Evan Rachel Wood has describedStranger Thingscharacter Jim Hopper’s (David Harbour) behaviour towards Joyce Byers (Winona Ryer) as unattractive and toxic.
The Westworld star posted a series of tweets about the hit Netflix show’s third season, where she warned viewers to avoid dating men like Chief Hopper.
She pointed out several specific moments in the series, such as when Hopper flies into a rage at Byers for missing their dinner together.
“Yes, I am aware [it’s] ‘just a show’ and it’s set ‘in the Eighties, even though this stuff was unacceptable then, too. But that’s exactly my point. It’s just a show and this is a gentle reminder not to fall for this crap in real life,” she wrote.
“She [Joyce] is allowed to stand him up without being screamed at,” Wood tweeted. “Especially when she is worried about her children. Priority number one. He also insisted it wasn’t a date and clearly he lied. She shouldn’t have rescheduled. He should have gone to therapy.”
Some of Wood’s followers agreed with her, while others accused Wood of taking things out of proportion and for not allowing fictional characters to have flaws.
One follower tried to use Wood’s own logic against her by referring to her own character in Westworld.
“You should never date a woman like Dolores/Wyatt from Westworld,” they wrote. “They will legit kill you and reprogramme your mind to make you do what they want. To the point you commit suicide,” the user wrote. “They are not sexy like TV would have you believe.”
“I totally agree,” Wood responded. “I play a robot who murders people because they wouldn’t stop raping and killing her for 30 years. Not saying that’s right either. Though some would argue self-defence. Dolores is as single as they come.”
Wood has spoken previously about her experiences of domestic abuse and self-harm on her Instagram account, and launched the #IAmNotOK movement to encourage other survivors to share their stories.
It is unclear whether Wood has watched the final episode of season three, where Hopper writes a letter to his adopted daughter, Eleven, where he addresses and apologises for his behaviour towards her and her boyfriend Mike, after recognising that he needs to stop trying to control her and let her live her own life.
Stranger Things season three is currently streaming on Netflix.
