CW actresses Candice Patton and Ashleigh Murray have one major affair in common . They ’ve both play classic comic book characters , both traditionally portray as white-hot , as woman of people of colour . And both have had to deal with backlash for it .
Appearing at the Play / Ground Festival this weekend , the two appeared on a panel together and talk over the challenge they ’ve confront playing those roles , and why they matter so much for representation .
“ For me , Iris West was traditionally white in the mirthful book , ” said Patton , who plays Iris on The Flash , as quoted byComicbook.com . “ So , you know , comic book sports fan are very opinionative , very outspoken . So it was very shuddery stepping into that role when I started the show . ”
She continued , “ “ And I remember our executive producer at this clip , once I got frame , he was like ‘ Do n’t go online . Just do n’t go on . ’ But what ’s capital is , I cerebrate over time , citizenry have embraced me and have encompass this role and I think it ’s really important . And I conceive what ’s keen is , you know , old age to hail , people will remember Iris West as being African - American . And that ’s a really , really coolheaded thing . ”
Murray , who plays Josie McCoy of Josie and the Pussycats on Riverdale , echoed Patton ’s cerebration . “ It ’s the exact same thing , you know ? With Josie , she ’s originally white in the comedian , and so was Melody [ Asha Bromfield ] . And we all terminate up coming as an all - disastrous group , ” she said .
“ And when I actually was testing for it , my aunt asked me ‘ How are you lead to plow with it , if you hold this ? How are you going to handle mass having an consequence with it ? ’ And I was like , ‘ We ’ll just worry about it when it come , ’ ” Murray pronounce .
“ And then when it came , I did precisely that . They were like ‘ Just do n’t even go on the cyberspace . Do n’t check societal mass medium . ’ And I have get wind people say some really inauspicious things , but there was so much happiness and gratitude and support outside of that negativity , that it rather outweighed it . And now it ’s just whitened noise . I do n’t even detect it or see it much anymore . And it ’s probably thanks to [ Candice ] , because [ she ] had to go through it before I did . You in all likelihood made the transition a little bit easier , ” Murray contined .
Both agreed that , in the end , while the backlash was real , the body of work was crucial , and dead of the essence to pee the world a better place for histrion of colour in the future .
“ But , you know , ” said Patton , “ If I had to deal with crap online and harassment online so a female child who see like me , ten years from now , can successfully be on these show without any of that , then it ’s well worth it . I can take it . ”
Both shows return to The CW on October 9th .
[ Comicbook.com ]
RepresentationRiverdaleThe Flash
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