Patti LuPone is facing more fallout from a recent interview in the New Yorker in which she dissed fellow Broadway star, and former friend, Audra McDonald and referred to Kecia Lewis as a “bitch.”
On Friday, an open letter signed by more than 500 artists called her out for “deeply inappropriate and unacceptable public comments.” Among the names who signed it were “Elsbeth” star Wendell Pierce, Rachel Hilson, a co-lead in the new HBO Max series “Duster” and Susan Kelechi Watson of “This is Us” and “The Residence.”
The letter, which was shared by Playbill, stated that its purpose was not to “shame or isolate,” but to call for “accountability, justice, and respect — rooted in love for the art form and for the people who make it possible.”
The missive specifically called out LuPone’s remark about Lewis, who won at this year’s Tony Awards for 2024’s production of the musical “Hell’s Kitchen.” In the article LuPone said Lewis was mistaken to call herself a Broadway veteran and that she “didn’t know what the f–k” she was talking about. She then referred to her as a bitch. “[Referring to] a Black woman and a 40-year veteran of the American stage—as a ‘bitch.’ This language is not only degrading and misogynistic—it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect.”
It described LuPone’s comments not just as bullying and harassment but as “emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence.”
LuPone was also chided for “publicly attack[ing] a woman who has contributed to this art form with such excellence, leadership and grace—and to discredit the legacy of Audra McDonald, the most nominated and awarded performer in Tony Award history—is not simply a personal offense. It is a public affront to the values of collaboration, equity and mutual respect that our theater community claims to uphold.” In the same New Yorker article she also made comments about McDonald saying, “She’s not a friend.”
“Let us be clear: this is about more than one person,” the Broadway letter continued. “It is about a culture. A pattern. A persistent failure to hold people accountable for violent, disrespectful or harmful behavior—especially when they are powerful or well-known … No artist, producer, director, or leader—regardless of legacy or celebrity—should be allowed to weaponize their platform to belittle, threaten or devalue others without consequence. Period.”
The signees additionally called for American Theatre Wing to disinvite LuPone from the next Tony Awards.
You can read a PDF of the full letter here.
“Gypsy” starring McDonald is currently playing at the Majestic Theatre in New York City. She earned a record-making 11th Tony Award nomination for her performance.
For her part, McDonald told Gayle King earlier this week she had no idea why LuPone was so mad at her. “If there’s a rift between us, I don’t know what it is. That’s something you’d have to ask Patti about. I have not 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 would have to ask her.”
TheWrap has reached out to LuPone’s reps for comment.
The post Broadway Artists Call for Patti LuPone to Be Disinvited From Tony Awards Over Audra McDonald, Kecia Lewis Comments appeared first on TheWrap.