'Titans' Actress Speaks Out Over Starfire Photos Backlash

Actress Anna Diop, who plays Tamaran warrior Starfire in upcoming DC Comics-inspired live-action [...]

By Cameron Bonomolo

Actress Anna Diop, who plays Tamaran warrior Starfire in upcoming DC Comics-inspired live-action web series Titans, took to Instagram Thursday to defend herself from backlash after leaked set photos revealed her alien princess character.

The unpolished set photos show Diop and co-stars Teagen Croft (Raven) and Ryan Potter (Beast Boy) on set for the series, prompting mixed-to-negative response from fans, who criticized both the character costumes and the actors' appearances.

Some commentary was innocuous enough — like expressing disappointment in Starfire's translation to live-action in a less-than-faithful adaptation of her comic book and animated appearances, or comparing Titans to the oft-maligned Marvel's Inhumans — while other reactions likened Raven and Beast Boy to looking "like drug addicts," and Starfire to "looking like a 90s prostitute."

"To The 'Titans' Fans"

"Yesterday a photo of me on set leaked online," Diop wrote in the Instagram post addressed to Teen Titans fans, accompanied by a black-and-white glamour shot of the actress.

A post shared by Anna Diop (@the_annadiop) on

"And it was unfortunate because fans have been waiting MONTHS for a photo of 'Starfire' and a sloppy photo of me on a curb in 15 degree weather is what they got instead.

"For the sake of our incredible fans - I hated that this is the first picture people are seeing. It's out of context and it's a misrepresentation of the incredible character I get to play. And also a misrepresentation of the phenomenal production behind it all," Diop wrote.

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"Hate Speech"

"With that said," Diop continued, "the hate speech that followed was deplorable. And though I am highly unbothered, I do want to use this as an opportunity to say that tearing people down is not something that I tolerate. For myself or anyone else."

She explained: "Too often social media is abused by some who find refuge in the anonymity and detachment it provides: misused as a tool to harass, abuse, and spew hatred at others. This is weak, sad, and a direct reflection of the abuser."

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"Stay beautiful"

"Racist, derogatory, and/or cruel comments have nothing to do with the person on the receiving end of that abuse. And because I know this - I'm unfazed," Diop wrote, adding a smiling face emoji.

"But for anyone out there who may not - I am here to remind you that whatever ugly and negative thing anyone ever choose to say about you is always a reflection and revelation of themselves - it does NOT define you, and it certainly does NOT make you any less perfect than you are," Diop wrote to her more than 11,000 followers, urging readers to "be you" and "stay beautiful."

The post has since received more than 5,000 "likes."

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Twitter's Response to the Set Photos

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Twitter Response: Part 2

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The Good

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The Bad

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The Ugly

The series co-stars Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson/Robin, Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger/Dove, and Alan Ritchson as Hank Hall/Hawk. Titans will release digitally some time in 2018.

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