Content Warning: Brief Discussion of Criminal History, Including Assault and Grooming of a Minor

During an interview about his reprise as General Zod, DC star Michael Shannon addresses his co-star Ezra Miller’s (they/them) controversies and their reactions to them. Despite acknowledging their controversies, Shannon admits he feels for Miller and their situation.

In the past year, Miller has been the center of several controversies, including several arrests for alleged assault allegations and the alleged grooming of 18-year-old Tokata Iron Eyes (she/they), who met Miller when she was 12. While Miller was dismissive of these allegations at first, they were eventually faced with the fact that The Flash could be canceled in the wake of these controversies. As a result, Miller met with Warner Bros. film chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy and vowed to commit to both the shoot and their mental improvement. Miller then sent a statement to The Hollywood Reporter promising to seek treatment for their “complex mental health issues.”

As soon as the interviewer for Shannon brought up Miller’s alleged allegations affecting the film, Shannon expressed his sympathy for the actor. Shannon describes Miller as a wonderful person, “very kind to me when I was there,” and admits that it’s a complex subject to comment on. But, he also talks about how he usually gives people like Miller “a lot of slack in this business because there’s a lot of people in this business that have issues.” 

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