The Boys star Erin Moriarty says she's felt 'silenced,' 'dehumanized,' and 'paralyzed' by online trolling

It seems some fans of The Boys are completely missing the point.

Actress Erin Moriarty, who portrays Starlight on Prime Video's R-rated superhero satire, opened up about the online trolling she's experienced over her body image. This may come as a surprise given that season 3, which just finished in July, was all about toxic masculinity and the ways a culture poisoned by it affects women.

"I do feel silenced. I do feel dehumanized. I do feel paralyzed," Moriarty wrote on Instagram. "I've put blood, sweat, and tears into this role (over & over & over again). I've grown UP in this character's shoes (*emphasis on grown up — we change & evolve mentally AND physically)."

Her remarks were in response to a Medium article written by an author by the name of Butcherscanary. The piece addressed "unsolicited commentary on her appearance" that has dominated the comments section of Moriarty's Instagram posts. "Whilst I'm sure her male colleagues have endured unjust criticism, the obsession with her looks and the extent of objectification is unmatched," Butcherscanary wrote.

Amazon Prime Erin Moriarty as Starlight on 'The Boys'

"This does break my heart," Moriarty wrote in her Instagram post. "I've opened up a vein for this role and this kind of trolling is exactly what this role (Annie) would speak out against... Everyone's going through their own battle(s); let's not add to that. I will never intentionally (and ESPECIALLY) publicly add to yours. This has only strengthened my empathy muscle and to anyone who comes at me: I see you, I I don't hate you, I only empathize and forgive."

Upon hearing this account, The Boys creator and showrunner Eric Kripke was not having it.

"Hi trolls! One, this is literally the opposite of the show's f---ing message," he tweeted. "Two, you're causing pain to real people with real feelings. Be kind. If you can't be kind, then eat a bag of dicks, f--- off to the sun & don't watch #TheBoys, we don't want you."

Antony Starr and Jack Quaid, two of Moriarty's costars on The Boys, also came to her defense in her post.

"Support you and what you say here 100%. Well put," Starr wrote in the comments. "Your work on the show is and always has been stellar and you are beautiful inside and out. Keep shining."

"Love you, Erin. We're all here for you," Quaid replied. "You're such an incredible, talented force of nature and I consider myself incredibly lucky to know you. Keep shining bright. Leave the trolls to us. We got your back."

Nathan Mitchell, known for his role as Black Noir on The Boys, posted a series of heart emojis. Colby Minifie, who plays perpetually frazzled Vought publicist Ashley, called Moriarty "one of the strongest people" she knows.

"Love you ! @erinelairmoriarty," wrote the Deep actor Chace Crawford.

Based on the comics by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys is centered in a world where superheroes are not only real, but they've been turned into a corporatized billion-dollar industry. Kripke and his team of writers are constantly using this premise to satirize the world around them. Starlight's arc, in particular, was used to comment on the Hollywood "casting couch" as well as prevalent misogyny.

"I think the really important thing about addressing toxic masculinity in this season is that we address it with a character that you never expect to see it from," Moriarty said of Starlight and Hughie's season 3 arc on EW's On Set video series. "In fact, when they first start dating, he empowers her and says that her powers don't make him feel emasculated. I think that's partially what makes her fall deeper in love with him. And so I think that it reflects the fact that people can be paradoxical and contradict themselves and be really complicated."

"I think the most important thing is that someone who is unambiguously good — and that is Hughie — can experience toxic masculinity," she continued. "It doesn't make him a bad person as long as he is able to eventually self-assess, step out of it, and learn from it, which he does."

Trolls, take note.

This story has been updated with a statement from Eric Kripke.

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