Chris Evans invites bullied boy to Avengers: Infinity War premiere
Hollywood is reaching out to Keaton Jones after a heartbreaking Facebook video saw him become a new rallying cry of the anti-bullying movement.
Avengers: Infinity War stars Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans were amongst them, with the latter offering Keaton an invite to the LA premiere of the film next year, writing: "Don't let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better."
Ruffalo added, "I was bullied when I was a kid. You are right, it gets better! You are my own personal super hero. Protect Yo Heart. You got a pal in the Hulk."
Star Wars: The Last Jedi's Mark Hamill also shared his support on Twitter. "They're sad people who think hurting others will make them feel better because they really don't like themselves," he wrote. "They're just jealous because you're so smart and handsome."
On Friday, Keaton's mother, Kimberly Jones, posted the video on her Facebook page, shortly after picking her son up from school because he was too afraid and upset to go to lunch. Describing having milk poured on him and being called ugly for the head scars left from a tumour operation, Keaton asked: "Just out of curiosity, why do they bully?"
"What’s the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to ’em? It’s not okay. It’s not okay!" he added. "People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault. They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends."
In a message accompanying the video, Kimberly wrote, "My kids are by no stretch perfect, and at home, he’s as all boy as they come, but by all accounts he’s good at school. Talk to your kids. I’ve even had friends of mine tell me kids were only nice to him to get him to mess with people."
Stay strong, Keaton. Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better. While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year? https://t.co/s1QwCQ3toi
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) December 10, 2017
Little buddy, I was bullied when I was a kid. You are right #ItGetsBetter! You are my own personal super hero. Protect Yo Heart. You got a pal in the Hulk. https://t.co/fRTAENcmV4
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) December 10, 2017
Keaton-Don't waste time wondering why a bully would be so mean-They're sad people who think hurting others will make them feel better because they really don't like themselves-They're just jealous because you're so smart & handsome Your friend-mh https://t.co/SUMw3OoCTm
— @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) December 10, 2017
@Lakyn_Jones Keaton, this is so accurate. Why do people do this? I think your sooo cool Keaton! I wanna be your friend ( but srsly) ur freakin awesome
— Millie Bobby Brown (@milliebbrown) December 9, 2017
Keaton, I'm sorry those kids are being so mean. Unless people like that change they will end up having unhappy lives. I think you're cool!
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) December 9, 2017
Oh sweet boy. We see you. You are not alone. https://t.co/splq8LEMFR
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) December 10, 2017
Hi @Lakyn_Jones, could you pass this message along to Keaton? pic.twitter.com/3l8P4fKAqW
— Hailee Steinfeld (@HaileeSteinfeld) December 10, 2017
A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on Dec 10, 2017 at 7:50am PST
"We all know how it feels to want to belong, but only a select few know how it really feels not to belong anywhere." Within 24 hours, the post had racked up nearly 20 million views, and clearly left a mark on many who watched it.
Millie Bobby Brown, who stars as Eleven on Stranger Things, wrote on Twitter in response to the video [sic]: "Keaton, this is so accurate. Why do people do this? I think your sooo cool Keaton! I wanna be your friend (but srsly) ur freakin awesome."
Hailiee Steinfeld also invited Keaton to a film premiere: Pitch Perfect 3, adding in a video that, "I just wanted to say I think you are amazing."
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