal of Erin Moriarty by The Boys Fans" (via Instagram). In her post, Moriarty detailed the sexist harassment she has endured during her time in the role. She wrote, "I do feel silenced. I do feel dehumanized. I do feel paralyzed. I've put blood, sweat, and tears into this role (over & over & over again), I've grown UP in this character's shoes ... So with that I say: a) thank you to @butcherscanary b) this does break my heart – I've opened up a vein for this role and misogynistic trolling is exactly what this role (Annie) would speak out against and c) everyone's going through their own battle(s); let's not add to that. I will never intentionally (and ESPECIALLY) publicly add to yours." As the post points out, this has turned into a very similar version of the criticism that Starlight herself experiences in the series, and life is now imitating art.
Despite everything, however, Moriarty remains committed to the role and the message inherent to Annie's story, as well as the show's message. In her post, she continued, "This has only strengthened my empathy muscle and to anyone who comes at me: I see you, I don't hate you, I only empathize and forgive."
Other members of The Boys' cast have come to Moriarty's defense
While Eric Kripke has made one of the strongest statements of support for Erin Moriarty, he is not the only person closely associated with "The Boys" to defend her. In fact, several members of the show's cast have come out to stand with Moriarty following her recent comments.
One notable contributor to the discourse is Homelander actor Antony Starr. In the comments to Moriarty's post, Starr expressed his support for the actress and praised her work. Starr wrote, "Support you and what you say here 100%. Well put ... Your work on the show is and always has been stellar and you are beautiful inside and out. Keep shining." This sentiment was followed by The Deep actor Chace Crawford, who wrote, "Love you !" Similarly, Kimiko actress Karen Fukuhara wrote, "There's no room for hate on our show. You don't deserve this and we're here to support you."
With all of that in mind, it is clear that those who work with Moriarty on "The Boys" are using their platforms to support the actress as she makes a stand for herself. With Kripke making his strong public statement against misogynist fans of the show, only time will tell how the discourse will evolve in the coming months.