Actor Orlando Bloom said Saturday that Mayor Kevin Faulconer left a Comic-Con exhibit that featured immigrant characters, but the mayor's office disputed the actor's claim.
Bloom made the comment about the mayor during Friday's panel for the new series from Amazon called "Carnival Row."
According to Variety, Bloom told the audience that Faulconer stopped by the Prime Video activation and chose the Carnival Row section to enter.
In the installation, fans are asked if they want to be a human or a creature. According to Bloom, the mayor chose creature and was then given an identity card. Since all creatures are immigrants in Carnival Row, his card explained that he was "a mythological scrappy immigrant trying to make it in an oppressive new land."
Bloom claimed that the mayor said something to the effect of, "Oh no, I can't have anything to do with immigration" and left the activation.
In response to Bloom's claims, a spokeswoman for Faulconer's office issued the following statement:
"The mayor enjoyed visiting several studio installations set up throughout San Diego this week, and unfortunately there was a slight wait there and he had to move along. We're excited Amazon is showcasing its new shows in San Diego this week. Mayor Faulconer and his administration actively work with nonprofits and local agencies to provide shelter to migrant families, and has a long record of advocating for comprehensive immigration reform."
San Diego Comic-Con 2019 ended Sunday with a memorial for former Comic-Con President John Rogers, who died in November at age 57.
The annual five-day convention brings in more than $147 million in economic activity to San Diego County. An estimated 130,000 people are expected to attend the festival this year.
