In light of the recent controversies surrounding The Flash star Ezra Miller, people are looking to Emma Watson, their former co-star, for some clarity.
Watson has been keeping a low-key profile lately, but she is still being mentioned in ongoing discussions about Miller's current situation. Miller, who is set to star in Warner Bros.' upcoming The Flash film, has flooded headlines due to a string of violent acts and erratic behavior. Earlier this year, they were arrested twice in Hawaii for disorderly conduct and accused of other serious offences, including multiple instances of physical assault and the alleged grooming of a teenager. Despite calls for comment, Watson has remained silent about Miller, sparking criticisms from supporters of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling.
They claim that Watson has always been vocal when it comes to opposing Rowling's stance on trans issues, yet she refrains from speaking on any matters involving Miller. In their view, it would only be fair for Watson to be just as outspoken about Miller's misdeeds, given that they are just as much her colleague as J.K. Rowling is. At the same time, Watson's fans came to her defence, saying that she shouldn't be held accountable for words and actions that aren't her own. They believe that no matter her relationship with Rowling or Miller, she shouldn't be made to feel like the onus is on her to speak on their behalf.
Miller and Watson previously worked together on Perks of Being a Wallflower, the coming-of-age teen drama by Stephen Chbosky. They once said in an interview that Watson has become one of their "closest friends" and that the two of them built their relationship for the film from the very beginning. According to Miller, they kept their next-door hotel rooms open so that they could live together and cultivate a natural "brother and sister" relationship. Currently, it's unclear whether the two still keep in touch with each other, or if Miller's bad press has influenced Watson to distance herself from them.
One of Miller's most recent interactions with Watson occurred in 2016, when they were cast as the troubled wizard Credence in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. According to Miller, Watson was delighted for them, knowing how much the Harry Potter books meant to them as a young person. She also told them to "buckle his seat belts" and prepare for a "fun ride," well aware that the franchise could be a game-changer for them as it was for her.
At this time, no definitive action has been taken by Warner Bros., but the studio acknowledges that it has an "Ezra Miller problem." According to sources close to Deadline, the studio is prepared to drop Miller from the Flash role in future DC films even if no more allegations against them surface.
The Flash is set for U.S. theatrical release on June 23, 2023.
Source: Deadline, Times of India, Independent.ie