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‘The Flash’ actor Hartley Sawyer fired over ‘unacceptable’ tweets

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Actor Hartley Sawyer, who plays Ralph Dibny/The Elongated Man on The CW series “The Flash,” was fired from the show after tweets containing sexual and racist references surfaced over the past week.

Sawyer, 35, has deleted his Twitter account, but screenshots of his old tweets, which make reference to sexual assault and contain racist and homophobic language, have circulated online over the past two weeks, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The tweets were written before Sawyer joined the show in 2017, Variety reported, and were mostly published between 2012 and 2014.

A statement from The CW, Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions noted that Sawyer “would not nbe returning for season seven of ‘The Flash.’”

“In regards to Mr. Sawyer’s posts on social media, we do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation,” the statement read. "Such remarks are antithetical to our values and policies, which strive and evolve to promote a safe, inclusive and productive environment for our workforce.”

Eric Wallace, the show’s executive producer, also issued a statement, tweeting that Sawyer’s posts are “indicative of the larger problem in our country.”

"The Flash” lead actor Grant Gustin reposted Wallace’s statement on Instagram.

“I don’t have much to add because Eric’s thoughts are stated so eloquently and powerfully,” Gustin wrote. "I will say I was shocked, saddened and angry when I saw the tweets. Words matter.”

On May 30, Sawyer posted an apology on Instagram, Entertainment Weekly reported.

“I’m not here to make excuses,” Sawyer wrote. "Regardless of the intention, my words matter and they carry profound consequences.

View this post on Instagram

My words, irrelevant of being meant with an intent of humor, were hurtful, and unacceptable. I am ashamed I was capable of these really horrible attempts to get attention at that time. I regret them deeply. This was not acceptable behavior. These were words I threw out at the time with no thought or recognition of the harm my words could do, and now have done today. I am incredibly sorry, ashamed and disappointed in myself for my ignorance back then. I want to be very clear: this is not reflective of what I think or who I am now. Years ago, thanks to friends and experiences who helped me to open my eyes, I began my journey into becoming a more responsible adult - in terms of what I say, what I do, and beyond. I've largely kept that journey private, and this is another way that I have let so many down. I still have more work to do. But how I define myself now does not take away the impact of my words, or my responsibility for them. I am very sorry.

A post shared by Hartley Sawyer (@hartleysawyer) on

“I am incredibly sorry, ashamed and disappointed in myself for my ignorance back then. I want to be very clear: this is not reflective of what I think or who I am now.”

‘The Flash’ actor Hartley Sawyer fired over tweets ‘The Flash’ actor Hartley Sawyer fired over tweets

Cox Media Group

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