The Internet can be an ugly place. (Shocking, I know.) Things got especially messy over the weekend, though, when the “Worst Chris” Twitter fight heated up again over the weekend. Perhaps the news that many Avengers (other than Chris Pratt) were onboard a Joe Biden fundraiser didn’t help, but yep, Chris Pratt ended up “winning” the title this time around. Katherine Schwarzenegger felt the need to defend her husband, and people were bringing up Pratt’s political and religious beliefs (and that cat story), and yes, all not very fun stuff. Some O.G. Avengers are now defending Pratt, which (in turn) is now stirring up another controversy: why didn’t they step up for Brie Larson?
Yep, a few of Pratt’s Marvel Cinematic Universe co-stars are stridently supporting Pratt. Namely, they’d like everyone to know that it’s not cool to call Pratt “worse” than the other Chrises in unwitting contention (Evans, Hemsworth, and Pine). Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., hopped into view with a vigorous statement that does not defend Star-Lord (who genuinely is the worst) but the man who portrays him.
“What a world…” Downey wrote. “The ‘sinless’ are casting stones at my #brother, Chris Pratt… A real #Christian who lives by #principle, has never demonstrated anything but #positivity and #gratitude… AND he just married into a family that makes space for civil discourse and (just plain fact) INSISTS on service as the highest value. If you take issue with Chris,,, I’ve got a novel idea. Delete your social media accounts, sit with your OWN defects of #character, work on THEM, then celebrate your humanness.”
Mark Ruffalo then Hulked-out on Twitter to declare Pratt to be “as solid a man there is.” He added, “I know him personally, and instead of casting aspersions, look at how he lives his life. He is just not overtly political as a rule. This is a distraction. Let’s keep our eyes on the prize, friends. We are so close now.”
You all, @prattprattpratt is as solid a man there is. I know him personally, and instead of casting aspersions, look at how he lives his life. He is just not overtly political as a rule. This is a distraction. Let’s keep our eyes on the prize, friends. We are so close now.
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 20, 2020
Ruffalo has a point. The world is burning while a pandemic rages, and U.S. racial tensions are at an all-time apex in 2020, and people are piling onto the Chrises as a contest. It is silly and mean, yes. However, people aren’t exactly thrilled with how this situation compares to what Brie Larson has endured since signing onto Captain Marvel. The film was fake-review bombed by sexist trolls that endlessly harassed Larson, who couldn’t even pick up the Thor hammer without making some nerds angry. It’s true that Don Cheadle and Chadwick Boseman stepped up to support Larson, but people are wondering why the O.G. Avengers stayed relatively quiet.
Super looking forward to the defense of @brielarson from the MCU dudes too after vicious sexist attacks for sticking up for women. That was two years ago, but there’s no statute of limitations for doing the right thing. pic.twitter.com/4LJajLbdO1
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) October 21, 2020
let me get this right. Brie Larson was harassed by men for MONTHS. Zendaya was bullied for being MJ bc she’s biracial, Mackie was bullied for becoming Captain America and the Avengers were SILENT, but Chris Pratt gets called the “worst” Chris and it’s Avengers Assemble? pic.twitter.com/DKtlkfE94a
— Micah Lawrence (@reeseyl21) October 21, 2020
good morning to everyone including brie larson but excluding the rest of the avengers who really did not have the same loud defensive energy for the horrible misogynist abuse she got as they do for chris pratt being a bible thumping trumper
— G(host)
(@oneofthosefaces) October 21, 2020
Brie Larson dealt with horrific harassment. Threats of rape and death. Criticized for her body language. Picked apart. Do you know who spoke out about that? Don Cheadle. Do you know who didn’t? The dudes defending Chris Pratt because HE LOST AN ONLINE POLL.
pic.twitter.com/HJ3Pl6JiWC
— A.E. (Addy) Bross
Author & Academic Librarian (@AddyBrossWrites) October 21, 2020
the way it was all crickets when brie larson was being harassed for wanting more diversity and when anthony mackie was receiving death threats for being captain america, etc,, but when it comes to ppl cancelling chris pratt for valid reasons THATS where marvel draws the line pic.twitter.com/M6P1zuXlYL
— loki apologist४²⁸ (@lokisbucky) October 21, 2020
It’s a fair argument: why defend one co-star but not the other? Regardless of what happens next — 2020, please calm the heck down soon.