Final week, the massively well-liked gaming esports and content material creator group known as FaZe Clan signed Stranger Issues season 4 actor Grace Van Dien. Its group has been in shambles ever since, as soon as once more exposing the misogynistic underbelly of among the group’s fandom. Now Van Dien has locked her Twitter account and eliminated the FaZe Clan moniker from her bio after founding member FaZe Rain posted a video of the 2 assembly in particular person for the primary time that ended with the actor leaving in tears.
“FaZe isn’t any stranger to contrasting viewpoints and passionate opinions on the way forward for the model,” FaZe Clan’s official account tweeted on May 31. “Recruitment has all the time drawn that out. However make no mistake, the mistreatment of our latest member is on no account OK. Grace joined in hopes to carry her voice to FaZe & we stand by her.”
It’s the only real assertion the corporate, which stays embattled as members lash out on the corporatization of the model because it went public final yr, has made concerning the backlash to Van Dien’s signing and the focusing on of her by followers and FaZe stars alike. The controversy started when FaZe Clan introduced the actor-turned-Twitch-streamer’s signing on Could 25. Longtime male members like Censor, Banks, and Adapt accused the model of promoting out for some fast clout off the Stranger Issues actor’s Hollywood reputation somewhat than her gaming or content-creating chops.
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As followers piled on, Rain was significantly dismissive of Van Dien in a reaction video, saying she was simply an “harmless woman” who most likely had no concept what was occurring. The rant turned much more sexist and misogynistic as he claimed she was most likely nonetheless “taking part in with Barbies” whereas he was making his first million, and known as her “excruciatingly mid, who I’d by no means let contact me on my drunkest evening.” Van Dien responded by saying that whereas Rain was identified for trickshots, she knew him as the one who nearly overdosed on stream.
The 2 ended up agreeing to satisfy in particular person, which solely ended up making issues worse. The encounter was filmed and later uploaded to YouTube on Could 30 by Rain in an edited format interspersed with extra reactions and feedback from him. Whereas Van Dien admitted the overdose feedback went too far she confronted him about past sexist remarks, whereas Rain accused her of getting emotional and never having the ability to take a joke. On the finish of the video Van Dien leaves the room and says if the video was uploaded she would go away FaZe. Her Twitter account is now non-public and the reference to FaZe in her bio has been eliminated.
Van Dien and Rain couldn’t instantly be reached for remark. FaZe Clan declined to touch upon whether or not Rain can be sanctioned in any approach or if Van Dien was nonetheless with the group.
