Another Black star from Max’s Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, has to waste their time to call out a racist troll.
Spotted on TMZ, Actress Bethany Antonia shared how she handled a racist wasting space in her Instagram DMs, sharing a screenshot of the troll’s message to her in her Instagram Stories while adding a clever joke for good measure.
In the screenshot shared by Antonia, who plays Lady Baela Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff, the troll insults her, even wishing she died on set.
Showing her followers the hate she receives for playing a character that was originally white in the George R.R. Martin books, Antonia cleverly clapped back at the racist hater, adding, “Wait till they find out I’m gay too.”
In another post, Anotonia shared a photo of herself smiling with crystal hair art with the message, “Y’all won’t ruin this first glimmer of dragon joy for us negroes.”
To drown out the racist hate Antonia was receiving, fans have taken to her posts’ comment sections to shower her with support.
Per Blavity:
Fans have rushed to Antonia’s side, running to her comments to share some much deserved love.
“Hi coming on here to counteract the hate you’re getting in your dms!! hope you’re well + you’re the prettiest <3,” one fan wrote on another one of the actor’s Instagram posts.
“Sorry about the racist despicable comments girl just here to tell you the asoiaf fandom absolutely LOVES you and you’re the perfect Baela Targaryen ❤️🔥🖤,” another echoed in the same comments section.
“OUR FIERCE, INCREDIBLE, BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL BAELA TARGARYENNNN ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥,” one fan wrote.
Steve Toussaint Also Had To Respond To Racism
In July 2022, Antonia’s co-star, Steve Toussaint, who plays her grandfather, Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka the “Sea Snake,” had to address the white tears from haters who were big mad they made the character Black during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
Per Variety:
“Because other than, as we spoke about yesterday, other than certain people’s viewpoints about someone who looks like me playing this part, it hasn’t really played a part in the role, in my experience on the job with my fellow actors,” Toussaint said during the show’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday, responding to a question asked by moderator Jason Concepcion, who was referencing an earlier conversation they had in private. “As I said, there are people outside who find it a little hard to stomach that someone who looks like me would play this part. But that’s an issue they have to deal with, and I don’t have to. The issue is always the same I just have to say the lines convincingly and avoid bumping into the furniture.”
These people harassing these actors over fictional characters deserve to be doused with the purest of dragon fire.