The Broadway world is reeling following a surprising new interview given by legendary actor Patti LuPone wherein she threw shade at fellow Broadway vets Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis. However some Black theater followers say LuPone has crossed the road.
For context, LuPone sat down with The New Yorker over the weekend, giving a wide-ranging interview about her life, profession, reveals—and her aforementioned friends.
In relation to Lewis, LuPone’s difficulty along with her stems from their respective runs on Broadway again in 2024 after they had been performing widespread reveals in theaters that had been proper subsequent door to one another. After complaining to venue larger ups that Lewis’ present was “too loud,” Lewis responded on social media on the time by calling out LuPone for her “bullying” and “privilege,”—thus sparking their feud. McDonald additionally supplied help for Lewis on the time by commenting on her video. In relation to the “Gypsy” star, she and LuPone haven’t been seeing eye to eye for some years now, although it’s unclear simply when their “beef started.”
Chatting with The New Yorker and reflecting on her her ill-feelings in direction of each ladies, LuPone didn’t mince phrases. Recalling the drama, LuPone stated she took difficulty with McDonald siding with Lewis.
“I assumed, ‘You must know higher.’ That’s typical of Audra,” Lupone stated of McDonald, noting later that she “wasn’t a good friend.” Lupone additionally declined to talk on her Tony-nominated efficiency in “Gypsy,” opting as a substitute to reportedly stare out of a window for 15 seconds earlier than saying: “What a fantastic day.”
Turning her consideration to Lewis, Lupone scoffed: “She calls herself a veteran? Let’s learn how many Broadway reveals Kecia Lewis has carried out, as a result of she doesn’t know what the f*ck she’s speaking about. She’s carried out seven. I’ve carried out 31. Don’t name your self a vet, bitch!”
Surely, Lewis has 10 Broadway credit whereas Lupone has 28. McDonald can be essentially the most Tony-nominated actor in Broadway historical past and has taken residence six awards.
Numbers apart although, one Lupone’s phrases hit the web, theater followers had been fast to hop on-line to tug her for crossing the road when talking about icons like McDonald and Lewis.
For TikTok consumer Samantha Marie Ware, she’s fed up with the system that permits folks like LuPone to constantly showcase her dangerous habits, particularly because it pertains to Black ladies on Broadway.
“Patti Lupone has been enabled to say and do no matter she needs for therefore lengthy as a result of that’s what that trade serves and protects,” she stated. “And in case you don’t know what I’m speaking about, I’m speaking about white ladies or something that’s adjoining to whiteness.”
She went on to say that Lupone was unsuitable for calling Lewis out her title and defined the folks round her who’ve let her go on for years along with her perspective gained’t converse out to sentence her.
Over on X/Twitter, related sentiments had been expressed.
“That Patti Lupone article simply screams jealousy to me. You mad trigger you’ve carried out twice as a lot reveals and didn’t get half as a lot Tony wins as Audra huh? Previous bitter b*tch!,” wrote one consumer.
“I like Patti LuPone, however honey, don’t EVER come for THE AUDRA MCDONALD, OKAY!! I’ve met Audra, and after I say TALENTED, AMAZING, SHOWSTOPPING, ONE OF A KIND, NEVER THE SAME, GIFTED, I imply it!,” stated one other.
Added one different consumer, “patti not solely known as a black lady a bitch, she tried to decrease her place within the theatre neighborhood. patti lupone can’t determine that kecia lewis isn’t a veteran by holding her profession to the identical normal as hers, a white lady. and it was racist of her to attempt.”
“Reality be informed, Patti LuPone has been getting away along with her nasty perspective for years. A long time, no matter you wish to name it,” one different consumer wrote. “Broadway has rewarded it each time. This isn’t realized habits. That is who she has at all times been, and that’s why our trade shouldn’t be broadly revered.”