Patti LuPone Faces Backlash for Comments Made About Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis
- Leah Gordone
- Jun 7, 2025
- 2 min read
On May 26th, 2025, Broadway actress and singer #PattiLupone wrote an article with the publication, The New Yorker. In this piece, Lupone talked about her long career on Broadway, recent endeavors, and other actresses in the Broadway space. What stood out in the interview to most of the public was the comments she made about #AudraMcDonald and #KeciaLewis, both Broadway actresses.
In the interview, Lupone spoke about Lewis and said, “She calls herself a veteran? Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done because she doesn’t know what the f*ck she’s talking about. She’s done seven. I’ve done 31. Don’t call yourself a vet, b*tch!” When referring to McDonald, Lupone said that she was not a friend and declined to comment when asked about her recent performance in the play Gypsy.
Audra McDonald responded to Lupone’s comments on “CBS Mornings” and said “I mean if there’s a rift between us, I don’t know what it is” She continued to say “That’s something you’d have to ask Patti about..I haven’t seen her in about 11 years because I’ve been busy with life and stuff. Many celebrities came out in defense of Lewis and McDonald including Yvette Nicole Brown, Natasha Rothwell, Bernice A. King, Viola Davis, and more.
In the #Broadway industry, an open letter to the American Theatre Wing, the Broadway League, and the Greater Theater Community was then signed by over 500 Broadway Artists condemning Lupone’s comments. They said it was "degrading and misogynistic—it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect. It constitutes bullying. It constitutes harassment. It is emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence."
Patti Lupone has since then apologized for her comments in a social media post and said “For as long as I have worked in the theater, I have spoken my mind and never apologized...That is changing today. I am deeply sorry for the words I used during the New Yorker, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful."
Writer: Rayven Alsobrook (@rayvensierraa), Sources: The New Yorker, Playbill.com, 📸: NBC News, Getty Images, Heather Gershonowitz
Comments