Twenty -five years ago, on a warm summer night in Los Angeles, Broadway Patty Lebon and Odra McDonald I closed a show at Hollywood Bowl With a consecutive appearance of “Get Happy”/ “Happy Days here again.”
Today, these happy days seem to have ended for the Tony Award winners.
in May 26 is an interview with New YorkerLoupon ignited a gunfire when she referred to McDonald as “not a friend” and refused to comment on McDonald’s The famous performance in “Roma”. (McDonald was nominated for the Tony 2025 Award in the category of Best Actress in a pioneering role in a musical field – her eleventh nomination.) Lubon also referred to the Tony Kisia Lewis winner, who, like McDonald, black, as a “prostitute”.
Speaking with Gayel King In the “CBS Mornings” clip, McDonald’s amazed from Lupone’s comments. She said: “If there is a dispute between us, then I do not know what it is.” “This is something that you should ask about. I haven’t seen it about 11 years ago, just because I was busy, only with life and things. I don’t know what you are talking about. (A full interview is scheduled to be broadcast this week, according to“ CBS Moorings ”Post Instagram.)
The Broadway Audra McDonald’s star arrives at the red carpet at the Acting Syndicate Awards at the 30th screen in Los Angeles in 2024.
(Brian Van der Bruges / Los Angeles Times)
After the general reaction, however, Lubon did something that it rarely doing. I apologize the explicit singer.
But this was not without some point.
in An open message from her colleagues In the theater community on May 30, more than 500 actors, including the Tony Windle Peres, James Monroe Igleasta, and Malia Joy Moon, were called “racial respect”, “bullying” and “harassment”. They have asked the American Theater League and the Broadway League inhibition of those who recover from his fellow artists, including Lebon, to attend industry events “including Tony Awards, donation and public programs.” (Tony 2025 Awards are scheduled to be held on June 8 in New York, will be broadcast on CBS and stream on Paramount+.)
On Saturday, Lebon responded to criticism in a A statement on its Instagram account: “I am very sorry for the words that I used during the New Yorker interview, especially about Kisia Lewis, who was insulting and lack of respect.
Lubon is good knowledge of calling people for herself, especially Members of the public who send the text During her theatrical performances. Last year, she even complained about noise Hell’s Kitchen When she performed in “The Fellow of the Room” with Mia Faru Neighboring.
After Lubon asked the theater owner to repair the sound because she found it very noisy, Lewis insulted Publish a video on Instagram, Lubon’s actions described it as “bullying”, “racist microagression” and “rude and rooted in the privilege.” She also indicated that “summoning a loud black show rejects it.”
Last year, Lewis won the Grammy Award for Best Music and Tony Theatrical album in the best -performed category by an actress in a distinguished role in the movie “Hell’s Kitchen”.
Although Lubon’s words hurt everyone except during a Disturbing time of art in America, She said the open message from the theater community. “Our industry is threatened. The arts are reduced, theatrical programs disappear, and artists are pushed to margins. We need each other now more than ever. We need a community. We need driving. We need accountability.”
Lubon agreed to humility.
“I agree with all sincerity with everything that was written in the joint open letter yesterday,” she wrote. “One of the drama clubs in middle schools to the professional stages, the theater has always been about to raise each other and welcome those who feel that they do not belong anywhere else. I made a mistake, and I bear a full responsibility, and I am committed to making this properly. Our entire theatrical community deserves the best.”
