Actor Hartley Sawyer just got fired from The Flash after previous tweets showing him being racist surfaced. 

The 35-year-old actor had been playing the role of Ralph Dibney or the Elongated Man since season 4. He started as a recurring role but in the last two seasons, he was already a series regular. CNN reports that the actor will no longer be returning to his role. The CW stated that in light of the tweets, which were published around 2012, they are no longer willing to work with the actor. The network does not tolerate derogatory remarks on race, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin. 

It's not just the network that made the statement, but also Grant Gustin, who plays the title character. In his post, he said that the tweets broke his heart but also made him mad. He claimed that it shows just how big the problem is in the country. He said that he will endeavor to find black and brown workers to help with the production of The Flash. 

The actor has apologized since then, saying in an Instagram post that he is not making excuses for his behavior and that he is ashamed and disappointed for his ignorance then. He reiterates that he is not the same person as he has been helped by friends and personal experiences to become a more responsible adult. 

The question now is just how much the series will change now that Sawyer will no longer be part of season 7. Like many shows, The Flash had to end their season early due to the coronavirus pandemic. The production had to be shut down early and season six had to end with only 19 episodes. The season ended with a cliffhanger, with Iris missing and also the villain actually winning. 

With Sawyer no longer returning, there is the question of just how smoothly they can continue the storyline. Before all this happened, his character Ralph was all set to have a love storyline with Sue, played by Natalie Dreyfuss. 

The new season of The Flash will be back by 2021, as there are delays in the production. It remains to be seen just how the producers will handle Sawyer's exit from the show. Digital Spy claims that they could actually just cast a new actor for the role. Since the Elongated Man is a shapeshifter, they can just add a storyline where he has an alternate version.