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Former ‘Glee’ Star Samantha Ware Responds to Lea Michele Apology: ‘Open Your Purse’
Former Glee actress Samantha Ware responded to Lea Michele’s apology amid backlash over the starlet’s alleged mistreatment of her costars during her six-season tenure on the series.
“Perceived? Purcieved? Purse? Open your purse??????????????” Ware, 28, tweeted on Wednesday, June 3, along with a GoFundMe link for James Scurlock, who was shot and killed during a protest in Omaha, Nebraska.
Ware’s play on words alludes to the lengthy message Michele shared with followers earlier that day. “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,” the 33-year-old wrote in a statement on Instagram.
Michele went on to explain that her original tweet about George Floyd’s death, which ultimately sparked the backlash, was a means of “supporting” all “communities of color.” The New York native added that as a result of this situation, she has taken a step back to “focus” on how “her behavior toward fellow cast members was perceived by them.”
Ware was the first to come forward regarding Michele’s supposed on-set bullying and racist behavior. “LMAO remember when you made my first television gig a living hell?” she tweeted. “‘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.”
Costars Dabier Snell, Alex Newell and Amber Riley followed suit shortly after. “GIRL, YOU WOULDN’T LET ME SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE OTHER CAST MEMBERS CAUSE ‘I DIDN’T BELONG THERE.’ F–K YOU, LEA,” Snell wrote, while Newell and Riley shared respective memes.
Josh Blumenkranz, who appeared on the “Homecoming” episode of Glee in 2015, echoed: “I remember when she yelled [at] you when she was doing a scene with Chris. You legit did not do anything. Her apology to you even seemed fake. I’m sorry you had to deal with that. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”
The Brunette Ambition author has since lost a partnership with HelloFresh as more colleagues continue to come forward to tell their own stories. Her Spring Awakening costar Gerard Canonico referred to Michele as “nothing but a nightmare,” and Heather Morris, who played Brittany Pierce on Glee, later tweeted Michele was “unpleasant” to work with and should be “called out.”
