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Tony-winning Broadway icon Patti LuPone is facing backlash after making controversial comments about fellow actresses Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis. The remarks have sparked widespread criticism within the theater community. Now, more than 500 members of the theater industry have come together to publicly denounce her remarks. They’ve signed a powerful open letter calling for accountability and change within the Broadway community.
The letter, addressed to the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, and the broader theater industry, criticizes LuPone’s remarks. They were made during a headline-making interview with The New Yorker. In the interview, she dismissed Audra McDonald as “not a friend” and referred to Kecia Lewis as a “b-tch.” The remarks, especially LuPone’s comments about Lewis’ experience in the industry, drew swift condemnation. Members of the theater community labeled them “degrading,” “misogynistic,” and a “blatant act of racialized disrespect.”
Courtney Love Joins Broadway Backlash Against Patti LuPone
Among the letter’s signatories is musician and actress Courtney Love. She joins hundreds of others from across the entertainment industry in speaking out. Together, they are calling attention to what they describe as a culture of unchecked behavior within the theater world. “This is a call for accountability, justice, and respect, rooted in love for the art form and for the people who make it possible,” the letter reads. “We believe our community can do better. We believe it must do better, especially when harm is done to those who have given so much to this industry.”
While the letter makes it clear that the goal is not to “shame,” “punish,” or “cancel” LuPone, it takes a firm stance on accountability. It suggests that those who use their platform to “publicly demean, harass, or disparage fellow artists” should no longer receive the same public recognition, including participation in events like the Tony Awards.
Open Letter Condemns Patti LuPone’s Remarks as Part of a Larger Culture of Harm in Theater
The letter also takes a firm stance on the broader implications of LuPone’s words, framing them not as isolated barbs but as part of a larger problem. “This 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,” the statement continues. “To publicly attack 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.”
LuPone has been the subject of controversy ever since the release of her New Yorker interview, in which she took direct aim at Lewis and questioned her qualifications. The tension stems from a dispute over noise levels between LuPone’s show and Lewis’ Hell’s Kitchen.
Patti LuPone’s Remarks About Kecia Lewis Spark Industry Uproar
After Lewis publicly accused LuPone of being a “bully” and making “racially microaggressive” comments, LuPone fired back during the interview, stating, “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 thirty-one. Don’t call yourself a vet, b-tch.” The New Yorker later clarified that Lewis had actually done 10 Broadway shows, while LuPone has appeared in 28.
In closing, the letter stressed that the pushback is not about dividing the theater world or targeting a single person, but about fostering a safer, more respectful community for all artists. “This is not about ‘canceling’ anyone or condemning them. It is about care. Care for our artists, our values, and the future of our shared craft.” As the conversation continues to unfold, many in the theater community are making it clear that words matter, and so does accountability.
