Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page has said he was “hurt” that he might have been turned down to star in Krypton because of his skin colour.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the series, which focuses on the backstory of Superman’s grandfather, was “passionate about doing some nontraditional casting”.
Their sources suggest that Page accordingly auditioned for the part, before DC Films co-founder Geoff Johns reportedly said Superman “could not have a Black grandfather”.
Responding to the news on Twitter yesterday (April 7), Page wrote: “Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then. The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly.”
Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then. The clarifications almost hurt more tbh.
Still just doing my thing.
Still we do the work.
We still fly.
— Regé-Jean Page (@regejean) April 7, 2021
A representative for Johns subsequently told E! News that the co-founder expects Superman’s grandfather “to look like a young Henry Cavill,” in reference to the actor who played Superman most recently.
“Geoff never said Superman can’t have a black ancestor or be black,” the statement continued. “There have been diverse versions of Superman throughout the comics for decades so he does and can be diverse.
“However, the expectation for Krypton was that it would initially be perceived as a possible prequel to Man of Steel by the fans and the lead was expected to invoke a young Henry Cavill.”
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