Why Did Ed Skrein Quit ‘Hellboy’? Twitter Reacts To Sudden Exit

Ed Skrein was announced to be returning to comic book movies last week, but the actor revealed Monday that he is no longer part of the upcoming “Hellboy” movie. He quit after discovering his character was whitewashed.

The “Deadpool” actor was set to play Major Ben Daimio in the “Hellboy” reboot, but Skrein revealed on Twitter that he didn’t know the character was Asian in the comics when he accepted the role.

“It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people,” the British actor wrote. “And that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honor and respect that. Therefore I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately.”

The actor believes diversity in film is important and noted that he felt this was the responsible decision. “Representation of ethnic diversity is important, especially to me as I have a mixed heritage family,” he added. “It is our responsibility to make more decisions in difficult times and to give voice to inclusivity. It is my hope that one day these discussions will become less necessary and that we can help make equal representation in the Arts a reality.”

Read his full statement below:

Skrein seems to be getting plenty of support online. Twitter was quick to applaud the actor for his decision. Some even hope that the filmmakers find another role for him.

“Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola also appreciated Skrein’s decision. “Thank you @edskrein,” he tweeted. “Very nicely done.”

Skrein is seemingly the first mainstream actor to turn down a role after whitewashing controversy, but he certainly isn’t the first to deal with such criticism. Tilda Swinton came under fire when she was cast as The Ancient One in “Doctor Strange.” The character had been an Asian man in the comics.

Similarly, Scarlett Johansson was the subject of much discussion when “Ghost in the Shell” came out earlier this year. The character was originally Asian, and the controversy is often considered to be the reason the movie tanked at the box office. “Ghost in the Shell” had a budget of $110 million, but it only made $169 million worldwide.

“Hellboy” is set to be another big budget superhero movie. The action flick follows a demon who defends the world against forces of darkness. The series reboots Guillermo del Toro’s two films from 2004 and 2008. The new franchise will feature David Harbour as the titular character and “Game of Thrones” director Neil Marshall will helm the movie. Milla Jovovich and Ian McShane will also star.

It is unclear who will play Major Ben Daimio in “Hellboy” now, but Skrein has plent of other gigs lined up. He is currently filming the drama “Born a King.” He also recently finished the action adventure movie “Alita: Battle Angel.”