YouTube star Kian Lawley will not appear in the upcoming adaptation of bestselling young adult novel “The Hate U Give” after a video of Lawley making racist statements began making rounds online. “Due to the controversy surrounding his past comments and behavior, Kian Lawley will no longer appear in ‘The Hate U Give,'” a spokesperson for Twentieth Century Fox Films said in a statement. Lawley was cast in “The Hate U Give,” based on the Angela Thomas novel, late last year. An undated video of Lawley making racist remarks was uploaded late last month and drew enough attention to prompt a response from Lawley two days ago, before he was let go from the film. Following news that he would be replaced in the movie, Lawley said, “I respect Fox’s decision to recast this role for ‘The Hate U Give’ as it is an important story, and it would not be appropriate for me to be involved considering the actions of my past. With that being said, I am fully aware of the mistakes I have made and strive every day to become a better me than I was yesterday,” he said.
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