Odds are, if you’re reading this, you’re probably not a Hollywood actor that had your first real big break as a star in a huge studio’s superhero team-up film. But if you are, then I’d like to say hi to Ray Fisher. Otherwise, you’re probably just someone that has a normal 9 to 5 job and may or may not have left a previous job on less than amicable terms. If so, then you probably are going to read Ray Fisher’s most recent comments about his Warner Bros. situation and scratch your head in confusion. Is someone that was effectively “let go” from the DC superhero film universe actually offering his services if he gets an apology from the studio first?
For those not aware of the whole Ray Fisher debacle, it’s far too much to try to condense into a couple of sentences. But suffice it to say, Fisher, who plays Cyborg in the DCEU, says he was treated in an abusive, racist way while filming the reshoots for WB’s “Justice League.” He has named names, including Joss Whedon, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, and the head of DC Films, Walter Hamada. Since then, he was written out of a supporting role in the upcoming film, “The Flash,” and it would appear that DC Films (again, led by Hamada, who Fisher has publicly called out) is ready to move on from working with the actor.
However, at a recent Justice Con event (via Comicbook.com), Fisher talked about the possibility of him returning to a DC superhero film as Cyborg. Unsurprisingly, the actor is willing to return (he’s been saying for years now that he wants to keep playing the character). But perhaps a bit surprising, given the circumstances, he’s only going to return if WB apologizes to him for how he was treated. Imagine storming out of your regular job, yelling at the management, accusing them of racism, and then saying you’d love to return to the position, but they have to apologize first. A strange tactic indeed.
READ MORE: Ray Fisher Says WB Only Offered Him “Cameo” Money For A Two-Week Shoot On ‘The Flash’
“I don’t really expect anything, right? Particularly dealing with large corporations,” Fisher said. “They will oftentimes find a way to defy whatever expectation you may have. But, I think where we could start is an acknowledgment and an apology of what is clearly, publicly known to be an untruth. Then, we can see where it goes from there. We can have that conversation, but I think that’s where the accountability begins. It’s us being able to come to the table and say, ‘These are the things that happened, let’s go ahead and try…’ There seems to be this sort of narrative, I don’t know why it is, but there’s this thing that if you apologize it denotes weakness.”
“I have to apologize for things all the time. Right? Ultimately, it shows, ‘Hey, I understand what the situation is.’ I’m willing to talk about that. If its something folks are willing to make the first step on. Like I said, I don’t have too many expectations when it comes to that. Because, as we’ve seen, folks have digging their heels in pretty hard. So, I’m just going to keep pushing. Keep pushing for accountability and whenever folks decide they want to pop their heads up for what I’m doing. I’ll be there.”
Look, it’s important to say that the accusations that Fisher has lobbed at WB and the folks that worked on “Justice League” are troubling. And though WB has denied most of what he has alleged, it’s clear, especially based on the various reports that seemingly back this up, that the reshoots on “Justice League” were a pretty shitty experience, at the very least. So, you can understand why Fisher would probably want a public apology. But, at this point, the Cyborg ship has sailed, most likely, and Fisher’s time in the DCEU has come to a close. So, down the line, he might actually get an apology, but let’s not assume that WB is itching to have him return as Cyborg. That’s a bridge that seems pretty well burnt.