Photo Courtesy of Regé-Jean Page/ Instagram
Despite Superman being an alien from the planet Krypton, there’s apparently no possibility that the fictional character could be related to a Black man.
In a new report published by
The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, multiple sources accuse DC Comics Chairman Geoff Johns of not hiring
Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page for a role in Syfy’s
Krypton due to him being Black. Page had auditioned for the role of Superman’s grandfather prior to finding success on Shonda Rhimes’ hit period drama on Netflix. However, Johns allegedly argued against Page joining the show due to the Hollywood exec’s belief that “fans expected the character to look like a young Henry Cavill.”
Bridgerton break-out star was turned down for the role due to race. The outlet reported Cochairman of DC Films
Geoff Johns made the decision. Sources informed
THR the show’s creators were passionate to commit to non-traditional casting.
However, Johns said Superman could not have a Black grandfather, the character coveted by Page. He also declined to make one superhero character, Adam Strange, gay or bisexual.
“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,” said Johns’ rep in an email to
THR. The outlet reported the rep said Johns believed fans expected the character to look like a young
DC Entertainment reportedly passed on ‘Bridgerton’ breakout Rege-Jean Page for a role in Syfy’s ‘Krypton’ after an executive allegedly argued that the series’ lead could not be portrayed by a Black actor.
Before his star skyrocketed with the release of Shonda Rhimes’ hit period drama, Page auditioned to play Superman’s grandfather in the action program, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Despite the ‘Krypton’ creators’ reported desire to diversify the DC Extended Universe, then-DC chief creative officer Geoffrey Johns allegedly said Superman’s grandfather could not be Black.
In a statement paraphrased Tuesday by THR, a rep for Johns defended the casting decision on the grounds that the Hollywood exec “believed fans expected the character to look like a young Henry Cavill,” who is white and plays Superman in the DC films. The starring role in ‘Krypton,’ which ran for two seasons from 2018 to 2019, eventually went to white actor Cameron Cuffe.
Thursday 3:03PM
Ok what am I missing here? We have Superman, a character that is extremely white, with extremely white biological parents. Why then is it shocking to think that his grandparents would also be white? I wouldn’t expect a black actor to play the grandpa of a non-mixed white character anymore than I would expect a white actor to play the grandpa of a non-mixed black character. Now, do I think it would be cool to see superman recast as a a mixed or black character? Hell yes! I could easily see Regé-Jean Page cast as a relative of a black or mixed Superman. Hell, he has the jawline to play Superman himself! But if the goal is to cast relatives of Cavil’s superman, who’s about as white as they get, why wouldn’t they also be white?
Former DC Films Co-President Geoff Johns Allegedly Opposed Superman Having A Black Grandfather In KRYPTON
Former DC Films Co-President Geoff Johns is said to have vetoed Superman having a Black grandfather in the now cancelled
Krypton because he felt the character should look like a young Henry Cavill.
RubyGoldstone |
4/7/2021
Yesterday,
Zack Snyder s Justice League star Ray Fisher finally opened up about his issues with Joss Whedon and Geoff Johns. The Avengers director has been painted in a terrible light, and the odds of him working in Hollywood again seem pretty slim. As for Johns, he continues to work on various DC films, TV shows, and comics, but his future could also be in question.Â