Actor Who Played Spider-Man Apologizes for His Racist and Homophobic Remarks
Actor member of the forthcoming fan film Spider-Man: Lotus Warden On Saturday, Wayne issued a public apology through Twitter in which he apologised for his use of “offensive language,” which included racial and homophobic slurs in the past. The actor, now 22 years old, issued the long statement of regret after pictures of his adolescent Instagram posts were made public.
“Years ago when I was in high school, I used to say terrible things. I used offensive language, often homophobic or racially insensitive, casually or in jokes. I am sorry, and I’m ashamed,” Wayne explained in an essay how his conservative upbringing in a homeschool setting had shaped his views and made it simple for him to associate with the wrong people in cyberspace.
“I was raised…in a small town in Arkansas, where I had to sneak around on other iPads and computers to use social media,” he said. “My family has always been associated with groups such as the Duggars [19 Kids and Counting], and those values were subsequently pushed onto me. I didn’t get my own cell phone until I was 18. I was in a bubble, where I wasn’t aware of how serious it was for me to say these things or these words. My ideas of right and wrong were skewed.”
“…I wanted to fit in, and have friends. So I aligned myself and tried to act in ways they’d approve of. Which included saying offensive things for the sake of a reaction or making ignorant jokes. I was an immature kid with too much time and no sense of integrity.”
Wayne concluded his heartfelt letter of contrition by accepting responsibility:
“But regardless if any of this, I should’ve known better. And I spend every day wishing I hadn’t been a terrible person when I was younger. But I can’t change the past. All I can do is take responsibility, and own up to my incredible shortcomings. And continue trying to be a better person.
I hope you all can forgive me. I’m sorry.”
Towards the end of the year, it was reported that Wayne would play Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Lotus, a fan-made, low-budget film. In the above clip from 2021, we see Parker struggling with the loss of his fiancée Gwen Stacy and with the question of whether or not he wants to maintain his secret identity as the web-slinging superhero. Since it is not being produced by Sony, Marvel, or Disney, the adaptation has yet to be given a release date.
In response to Wayne’s admission of ignorance, the film’s writer and director, 18-year-old Gavin J. Konop, issued a statement in which he said the actor had been honest about his past behaviour.