Hartley Sawyer Fired From ‘The Flash’ After Racist And Misogynistic Tweets Exposed

UPDATE: Executive Producer Eric Wallace has added his own statement to his Twitter feeed:

My statement regarding Hartley Sawyer and THE FLASH. pic.twitter.com/hni0MxOWZU

— Eric Wallace (@ewrote) June 8, 2020

Original Article Follows:
In some corners of the comic book TV universe, punishment moves swiftly and decisively.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Hartley Sawyer has been fired from The Flash after older tweets — some dating back nine years — of a racist, homophobic, and misogynistic nature resurfaced over the past week. Sawyer’s Twitter account has been deleted, but because the Internet never forgets, screencaps circulated just as the world took to march against the death of George Floyd and continued abuses of police power in cities all over the nation.
In statement, Warner Bros. Television, Berlanti Productions, and executive producer Eric Wallace said, “Hartley Sawyer will not be 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. Such remarks are antithetical to our values and polices, which strive and evolve to promote a safe, inclusive and productive environment for our workforce.”
This is not the first person the Arrowverse cut ties with over intolerable behavior. Former key creative Andrew Kreisberg was fired from The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow when his history of sexual harassment came to light.
For his part, Hartley offered an apology for his past misdeeds on Instagram, writing “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.” Nonetheless, the damage is done and the actor must deal with the consequences — starting with the removal of Ralph Dibny as audiences have known him for the past three years.
It is unclear how the series will deal with this as several episodes of its Season 6 storyline remain unfinished and, at least partially, center on Ralph and his burgeoning relationship with Sue Dearbon (Natalie Dreyfuss). Of course, being made of rubberized flesh and already displaying the ability to change his shape, it is possible to recast the character. But then again, is it worth doing so at this point when the series is already overstuffed with characters? Sadly, those of who saw the story as, possibly, leading toward a Ralph and Sue spinoff must also embrace that such a thing will never happen now.
The Flash returns in 2021.