Flash Actor Ezra Miller Arrested In Hawaii, Generating Memes While Merging With Ongoing Hollywood 'Slap' Discourse

Actor Ezra Miller was arrested in Hawaii this week after allegedly assaulting a woman at a karaoke nightclub and engaging in other kinds of unseemly conduct. Since March 7th, Hilo police have reportedly responded to at least 10 9-1-1 calls related to Miller. Ezra Miller is famous for their roles in movies like the Flash and Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, but also has a history of assault and disorderly behavior, having been captured on camera choking a woman in Iceland in 2020.

Ezra Miller had the police called on them 10 times in Hawaii before being arrested for harrasment and dissordely conduct at a karaoke bar.

The actor took issue with people singing the Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper hit song “Shallow.” pic.twitter.com/vkO3kFL0IS

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 30, 2022

Apparently, Miller assaulted patrons at a karaoke bar who were singing the Lady Gaga-Bradley Cooper song “Shallow” from the film A Star is Born. Memers online posted about how they might feel singing karaoke and knowing Ezra Miller was in the audience. "Shallow" itself is one of the most recognizable tunes of the past decade, having been featured in more than a few viral videos and memes.

POV you’re at a karaoke bar, about to start singing when you see Ezra Miller in the crowd pic.twitter.com/erBtHPgH6t

— Weenkies (@Weenkies) March 29, 2022

woman sings her fav song on karaoke

ezra miller: pic.twitter.com/FEcxixlxXh

— jøsh (@_undeaad_) March 29, 2022

ezra miller when they spot somebody singing at the karaoke bar pic.twitter.com/5fbkJiSXmT

— hb (@dumbthotticuss) March 29, 2022

Many posters also took a moment to acknowledge that, amid all the criticism of Miller’s behavior, it was still important to use the right pronouns. Miller, who is nonbinary, uses they/them.

Reminder that Ezra Miller uses they/them pronouns. So for example

THEY are a fucking maniac, and we won’t be seeing much of THEM when they’re in prison x

— E R I S. E N V Y. (@ErisEnvy) March 31, 2022

Some, using a meme format known as I'm So Sorry I Was Not Your Mother that's quickly becoming a standard whenever a public figure is accused of bad behavior, humorously expressed that they had not been Ezra Miller’s mother.

Ezra Miller, I’m so sorry I wasn’t your mother. pic.twitter.com/SO0LQf44cV

— Diana. (@HailEternal) March 30, 2022

Ezra Miller just set white people back another 60 years with this appalling and traumatic behavior https://t.co/IsZeEKX5S9

— Kynady (@kayv_will) March 31, 2022

The online discourse around Miller’s arrest swiftly merged with the ongoing discourse about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars last Sunday. Social media users compared the media reactions to acts of violence by Smith, who is Black, and Miller, who is white.

the way this isn't the first time ezra miller has attacked a woman but they still won't get the will smith level of outraged

— , (@machelanti) March 29, 2022

More broadly, the Smith slap has spawned several ongoing discourses about different Hollywood figures. One of these concerns actress Zoe Kravtiz, who strongly called out Will Smith on Twitter but has since been the target of criticism for suggestive comments she made years ago about a then-14-year-old Jaden Smith. Users were quick to point out that Kravitz and Miller dated when Miller was 17 and Kravitz was 21, tying Miller’s recent conduct and criticism of Kravitz’s purported predatory behavior together.

Wait, what? Was Zoe Kravitz's thing when she was in her 20s to go after gender nonconforming minors? Wikipedia says she dated Ezra Miller during filming of "Beware the Gonzo", and Ezra was still 17 when that movie premiered. https://t.co/qrDXy6QxZv

— Kathryn Brightbill 🖋️ (@KEBrightbill) March 30, 2022

zoe kravitz just mad at will smith for telling her to stay away from his son that's why she said all that https://t.co/NUV3SrVBLu

— brooke (@katethonys) March 29, 2022

The conversation around the Smith slap has grown to encompass other seemingly unrelated Hollywood controversies, with the common thread of violence in the industry running through it all. Posts about the Ezra Miller controversy bled into posts about the reportedly abusive relationship between Miller’s former co-star Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard, which then cross-pollinated with posts about Zoe Kravitz and blossomed into even more posts about the Smith family and Sunday's slap. What it all might mean is, at this moment, profoundly unclear.

I’ve always found it pretty wild that Johnny Depp got fired from Fantastic Beasts for allegations that he assaulted Amber Heard and Ezra Miller kept his part in the movie even though they were caught on camera assaulting a woman

— Steven Spoilsberg (@heavyspoilers) March 29, 2022

Social media users, particularly on Twitter, reflected on what has been a truly chaotic week in Hollywood and wondered what the recent high-profile scandals will mean for the future of the industry.

chris rock was slapped by will smith at the oscars. ezra miller was arrested. zoe kravitz is an alleged predator. shane dawson of all people is having a child. it’s only wednesday pic.twitter.com/SCWuClGTO2

— max (@fruity_maxaroo) March 30, 2022

Hollywood doubling down on cheekbone jawline feminine guys is a 50/50 gamble. Sometimes you get your chalamets (former gamer autist, swagapino attire enthusiast) and sometimes you get Ezra miller (local diy scene super predator)

— joe joegan (@jakebrodes) March 30, 2022