Lea Michele, best known for her starring role in Glee, is facing widespread backlash after Marie Ware, a Black actress, said Michele made working on Glee a “living hell”.”
Marie Ware on an episode of ‘Glee’
The comment was made in response to a Tweet Michele made on May 29 in support of #BlackLivesMatter, in which Michele wrote, “George Floyd did not deserve this. This was not an isolated incident and it must end.”
LMAO REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?! CAUSE ILL NEVER FORGET. I BELIEVE YOU TOLD EVERYONE THAT IF TOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD “SHIT IN MY WIG!” AMONGST OTHER TRAUMATIC MICROAGRESSIONS THAT MADE ME QUESTION A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD… https://t.co/RkcaMBmtDA
— SAMEYAAAAAA (@Sammie_Ware) June 2, 2020
“REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?!” Ware responded.
In response, Michele told PEOPLE magazine that she didn’t remember making the remarks but that she understood she “acted in ways which hurt other people.”
“One of the most important lessons of the last few weeks is that we need to take the time to listen and learn about other people’s perspectives and any role we have played or anything we can do to help address the injustices that they face,” she told the magazine.
Her apology was criticized by many who said she didn’t directly take responsibility for her microaggressions while on set and vaguely alluded to them.
this you? pic.twitter.com/To7HdasANd
— ang #BLM (@ohgodlygrande) June 2, 2020
glee stans at lea michele rn pic.twitter.com/M8WTjiqf9E
— ellie (@goldenagron) June 3, 2020
Lea Michele forgetting she told people that she wanted to shit in someone’s wig. pic.twitter.com/BaSRmEdbDQ
— Megan (@_megcn_) June 3, 2020
This is the latest in a series of celebrities who are have been deemed hypocritical for coming out in support of Black Lives Matter while perpetuating anti-blackness in their everyday lives. Among them is Priyanka Chopra Jonas.