After Chris Pratt‘s Marvel co-stars and pals Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr (and now James Gunn and Zoe Saldana) jumped in to defend him when he was voted as the ‘Worst Chris’ of the Hollywood Chrises, many people have taken a very innocently-posted meme to look critically at his behaviour and importantly, question why the hell this kind of support hasn’t also been extended to women co-stars like Brie Larson.
As the whole Chris Pratt mess unravelled, things turned from everyone poking fun at him for being the one Chris who wouldn’t be missed from a selection of famous Chrises, into a full online argument drama about his political leanings, his association with the Hillsong Church, and everything else that he could potentially stand for (or not).
Chris Pratt hoping no one notices his absence here https://t.co/6SW0A40Kd0 pic.twitter.com/K8VkYryzYR
— Jonathan (@jonathanmb32) October 18, 2020
But as the chatter about Chris Pratt and the drama that has now surrounded him continues, many people are beginning to question: where exactly was all this energy from Hollywood’s big names before now, when their women co-stars were being severely harassed online by (predominantly) men?
If you can’t keep up with what’s happening in this quick-moving drama (I don’t blame you), Brie Larson is an open advocate for diversity in the film industry – from people on-screen through to its critics. Last year she called for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to work on its diversity, which copped her a lot of hatred online from Marvel fans.
Hell, when the first trailer for Captain Marvel came out Brie Larson copped abuse, from sexists who wanted her to smile more in the preview. Literally by-the-book sexism right there.
From what can be seen, none of the ~Avengers Assemble~ gang stepped in to defend her, and one of the only male co-stars to say anything was Don Cheadle.
https://twitter.com/Bruisedwayne69/status/1318708814070374400?s=20
Fans flooded Twitter to point out this alarming lapse in support for the women of Hollywood that Downey Jr and Ruffalo have worked with – namely Brie, Tessa Thompson, and Zendaya – who have bared the brunt of online harassment, bullying, and to some extents death threats.
Where was this energy when Brie Larson was massively harassed for months just for advocating for diversity in the industry? And they all knew about it. Suddenly Chris Pratt gets some criticism and they all come to his defense? The bar is hell. pic.twitter.com/4mmlfxFkig
— alias (@itsjustanx) October 20, 2020
Where was this energy when people attacked Tessa Thompson for being casted as valkyrie, where was this energy when Zendaya was attacked for being casted as MJ, where was this energy when Brie Larson was being attacked for speaking up on the lack of diversity in the industry. https://t.co/CZaAQtkPEc
— wendy (@photonverse) October 20, 2020
All these Marvel dudes were REAL quiet when Zendaya, Tessa Thompson, and Brie Larson were getting mercilessly harassed by dudebros, but Chris Pratt gets RIGHTFULLY called out on his bullshit, and they suddenly have a lot to say.
They can all get in the dumpster with him. pic.twitter.com/hH1dnyUpno
— Steph Evz (@Steph_Evz) October 20, 2020
And as the sun rises, and the tides move in and out, the Internet has done what it truly does best and turned the big call out into a range of very good memes about defending Brie Larson. Funny tweets for justice? We do love it.
https://twitter.com/spectorcorpse/status/1318689374855438344?s=20
https://twitter.com/RhinoReally/status/1318711839388168193?s=20
Avengers cast Avengers cast
when Brie Larson when people joke
is harassed about Chris Pratt
for 3 years being Republican pic.twitter.com/08neKSYA1o— Soundwave (@LocalSoundwave) October 21, 2020
The drama continues.
