Actress Jodie Comer, best known for playing Villanelle on “Killing Eve,” began trending on Twitter after rumors emerged that she was currently dating a Trump supporter. Comer has been vocal in her support for the Black Lives Matter movement and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. However, people are now calling her actions on social media “performative activism,” after some alleged that she was dating someone who opposed the issues she stands for.
Some Twitter users claimed to have found Comer’s boyfriend, a man named James Burke. He is allegedly registered as a Republican and follows accounts supporting Mitt Romney. The news enraged fans of both Jodie Comer and “Killing Eve”, saying it wasn’t right that Comer got to play a powerful woman on television when she was dating a Republican. People have also pointed out the actress’ attempt to keep her personal life private and speculated that she did this in order to hide her boyfriend and his beliefs.
jodie comer actually scare me bc she’ll be the biggest advocate for gay/trans rights, anti racism and womens rights but then date a man who believes in nothing of the sort. is she okay?
— iz (@wonderscoven) July 8, 2020
#jodiecomerisoverparty so the reason why you want privacy so much is to hide your republican boyfriend? who has histories of physically assault? who oppose to basic human rights? says a lot jodie comer. shame on you.
— nicole (@coalgillies) July 8, 2020
Other Twitter users have come to Comer’s defense, claiming that the beliefs of her boyfriend weren’t grounds to get her “cancelled.” Some people have even questioned the validity of this news, saying that there is no proof that Comer was dating this specific individual.
Logs on to twitter. Wonders who is cancelled today. Ah, the insanely talented Jodie Comer for *checks notes* allegedly dating someone not on the approved list. Looking at the comments on the hash tag I’m undecided as to whether this is fascism or plain old online bullying. pic.twitter.com/Pslo6RZe9W
— MrsKrabapple (@MrsKrabapple) July 8, 2020
so everyone is cancelling jodie comer for dating a republican…yet no one knows if the name they have matches up to the guy she was photographed with?? so without any actual evidence the internet is “cancelling” another celebrity,, worms for brains
— ⚢ #BLM (@groovymoonbeams) July 8, 2020
While it is not yet clear if the rumors are legitimate, they have raised questions about whether someone is accountable for the beliefs of their significant other.
