Brie Larsonis an accomplished actress with some solid titles attached to her name and even a shiny gold Academy Award to go along with it. In interviews, she seems very down-to-earth and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. There is something about her that screams anti-celebrity, and yet she has garnered a great share of hate since winning her Oscar for her riveting portrayal of a kidnapping victim in 2015’sRoom.
Soon after that win, it was announced she would be taking on the role of Carol Danvers inCaptain Marvel, thus making her an official part of theMarvel Cinematic Universe. This is when the negative comments seemed to hit a fever pitch, and as we stand in 2023, they haven’t stopped. While it might be hard for Larson to do this, since social media can be quite deafening in its spewing of negativity, she should ignore her haters because her body of work and character speaks of someone who doesn’t deserve the trolling she receives.
Speaking Her Mind Has Led to Her Receiving Unfair Online Judgment
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When Larson took on the role ofCarol Danvers inCaptain Marvel, the actress entered a fandom space that could be way more judgmental and not as inviting as the world she was coming from. Everything you say can be misinterpreted, and your every move can lead to being at the mercy of fans with a sudden wave of keyboard courage. None of these people know Larson personally, butthe opinions they formmake it seem like they have an insight into her life that they really don’t have. Adding to this fire is that Larson isn’t just interested in being a high-profile celebrity. She has opinions and believes aspects of the status quo need to change. Not only are you a part of a huge fandom, but now you’re also someone who speaks their mind, and, in some circles, that doesn’t seem to be allowed.
It’s hard to pinpoint when a lot of this started, but many point to comments made by Larson regarding diversity in the critics' space when it comes to reviewing films. During an appearance at the2018 Crystal Awards for Excellence in Film, the actress had this to say:
“[Audiences] are not allowed enough chances to read public discourse on these films by the people that the films were made for. I don’t need a 40-year-old white dude to tell me what didn’t work for him about A Wrinkle in Time. It wasn’t made for him. I want to know what it meant to women of color, biracial women, to teen women of color.”
This led to some of the people in question being triggered by what she said, and it began a slew of online hate towards her, even if it wasn’t deserved. More diverse voices should be critiquing projects made for a particular audience. That’s not to say that someone white or a man can’t identify with a predominately African-American or female story, for instance, but there should be more diversity in that space so the opinion isn’t skewed in one direction. It’s a fair assessment and not one worthy of online persecution, especially after she further clarified her comments:
“Am I saying I hate white dudes? No, I am not. What I am saying is if you make a movie that is a love letter to women of color, there is an insanely low chance a woman of color will have a chance to see your movie, and review your movie.”
As online hate seemed to grow, many trolls began review-bombingCaptain Marvelbefore it even opened, and it appeared that many had their minds made up before they even saw the film. Larson appears to have thick skin, but promoting a movie of this stature on a global scale can’t be easy when the online disdain seems to be growing by the minute.
However, despite all the hate,Captain Marvelwas still successful, grossing $1.1 billion globally and securing a 79 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. That should be perceived as a win, but Marvel does play a part in not doing Larson any favors when it comes to her role in the MCU. While she has proven to be a very good actress, the writing for the role has only seemed to add more fuel to the troll fire.
MCU: Why Brie Larson and Captain Marvel Didn’t Deserve the Hate They Received
Brie Larson and Captain Marvel don’t deserve the hate they get, and here is why.
There is a bit of distance in how the character has been showcased, which has a lot to do with her being one of the later additions to the Infinity Saga. Yes, she did get her own solo movie, but subsequent appearances leading up toThe Marvelshave been short and sweet and not much of a platform for what the character can be and what Larson could do with it if given the proper opportunity.
Larson’s Convictions & Talent Are Stronger Than Online Discourse
Perhaps the best defense of Larson, and one she should take to heart over any internet troll bashing her, was bestowed upon her by her frequent co-star, Samuel L. Jackson. The pair met while filming 2017’sKong: Skull Island, leading to Larson casting him in a supporting role in her feature directorial debutUnicorn Store. They immediately bonded, and when she asked him if she should take on the role of Captain Marvel, he encouraged her to. When asked about some of the hate she receives online,Jackson had this to say:
“She’s not going to let any of that destroy her. These incel dudes who hate strong women, or the fact that she’s a feminist who has an opinion and expressed it? Everybody wants people to be who they want them to be. She is who she is, and she’s genuinely that.”
AsThe Marvelsis set to open, Larson continues to deal with the online disdain. The sequel’s first trailer was hit with mass dislikes through third-party applications on YouTube, and the online fanboys seemed to be reveling in the film’s potential failure when news ofweak pre-saleshit the media circuit along with tales of mixed test screenings. It’s possible that some of this stuff could be getting to her, as suggested by the bookMCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios. A portion of the book says Larson “grew disillusioned” with the role due to frequent backlash against her, and this earned greater credibility when one of the book’s writers, Jonna Robinson, made an appearance onThe Watch podcast:
‘[Marvel Studios] put Brie Larson in [a prominent place in the MCU]. I don’t know if Brie Larson was the wrong person for the role, necessarily. But the toxic backlash means that Brie Larson doesn’t want to play Carol Danvers anymore."
Let’s hope this isn’t the case. Larson has proven to be a great talent deserving of great success. One of the key reasons she should ignore her haters is that a vast majority of them wouldn’t say this nonsense to her face. There is a certain sense of bravery behind a computer screen that many of these online bullies seem to possess.
It’s easy for someone to spew hate, and the best way for Larson to combat that, if it isn’t getting to her after enduring it for so long, is to ignore them and keep putting out good work. Eventually, they’ll be silenced and find another silly fandom cause to advocate. Just keep doing you, Brie. Flying Higher. Further. Faster.
The Marvelsis in theaters everywhere now. If you’re interested in MovieWeb’s interview with the film’s composer, Laura Karpman, check out the video below.
