AN ACTRESS FROM the hit TV show The Boys has said she was made to feel “deeply uncomfortable” because of an inappropriate “demand” that was made repeatedly at Comic Con Northern Ireland.
Comic Con NI began in 2022 and it held at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn, close to Belfast.
It’s a fan convention where people get to meet the stars and creators of popular movies, TV shows, and video games.
Valorie Curry, who plays Firecracker in the Amazon Prime series The Boys, was one of the guests at this year’s Comic Con NI, which was held on Saturday and Sunday.
The Boys is a satirical superhero TV series based on a comic book of the same name.
In a video on her Instagram page on Sunday, Curry said that “by and large, everyone was fantastic” at Comic Con NI.
Curry added that she has “only just started doing conventions on my own, and everyone, for the most part, has been so lovely and so kind and so respectful”.
However, she added that “we need to talk about boundaries and what is appropriate in terms of behaviour”.
“People saw a character that I played do some pretty extreme things on The Boys and I don’t care if you’re in costume, I don’t care if you are in character, it’s not okay,” said Curry on the incident at Comic Con NI.
“It’s not funny to demand those things from me in person at my booth.”
Valorie Curry from The Boys after an incident in Belfast Comic Con, where someone dressed like Homelander sexually harassed her. pic.twitter.com/DXFXRjdm9G
— AskAubry 🦝 (@ask_aubry) September 8, 2024
She said this demand was made “repeatedly”.
“I made it pretty clear that it wasn’t okay,” said Curry, “and that only seemed to make this person and their friend angry.”
“I didn’t think this needed to be explained, but I was deeply uncomfortable and it was quite clear I was uncomfortable.”
Curry said she enjoys meeting fans and wants to be able to attend conventions but added: “I’m not going to be able to do this if people are acting this way, because it makes me so uncomfortable, and honestly, you should know better.
“I don’t know what reaction you were looking for; nobody was laughing.”
Further remarking on the incident in Lisburn, Curry said: “Iif you’re thinking about it, if you think it’s going to be funny, or you think it’s going to be a bit or a moment, it’s not and it’s honestly just going to make me feel bad.
“So please think about that before coming up to talk to me. Please, just think about what’s appropriate and what’s professional and kind.”
Curry said she is looking forward to future conventions with “everyone who is so respectful and kind and would never dream of acting this way”.
The event is run by Monopoly Events, and in a statement to BBC NI, a spokesperson said the company had been in contact with Curry following the incident.
In a statement to BBC News NI, a spokesperson for Monopoly Events said that actors and guests who attend these events “are here as themselves”.
“They are not in character or portraying the roles you see on the screen,” said the spokesperson.
“Please treat all of the guests and each other with respect, and be aware that it isn’t acceptable to make inappropriate comments regardless of being in cosplay and ‘portraying’ a character yourself.
“Making a guest, or other person, feel uncomfortable for you and your friends amusement is unacceptable.
“We have a zero tolerance policy to this behaviour and if any guest or member of the public feels harassed, please highlight any concerns you have to a member of our security team.”
Cosplay involves dressing up as, and often acting as, a character from a fictional work such as a TV show, movie, or video game.
In an FAQ section on cosplay on the Comic Con NI website, it is noted that Monopoly Events “adopt a strict consent policy with anyone wishing to take a photo with a cosplayer”.
It adds: “If you have a picture taken with a cosplayer, you may not initiate any physical contact without permission.
“Even a hug or arm around the shoulder must be consented. If you are unsure, then stick to a simple NO contact rule.”
The FAQ also noted that the “security team reserve the right to remove anyone who we deem to be harassing or behaving inappropriately towards other attendees”.
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