Youtube star Kian Lawley was fired from the production of a film based on the Black Lives Matter movement in America, 20th Century Fox announced on Tuesday.
Lawley was fired after a video surfaced that showed him uttering offensive language.
The studio issued a statement which read,
“Due to the controversy surrounding his past comments and behavior, Kian Lawley will no longer appear in ‘The Hate U Give.’ The studio plans to recast the role of Chris and reshoot scenes as needed.”
The Hate U Give is based on a novel by Angie Thomas about a fictional police shooting of an unarmed black male. The movie follows a young woman who witnessed the shooting and is later forced to testify in court.
Lawley apologized in a video uploaded to his Twitter page on Sunday.
He later released a letter which reads in part:
“Words have power and can do damage. I own mine and I am sorry.
“I respect Fox’s decision to recast this role for ‘The Hate U Give’ as it is an important story, and it would not be appropriate for me to be involved considering the actions of my past. I understand the impact and I have grown and learned since then. From now on I plan to use my voice for positive change.”
