Lea Michele Responds to Samantha Marie Ware’s Claims She Made Her Life ‘Hell’ on the Set of ‘Glee’
Speaking her truth. Lea Michele responded to former Glee costar Samantha Marie Ware’s accusations the Broadway star, 33, bullied her while working together on set.
The Scream Queens actress said she didn’t “remember” making the hurtful statements claimed by her costars and added she has “never judged” others by their background or race. “Whether it was my privileged position and perspective that caused me to be perceived as insensitive or inappropriate at times or whether it was just my immaturity and me being unnecessarily difficult, I apologize for my behavior,” she wrote in a lengthy statement on Instagram on June 3.
“One of the most important lessons of the last few weeks is that we need to take 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,” the New Year’s Eve actress said.
Lea explained her tweet about George Floyd, which sparked backlash from her former costars, was meant to “support” the “communities of color.” However, the actress noted it forced her to “focus specifically on how my own behavior toward fellow cast members was perceived by them.”
The pregnant starlet expressed she wants to be “a real role model” for her future child and acknowledged she needs to “keep working to better [herself] and take responsibility for [her] actions.”
On Monday, June 1, Ware, 28, alleged Michele mistreated her after the Legends of Oz star tweeted about the Black Lives Matter movement and George Floyd’s death.
“George Floyd did not deserve this. This was not an isolated incident and it must end. #BlackLivesMatter,” Michele wrote on May 29.
Ware, who appeared on the show’s sixth season in 2015, shared her experience with Michele in response to the expecting mother’s tweet.
“LMAO remember when you made my first television gig a living hell?” Ware wrote. “‘Cause I’ll never forget. I believe you told everyone that if you had the opportunity you would ‘s–t in my wig’ amongst other traumatic microaggressions that made me question a career in Hollywood …”
Several of Ware’s former Glee castmates came forward to show their support and to back up her story. “GIRL, YOU WOULDNT LET ME SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE OTHER CAST MEMBERS CAUSE ‘I DIDNT BELONG THERE.’ F–K YOU LEA,” Dabier Snell alleged on Twitter, while Alex Newell and Amber Riley shared some very telling memes.
“I remember when she yelled out you when she was doing a scene with Chris. You legit did not do anything,” Josh Blumenkranz chimed in, who briefly appeared on the show in 2015. “Her apology to you even seemed fake. I’m sorry you had to deal with that. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”
Celebrities took to social media and the streets to demand justice for George Floyd after he died on May 25. Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. Officer Chauvin, 44, was fired after the footage from the incident went viral and has since been arrested on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
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