Warning: This article discusses inappropriate content towards a minor that some readers may find distressing.
An official Stranger Things artist has responded after receiving major backlash over his reply to a disgusting comment about a child actor from the show.
The artist in question, Butcher Billy, has created official artwork for all five seasons of the Netflix show. He was hired by the Duffer Brothers ahead of season one.
Billy came under fire on social media after responding to a disgusting sexual tweet aimed at a child actor from the show, Nell Fisher. Fisher, who plays Holly in the fifth season of the show, is just 14, was just 13 at the time of filming.
Advert
The Stranger Things X account posted a poster the artist drew of Holly, leading one sick user to respond saying: “They even got her DSL’s in this image perfect lol”.
Billy replied to the tweet with a GIF bowing and saying thank you, something which has sparked viral controversy online.
‘DSL’ is an online abbreviation for ‘d**k sucking lips’, something fans were quick to point out and slam Billy for.
One post on X said: “do you wanna address this Netflix? employing [Billy] who's openly agreeing with disgusting/pedophilic things being said about the art he officially created of a child actor on one of your biggest shows?”
A comment underneath a post about the controversy on Reddit said: “Part of me wants to give him the benefit of the doubt because I had no idea what DSL meant until this post, but men constantly disappoint me, so I'm side eyeing the hell out of this.”
The artist has now responded, claiming he had no idea what the term meant.
He said in a statement on X: “I've been hearing a lot from you about a recent GIF I replied to a comment on one of my art posts. There has been a lot of confusion so I felt I should clarify this to you all.
“The next few days have been crazy and I have been replying most of your nice comments with a quick emoji or a GIF, like I use to do on all of my socials. It turns out that one of the comments had an acronym in the middle that I've never heard of.
“The comment looked like a compliment to the art, so I replied back with a funny GIF Turns out that this obscure acronym meant something bad that I really should have checked out before replying! That was totally on me!”
Adding a facepalm emoji, the artist went on to finally add: “As soon as you pointed that out, I quickly deleted the GIF and the initial culprit user was rightfully banned.
“I reiterate my commitment to ethical values, social responsibility, and respect for human rights, a commitment reflected in my professional and artistic career.”
This trend disappointingly is not a new one amongst Stranger Things fandoms, with the main cast having been subject to gross sexualisation when they were child actors.
Millie Bobby Brown has spoken in the past about being sexualised despite starting acting on the show at just 12 years old. Brown was included in a list of reasons TV was ‘sexier than ever’ by W magazine when she was just 13.
When she turned 16 she posted a video slamming headlines about her, calling for an end to ‘inappropriate comments’ about her, specifically noting the sexualisation she had received.
Finn Wolfhard has also spoken about receiving similar treatment, with one 27-year-old model posting a video when he was 14 saying he should contact her in four years' time.
He called this ‘nuts’, adding: “Oh, that was nuts. That was gross. That's good that she apologised, it's weird but... it's fine.”
LADbible have contacted Netflix and Billy Butcher for comment.
Topics: Netflix, Social Media, Stranger Things, TV, TV and Film
Michael Slavin