Erin Moriarty, who plays the righteous and compassionate Starlight in the Prime Video superhero series “The Boys,” holds her own against critics, including Megyn Kelly.
The actor got candid on Instagram about “bullying” and “harassment” on social media, weeks after a recent selfie went viral and sparked speculation about plastic surgery. Fans on Reddit guessed “buccal fat removal” and other cosmetic procedures, but Moriarty said in his lengthy statement on Friday that the selfie was taken after a period of stress.
“I will emerge [from] “This 10 pounds thinner and the verbal abuse and accusations will fly, usually either for drug use or just a flippant 'eat a hamburger' comment,” he wrote. “You learn to become [Teflon] and move forward.”
For Moriarty, moving past comments about her appearance proved challenging, as former Fox News host Kelly shared her two cents. During a January 17 episode of her SiriusXM podcast, Kelly sat down with Daily Wire host Michael Knowles and alleged that Moriarty underwent surgery to get “'Kim Kardashian' lips,” a nose job and cheek implants.
“This is not an objection to plastic surgery. “It’s about an obsession with becoming this false version of yourself,” Kelly continued. “Truly like a Kim Kardashian disciple with huge lips, a tiny nose and huge, exaggerated cheeks. …I find it a sign of mental illness. “It's extremely disturbing, it's a big turn-off for me.”
Moriarty, 29, responded to Kelly, taking issue with how the news veteran used an incorrectly dated photo for her before-and-after comparison. “It is appalling how completely misinformed, inaccurate, and click-seeking people we follow and consider informed,” Moriarty wrote on Friday.
Later in his statement, Moriarty made no mention of cosmetic surgery and clarified to fans that the makeup in his selfie involved “major contouring.” He also thanked his glamorous team for making the magic for him after “one of the most challenging weeks of my life.”
Moriarty also used his Instagram post to announce his break from social media.
She wrote: “I am appalled by the reaction, the reductionist assumptions and the aforementioned video which is a prime example of such harassment. It has broken my heart. You have broken my heart.”
Moriarty, who told his followers that social media never fully represents a person, concluded his statement by turning his attention to Kelly, referencing the nefarious multibillion-dollar corporation at the center of “The Boys.”
“Shame on you, Megyn Kelly. “Shame on you, Fox News (Vought incarnation) implying that my photo reflects women being in a worse place is as disingenuous as my belief in saying that if you quit you would leave women in a better place,” Moriarty wrote. He clarified in the caption that Kelly is no longer at Fox News.
Speculation and criticism about plastic surgery was not the first time Moriarty experienced cyberbullying. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Moriarty shared a blog post about the “unsolicited comments” viewers made about his body on “The Boys.”
“I feel silenced. I feel dehumanized. “I feel paralyzed,” Moriarty wrote, before adding “everyone is going through their own battles.”
Moriarty’s “The Boys” family expressed their support for the actor over the weekend. Showrunner Eric Kripke said haters could “fuck off” and urged fans to be kind. Jack Quaid, Moriarty's on-screen boyfriend, also dismissed the haters. Laurie Holden, who appeared in season 3 as the Crimson Countess, condemned the “cruel and misogynistic bullying.”
“It's amazing how people behave when jealousy consumes them,” Holden wrote. “It's really just a reflection of how sad and worthless they feel about themselves.”
