#I’ve been ‘unjustly’ targeted by ‘manipulative’ individual

Ezra Miller issued a rare statement over the weekend after a temporary harassment order issued against them was lifted. While it’s a personal victory for the 30-year-old, professionally, the actor’s would-be blockbuster The Flash has become one of the year’s biggest disappointments, putting the future of Miller’s portrayal of Barry Allen in doubt.

Last year, Miller was accused of acting inappropriately around a woman and her 12-year-old child. The court granted the family a harassment prevention order. On Friday, a judge ruled that the order, originally set to expire July 1, was lifted.

“I’m encouraged by today’s outcome and very grateful at this moment to everyone who has stood by me and sought to ensure this egregious misuses of the protective order system was halted,” Miller wrote on social media.

“Protective orders are meant to provide safety for individuals, families and children who are in danger,” the actor continued. “They are not meant to be used as weapons by those seeking attention or fleeting tabloid fame or some sort of personal vengeance when there are people in true and dire need of these services.”

Miller, who is nonbinary, said they “have been unjustly and directly targeted by an individual who the facts have shown has a history of such manipulative and destructive actions.”

The Daily Beast reported in June 2022 that a mother in Massachusetts took out a protective order for her child. She claimed Miller pestered the nonbinary minor with compliments and accused the Justice League star of acting erratically. Miller did not publicly address the situation at the time, but a lawyer for the actor refuted the allegations and claimed Miller was “never alone with the child and never interacted with the child outside of two brief encounters which occurred in the presence of several other adults.”

“I implore those members of the media who have recklessly spread false claims and failed to accurately report the truth and context of this story, to hold themselves to a higher standard and take the time to find the facts, rather than chasing the clicks,” Miller continued in Saturday’s statement. “On a personal note, I want everyone to know that I am continuing to do my best to preserve my own wellness and what I can to reverse the collateral damage this ordeal has brought upon me and those close to me.”

Miller concluded by thanking fans for support.

The news comes three weeks after The Flash arrived in theaters with a thud — and the trend continued over the weekend. The DC flick fell to No. 8 in its third weekend of release, raking in only $5 million. It’s a massive 67% drop from last week. The film has grossed $245 million worldwide and is on track to lose money for Warner Bros. Prior to The Flash‘s lackluster debut, director Andy Muschietti said that Miller would not be recast in any potential sequels.

“I don’t think there’s anyone that can play that character as well as they did,” the director said on The Discourse podcast.

Miller did no press for highly anticipated superhero film, aside from attending the world premiere, amid their ongoing legal and personal troubles. A sequel for the film has yet to be announced, but Variety reported the studio already has a finished script.