YouTuber Kian Lawley was fired from “The Hate U Give” after a racist video surfaced
On February 5th, Deadline reported that YouTuber Kian Lawley was fired from the upcoming Fox film The Hate U Give after a racist video surfaced on the internet. In the video, which has been censored, Lawley uses racist slurs and stereotypes.
"Due to the controversy surrounding his past comments and behavior, Kian Lawley will no longer appear in The Hate U Give," a Twentieth Century Fox Film spokesperson said in a statement.
The 12-second video was posted on January 26th via the YouTube account Just Trash. The uploader noted in the comments that the footage is from three or four years ago. The video has been viewed just under 30,000 times since its upload. In the video’s comments section, many viewers have expressed appreciation that Lawley was removed from the film.
The Hate U Give, based on the Angie Thomas novel of the same name, stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr Carter.Starr is caught in the middle of two worlds — the low-income, predominantly black neighborhood she calls home, and her upper-class, mostly white prep school. After witnessing her childhood best friend be gunned down by a police officer, Starr’s world is drastically turned upside down.
Lawley was slated to play Chris, Starr’s boyfriend, and as Deadline notes, he was a late addition to the film.
The video below shows the hateful speech that resulted in Lawley’s termination:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oFb8YWVnuE?feature=oembed
Lawley has responded to the backlash, saying he respects Fox’s decision to remove him from the project.
“Words have power and can do damage. I own mine and I am sorry. I respect Fox’s decision to recast this role for 'The Hate U Give' as it is an important story, and it would not be appropriate for me to be involved considering the actions of my past. I understand the impact and I have grown and learned since then. From now on I plan to use my voice for positive change, Lawley told Variety in a February 5th statement. He has also since tweeted, "i’ve learned a lot & i am grateful to have the power to change. i never want to be who i was yesterday."
if u don’t learn from ur mistakes, u can never grow as a person.
i’ve learned a lot & i am grateful to have the power to change. i never want to be who i was yesterday. we’re in a constant battle to become a better version of ourselves, use ur voice as ur weapon.
— Kian Lawley (@KianLawley) February 4, 2018
Although many agreed that Lawley’s removal from the film was justified, his fans have since attacked the studio and author Angie Thomas. Thomas responded to the unfair attacks via Twitter.
Feel free to love your fave. But know that there is a TON of pain associated with this, more than you know. If I subtweet, I subtweet. I do what I want on my Twitter because yep, I'm a grown woman.
— Angie Thomas (@angiecthomas) February 5, 2018
The past two weeks have been hell for me, but I'm the enemy. Y'all. I've been trying. You just don't know.
— Angie Thomas (@angiecthomas) February 5, 2018
Fox plans to recast the role of Chris and reshoot scenes as needed.
