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Paul Austerberry: 'The Flash' production designer says 'people will forget' Ezra Miller's history once movie is released

Paul Austerberry noted Ezra Miller worked extremely hard while filming 'The Flash' and had only three days off during the entire shoot

WYCKOFF, NEW JERSEY: The highly anticipated superhero movie 'The Flash' had its first public screening a few weeks ago, receiving rave reviews from critics who hailed it as one of the best superhero movies ever made. The film's production designer, Paul Austerberry, spoke about the movie, making another bold claim about it amid Ezra Miller's legal controversy. 

Despite the film's critical success, some are still concerned about the casting of Miller in the lead role, given his past legal troubles. Miller has faced a slew of charges from assault to burglary, as well as accusations of grooming children. Warner Bros' continued support for the actor has already caused an uproar.

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Who is Paul Austerberry?

Austerberry is a Canadian film and television production designer who won an Oscar for his work on 'The Shape of Water' (2017). He is also known for his work on other popular films such as 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' (2010) and '30 Days of Night' (2007), according to IMDb. Austerberry said in the new interview he believes "people will forget" the controversy surrounding Miller's past behavior once they see the movie, which is set to be released in theaters on June 16.

He explained that Miller portrays two different versions of Barry Allen/The Flash from two different universes in the film, which required the production team to shoot the movie in "two different chunks." This meant Miller had to switch roles every few days, Austerberry told CBS. He also revealed that Miller had a very intense filming schedule for the movie. The actor worked six days a week on set and spent his Saturdays in stunt rehearsals and had only three days off during the entire shoot, which the production designer said put "a lot of pressure" on him. 

Allegations against Ezra Miller

Miller has faced multiple legal issues in recent years. Earlier this year, the 30-year-old was arrested multiple times for charges related to assault and burglary. In addition, he faced allegations of grooming children, and it was reported that he provided housing for a family at an unlicensed cannabis farm in Vermont despite opposition from the children's father. 

In August, Miller issued a statement apologizing for his behavior and revealed that he was seeking treatment for "complex mental health issues." He said via representatives, "Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment," reported Variety, as per Daily Mail. The statement continued, "I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life."

Miller was arrested in August and charged with felony burglary for allegedly breaking into a home and stealing bottles of liquor. This was his third arrest of the year, following earlier incidents in Hawaii in April. Miller has faced accusations of violent and disturbing behavior since at least 2020, when a video surfaced of the actor allegedly choking a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland. According to a source, Miller lost his temper after being approached by "pushy fans".

Despite Miller's legal troubles and accusations of inappropriate behavior, 'The Flash' director Andy Muschietti expressed hope that the actor will recover and get better. "[Miller is] taking the steps to recovery, dealing with mental health issues, but [they're] well. We talked to them not too long ago, and [they're] very committed to get better," Muschietti concluded. 

'I will still not like Ezra'

Internet users had mixed reactions to Austerberry's comment. One wrote, "Wrong. Whenever he is on screen, that is ALL what people will be thinking about." Another added, "Are we also supposed to forget they brushing it under the rug for this movie too." A third said, "They're done as Flash." Another claimed, "That’s dangerous if this is the case, thats like the director of Aquaman 2 saying, “Amber Heard’s” role in this movie is so good that it will make forget that she on Johnny depp’s bed and abused him…..like for real!!? But no, all I’m going to see is a wannabe cult leader and groomer trying to play hero! And unpopular opinion, I really wanted Grant Gustin to take over for the movie Flash; but I know it won’t happen!"

"I’m sorry I cannot forget those. It’s one of the main reasons why I’m not super stoked about this movie," a tweet read. Another chimed in, "No. I will see the movie. More people than erza worked on it and deserve to have their effort seen. But I will watch, probably enjoy, and when I exit the theater I will still not like erza. I can like the movie without liking them. Others will feel different. Which is fine."

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