"Difficult to Talk About": The Flash Movie Star Responds to Ezra Miller Controversy

By Nathan Johnson Posted:
Michael Shannon, Zod, Ezra Miller as Barry Allen

Michael Shannon, who is reprising his role as General Zod in DC's The Flash, weighed in on the controversy surrounding Ezra Miller.

The Flash's top star, Ezra Miller, took a plea deal in January after they were charged with burglary and petty larceny, and also issued a public apology.

However, this wasn't the first time the actor was surrounded by controversy, as they were tied up in legal issues dating all the way back to 2020.

While new co-CEOs of DC Studios James Gunn and Peter Safran haven't made an official decision regarding Miller's future as the Scarlet Speedster, The Flash made it through production and will be released in theaters on June 16.

The Flash's Michael Shannon on Ezra Miller Controversy

Michael Shannon as Zod in The Flash movie
DC

In an interview with Vanity Fair, The Flash actor Michael Shannon was asked about the drama surrounding the realm of DC as of late, and specifically, if it affected him at all while working on the film.

Shannon mentioned that he is aware of the "issues" at DC, but "admit[ted]" to not keeping a close eye on everything:

"But I hear there’s been some—I’ve gotta admit, I’m not looking at the trades every morning, keeping my finger on the pulse of things, but I know there’s been some issues. It seems like they’re ready to let it out."

The tenured actor then mentioned The Flash's star, Ezra Miller, and how they were "very kind to" Shannon during filming. The Zod actor also added that "it's difficult to talk about" as a whole, but that he "give[s] people a lot of slack:"

"If you’re talking about Ezra [Miller], I thought Ezra was lovely—very kind to me when I was there. It’s difficult to talk about, but I always give people a lot of slack in this business, because there’s a lot of people in this business that have issues. And some people have more privacy than others."

Shannon broadened his comments to address anyone in the entertainment industry "getting picked on," and called something like that "a horrible situation:"

"Any time somebody is out in the spotlight getting picked on, I feel for them. Even if it’s warranted, it’s still a horrible situation."

Drowning Out the Dramatic Noise Surrounding The Flash

There was obviously a lot of drama surrounding The Flash due to Ezra Miller's actions and the choices they made in their personal life. 

However, it seems as though Michael Shannon paid no attention to those issues and instead chose to act in a professional manner when working with Miller on The Flash.

Some fans may not appreciate the actor's decision to "give [Miller] a lot of slack," as some criticized Aquaman actor Jason Momoa for publicly supporting Miller.

The fact of the matter is that everyone does make mistakes in their lives, and Miller is no exception.

Shannon seems to be looking at the situation through a lens that allowed him to put any drama aside that didn't occur on the set of The Flash - especially considering Shannon had no direct personal issues with Miller.

The Flash is set to hit theaters on June 16.

- In This Article: The Flash
Release Date
June 16, 2023
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Nathan Johnson
Nathan is a writer at The Direct where he covers Star Wars, the MCU, and DC news. He joined The Direct in April 2021 and currently writes news and feature articles about all three brands mentioned above, but his main specialty is his knowledge about anything and everything Star Wars.