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Rege-Jean Page Seemingly Reacts to Losing ‘Superman’ Role Because of His Skin Color

Before gaining huge fame from Bridgerton, Regé-Jean Page auditioned for the role of Superman’s grandfather in Syfy’s Krypton — but reportedly didn’t get it because he isn’t white.

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Cochairman of DC Films Geoff Johns said at the time that Superman “could not have a Black grandfather,” according to a report published by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, April 6. Additionally, the creators of the series wanted to add more diversity to the show and make one superhero gay — another idea Johns, 48, allegedly vetoed.

“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,” the screenwriter’s team said in a statement to THR, adding that Johns “believed fans expected the character to look like a young Henry Cavill.”

Rege-Jean Page Lost Out on Role to Play Superman Grandfather Because of His Skin Color
Rege-Jean Page and Henry Cavill Shutterstock (2)

Page, 31, seemingly addressed the controversy via Twitter on Wednesday, April 7, writing, “Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then. The clarifications almost hurt more tbh.”

The English actor opted to focus on his current roles instead of the past, adding, “Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly.”

Nadria Tucker, who was a writer on the series, tweeted about Johns in February, claiming he “tried to tell me what is and is not a Black thing.” She elaborated to THR, adding, “I said, ‘Black women, we tend to change our hair frequently. It’s not weird, it’s a Black thing.’ And he said, ‘No, it’s not.'”

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A spokesperson for the Wonder Woman 1984 writer added that the accusations are “personally offensive” to him.

“Geoff has personally seen firsthand the painful effects of racial stereotypes concerning hair and other cultural stereotypes, having been married to a Black woman who he was with for a decade and with his second wife, who is Asian American, as well as his son who is mixed race,” the rep said.

The bombshell report also shines a light on Ray Fisher’s allegations made against Johns and Joss Whedon, nearly one year after the Justice League actor, 33, called the 56-year-old Buffy creator’s behavior on set “gross” and “abusive.”

Not only does Fisher make more claims about Whedon’s behavior, but also claims that the director “threatened to harm [Gal] Gadot’s career and disparaged Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins” after he took over for director Zack Snyder on Justice League. The Firefly creator allegedly told Gadot, 35, to “shut up and say the lines,” before threatening to “make her look incredibly stupid in this movie.”

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In 2020, Gadot declined to comment about the original allegations Fisher made against Whedon but showed her support for her costar.

“I’m happy for Ray to go out and speak his truth,” she told the Los Angeles Times at the time. “I wasn’t there with the guys when they shot with Joss Whedon — I had my own experience with [him], which wasn’t the best one, but I took care of it there and when it happened. I took it to the higher-ups and they took care of it. But I’m happy for Ray to go up and say his truth.”

Us Weekly has reached out to Whedon for comment.

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