Master Chief TV Actor Breaks His Silence On Fan Hate

Before the "Halo" television adaptation even premiered, fans were already worried about it. A leaked trailer gave fans a peek at what the protagonist, Master Chief, would look like, and longtime video game fans weren't too pleased. The helmeted warrior is quite a bit different than he is in the video game series, and even reveals his face early on in the show. While the showrunners insisted that revealing Master Chief's identity was important to the story of "Halo," the video game series has a huge rule that he never reveals what he looks like under the helmet. After all, Master Chief's anonymity helps with player immersion, and it's perhaps best to not detail the horrific surgical experiments he endured during his childhood.

The Paramount Plus branded "Halo" series defies tradition by having Master Chief take off his helmet, and fans have largely disapproved of the decision. They swiftly took their grievances online and it was only a matter of time before Pablo Schreiber, the actor who portrays Master Chief in the show, posted a response to the discussion. Schreiber uploaded a message to fans (and haters alike) on Instagram, explaining his feelings about the show and the response it's received so far. While he's incredibly grateful for the support, Schreiber didn't mince words for those that found the "Halo" adaptation disappointing.

Pablo Schreiber broke his silence after the premiere of "Halo" in an Instagram post. Schreiber began by celebrating the large viewership of "Halo," commenting that it was the second most-streamed piece of media after "Coda," which won the Oscar for Best Picture. He thanked fans that had made the show a success, saying, " I am honored and humbled to be in service to this amazing universe and lore." Schreiber promised that the show would soon expand to other countries on Paramount Plus, and that "Halo" will be free to become popular all over the world.

After all of that goodwill, Schreiber had a special message "for all the 'fans' rooting against the home team, who hated the show before they saw it and disagree with what we are doing." Schreiber explained that while those gamers' opinions are valid and important, they were predisposed to dislike a show that further popularizes a franchise they love. He encouraged those fans to be a bit more open-minded about the "Halo" series and to remember that he has the same goal as viewers: to make enrich and expand the world of "Halo."

Ultimately, Schreiber pledged to keep doing his best to make the show a success. He communicated that he's passionate about the world of "Halo" and wants to bring it to as many people as possible, and he insinuated that any true fan of the game series should want the same thing. That being said, readers of Schreiber's post didn't stay quiet on the subject, and instead let the world know exactly how they felt. When HaloHubNews on Twitter reposted Schreiber's comment, gamers responded in kind with mixed opinions.

Reactions to Schreiber's statement – and the "Halo" series itself – ran the gamut online, and viewers seemed divided on their opinions of the show. Some found issue with Schreiber's tone, and one viewer said, "Hate when actors talk down to their audience like this. A lot of people are watching and still disagree with the direction being taken, but are trying to give it a chance." Others said the problem wasn't with Schreiber himself, but with the writing and direction of the show, which diverts from the established story of the games.

One fan even said that the issue wasn't with the show itself, but its source content, pointing out that the show is an adaptation of the "Halo" novels, not the "Halo" games. Gamers will never be satisfied with the series if it's not covering the same stories as the games, the viewer explained, but that's not an issue with the show itself. Instead, gamers should shift their expectations accordingly. It may be that the cause of fans' disappointment with the "Halo" show isn't Schreiber at all, as actors don't typically have a hand in writing the script for a project. 

Many fans felt upset that the "Halo" show has a completely different continuity from the games and is based more on the "Halo" novel series. This seems to have led to confusion about what lore or plot points are considered canon, which has upset fans of the game series even more. Regardless of how fans feel about the new property, Season 2 of "Halo" is further along than one might think. The show will continue to move forward, with Master Chief's unhelmeted face leading the way.