Broadway legend Patti LuPone has issued a public apology following backlash over controversial remarks she made about fellow performers Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald. LuPone’s mea culpa comes after an open letter signed by over 500 members of the theatre community condemned her comments as “inappropriate and unacceptable,” calling them out as bullying and tinged with racial bias. The 76-year-old three-time Tony Award winner acknowledged the criticism and expressed remorse in a statement on social media. “For as long as I have worked in the theatre, I have spoken my mind and never apologized. That is changing today,” LuPone wrote, signaling a rare reversal for the outspoken star.
The controversy stems from a profile published last week in The New Yorker, in which LuPone made dismissive remarks about Kecia Lewis. When asked about Lewis – a Black actress who had publicly accused LuPone of unprofessional behavior – LuPone scoffed at Lewis’s veteran status in theatre, crudely remarking, “She calls herself a veteran?… she doesn’t know what the f— she’s talking about.” LuPone had been upset over noise from a neighboring show (Hell’s Kitchen, featuring Lewis) interfering with her play, and Lewis claimed LuPone’s complaints led to harmful sound changes. In the same interview, LuPone took a swipe at Audra McDonald after the six-time Tony winner appeared to support Lewis on Instagram. “That’s typical of Audra. She’s not a friend,” LuPone said of McDonald, hinting at past friction without elaborating.
The Broadway community’s response was swift. Leaders and performers circulated an open letter denouncing LuPone’s language as “degrading and misogynistic… a blatant act of racialized disrespect.” Facing mounting pressure, LuPone apologized directly. She admitted her “flippant and emotional responses” in the interview were inappropriate and said she was “devastated that my behavior has offended others.” LuPone vowed to “take full responsibility” and to do better, stressing that theatre “has always been about lifting each other up… I made a mistake… and I am committed to making this right.” She added that she hopes to speak with both McDonald and Lewis personally to offer sincere apologies.
For her part, Audra McDonald appeared taken aback by LuPone’s initial remarks. In an interview with CBS, McDonald said she hadn’t actually spoken to LuPone in 11 years. “If there’s a rift between us, I don’t know what it is. That’s something you’d have to ask Patti about,” McDonald remarked, indicating she was unaware of any feud. McDonald has not publicly responded to LuPone’s apology yet. Meanwhile, many in the Broadway world are praising the community solidarity that prompted LuPone’s turnaround, viewing it as a step toward greater accountability even among the industry’s biggest names.
