Breakout star Regé-Jean Page is speaking out following reports that he was turned down for a movie due to his skin tone.
On Tuesday, April 6, The Hollywood Reporter released an article stating that Page had auditioned to play the role of Superman’s grandfather in the upcoming Syfy series “Krypton.” However, he was allegedly turned away after multiple sources claimed that the former DC Films co-founder Geoff John, who was overseeing the project, rejected the idea that Superman’s grandfather could have been Black.
Page addressed the controversy on Wednesday, April 7, when he took to his Twitter account, writing, “Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then.” He added, “The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly.”
News of Page being rejected for the role was part of a more extensive exposé about racism and misconduct during the making of “Justice League.” Actor Ray Fisher, most notable for his role as Cyborg, has been very vocal about similar struggles he faced while filming the project.
Meanwhile, a representative for John told People that the claims about Page not being cast because of his skin color was “an oversimplification.” They claimed that the 31-year-old never progressed past his early audition for the role and that “he never got to the stage where he would be selected by producers to be sent to the studio nor did he ever officially test for WBTV.”
“The role was for Superman’s grandfather – which came after the Justice League movies, and the decision was made that the role was supposed to mirror Henry Cavill and his father which was played by Russell Crowe in the movie,” the statement continued. “The actor being cast as such was supposed to resemble either actor. This is being twisted to be something that it is not and someone throwing a name out there to get headlines.”
Despite Page not getting the role in “Krypton,” he managed to slide his way into the hearts of millions with his portrayal of Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings in the Netflix hit series “Bridgerton.” The role won the actor an NAACP Image Award this year for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, and two SAG Award nominations.
Unfortunately for viewers, Page will not be featured in season 2 of the romance series. The actor revealed the news on Instagram last week. However, fans can expect to see the television heartthrob in the Netflix spy thrill “The Gray Man” and the upcoming Paramount adaptation of “Dungeons & Dragons.”
