Young Hollywood is setting the standard for how to respond to controversy

Hollywood is no stranger to controversy. Celebrities are normal people who are subject to more scrutiny than most of us ever will be, so it’s not surprising they get called out for their behavior pretty frequently. With the rise of the #MeToo movement, along with other social justice and activist movements throughout Hollywood, celebrities are being held to a higher standard when it comes to both their personal and professional lives. Some respond to said controversy with poise, while others… don’t.

More and more, I’ve noticed younger celebrities are responding to being called out with more professionalism and courtesy than older celebrities. Recently, Elsie Fisher tweeted her support of both Rami Malek and “Bohemian Rhapsody” for winning Golden Globes. She received backlash for supporting such a controversial film. Her followers didn’t appreciate that she was overwhelmingly happy about a film with a problematic director attached to it and some issues with its accuracy. However, the way she responded to the backlash (by apologizing for her lack of information about the film and asking her fans to continue to help her learn ways to be better) was dignified and professional.

Fisher’s small bout of criticism didn’t make nearly as many headlines as the controversy swirling around Kevin Hart. The actor and comedian came under fire for some homophobic tweets from several years ago after the announcement that he would be hosting the Oscars. When the Academy Awards asked him to apologize in order to keep his position as host, he refused, thus giving up the opportunity to host. He has made appearances on several talk shows to discuss the tweets and, supposedly, apologized for them. Except, he doesn’t apologize. He refuses to acknowledge his mistake (regardless of the time in which they were made) and, frankly, continues to embarrass himself more and more.

Why is it that a 15-year-old breakout star can admit her wrongs and make a promise to improve herself, while also acknowledging that she will always unintentionally make mistakes, but a 39-year-old who has been in the industry for decades cannot? Perhaps Fisher entered Hollywood at a time when the climate demanded more apologies and less deflections, whereas Hart didn’t. It could also have to do with the fact that Hart is a male comedian, of whom not many used to be criticized for their problematic comments because they were viewed as part of their act.

Either way, it’s clear that times are changing in Hollywood. Deflection and refusal to apologize for forms of hate like homophobia, sexism, misogyny or racism will no longer be tolerated. We’ve seen prominent stars fall from fame for their past actions, such as Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. and become irrelevant. If older celebrities want to remain important and preserve their fan base, they better start taking note from the younger ones, like Fisher, who are setting the standard for how to respond to backlash.

Katherine Campione is a UF journalism senior. Her column appears on Wednesdays.