Patti LuPone apologized to fellow actresses Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald on Saturday after her comments towards them in a New Yorker article led to over 500 Broadway professionals condemning her actions.
“For as long as I have worked in the theatre, I have spoken my mind and never apologized. That is changing today,” the Tony-winning actress shared on Instagram.
“I am deeply sorry for the words I used during the New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful,” she continued. “I regret my flippant and emotional responses during the interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community. I hope to have the chance to speak to Audra and Kecia personally to offer my sincere apologies.”
“I wholeheartedly agree with everything that was written in the open letter shared yesterday. From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don’t belong anywhere else,” LuPone concluded her message. “I made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better.”
The “Agatha All Along” star’s apology comes five days after she said “Gypsy” Tony nominee McDonald was not a friend, while adding of “Hell’s Kitchen” lead Lewis: “Don’t call yourself a vet, bitch.”
In response, “The Good Fight” actress McDonald told Gayle King on Thursday, “If there’s a rift between us, I don’t know what it is. That’s something you’d have to ask Patti about. You know, I haven’t seen her in about 11 years just because we’ve been busy just with life. So I don’t know what rift she’s talking about, but you’d have to ask her.”
The open letter published by Playbill called LuPone’s comments “emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence,” with language that was “not only degrading and misogynistic — it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect.”
The letter also asked the American Theatre Wing to disinvite LuPone from the 2025 Tony Awards next weekend.
