Regé-Jean Page Got Real About Reportedly Losing A TV Role Because Of His Race

Regé-Jean Page is speaking out. On April 6, news broke that the Bridgerton breakout previously auditioned to play Superman's grandfather, Seg-El, on the short-lived SyFy show Krypton, but was reportedly passed over by an exec because he is Black. (According to The Los Angeles Times, a rep for that exec defended the casting decision.) Now, Regé-Jean Page's tweet about reportedly losing a Krypton role due to his race reveals how he feels about the situation.

According to an April 6 article from The Hollywood Reporter, Page tried out for the DC TV role of Seg-El because the Krypton showrunners wanted to feature diverse, non-traditional casting. But multiple sources reportedly told THR that DC Films co-founder Geoff Johns rejected Page for the role, claiming Superman could not have a Black grandfather. According to the Los Angeles Times, "A rep for Johns defended the casting decision on the grounds that the Hollywood exec 'believed fans expected the character to look like a young [DC Extended Universe actor] Henry Cavill.'"

On Wednesday, April 7, Page took to Twitter to express his feelings about the casting claims. "Hearing about these conversations hurts no less now than it did back then," Page wrote. "The clarifications almost hurt more tbh. Still just doing my thing. Still we do the work. We still fly."

Despite this reported casting controversy, Page remains booked and busy. He made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut in February and will star in the upcoming movies The Gray Man and Dungeons & Dragons.

One place where fans won't be seeing Page? Bridgerton Season 2. Viewers fell in love with his portrayal of the dashing Duke of Hastings, but the actor recently told Variety that Simon was meant to be a single-season character from the beginning. "I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit, and the Bridgerton family rolls on," he said.

Following the news of his departure, Page shared a sweet Instagram post looking back on his Bridgerton days. "The ride of a lifetime. It's been an absolute pleasure and a privilege to be your Duke," he wrote on April 3. "Joining this family — not just onscreen, but offscreen too. Our incredibly creative and generous cast, crew, outstanding fans — it's all been beyond anything I could have imagined. The love is real and will just keep growing."