Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald Feud: What We Know
Patti LuPone took a jab at fellow Broadway star Audra McDonald in a recent interview, noting that they had a "long-ago rift."
Newsweek reached out to LuPone and McDonald's representatives via email for comment on Tuesday.
LuPone and McDonald's history dates back 25 years when the actors costarred in the 2000 New York Philharmonic's version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The pair worked together again in 2007 in LA Opera's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.
LuPone was interviewed in a New Yorker profile piece, published Monday, for her upcoming appearance in the Sex and the City spin-off And Just Like That.... During her conversation with writer Michael Schulman, LuPone's relationship with McDonald, 54, was brought up while discussing a separate squabble with Broadway star Kecia Lewis.
Last year, LuPone starred in The Roommate and shared a studio wall with the Hell's Kitchen cast and crew. At the time, the 76-year-old voiced her frustrations with being able to hear the sound cues.
In response, Lewis, 59, posted a video to Instagram, in which she called LuPone's remarks "offensive," "racially microaggressive," "rude" and "rooted in privilege."
"Oh, my God," LuPone told the New Yorker in response. "Here's the problem. 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*** she's talking about."
"She's done seven. I've done 31," she said after searching online for the answer. "Don't call yourself a vet, b****."
Lewis actually has 10 Broadway credits and LuPone has 28, per the New Yorker.
When Schulman said McDonald gave Lewis' clip "supportive emojis," LuPone said: "Exactly. And I thought, 'You should know better.' That's typical of Audra. She's not a friend."
McDonald is currently starring in Gypsy, and LuPone was asked what she thought of the production. Schulman reported that the singer "stared" at him "for 15 seconds" before dismissing the question by looking out the window and saying: "What a beautiful day."
On X, formerly Twitter, people were divided on LuPone's New Yorker story.
While some defended her:
X user wonderhall wrote: "The entire interview is so balls to wall funny, I adore Patti LuPone so much."
heartslupone stated: "My cutie pie I'll never hate you #pattilupone."
averawlz shared alongside a screenshot of her interview: "Patti LuPone is a bada**."
Others, however, criticized her:
finleysduke said in a message with 188,100 views and 4,300 likes: "Listen I appreciate Patti LuPone and her contributions to theatre as much as anyone else, but she's crossed the line one too many times. I'm tired of her actions being passed off as 'diva behavior' when in reality she's just mean spirited."
DouglasSings added in a note with 16,000 views and 744 likes: "Dear Patti LuPone, 31 shows doth not equal class. #broadway."
MaddieTillem wrote in a comment with 24,500 views and 661 likes: "I hate Patti LuPone and have for years. She plays the victim in every scenario, when in actuality, she is the one who is choosing to make enemies with kind, talented people. She's not a diva or an icon, she's just a rude old lady who thinks she's God's gift to theatre."
@Olas_Truth remarked: "Patti LuPone is 22 years older than Audra McDonald and old enough to be her mother. There is no reason for Patti LuPone's comments other than that Audra McDonald is an icon. She's a legend, and she is the moment. Patti is not."
And Just Like That Season 3 debuts on Thursday, May 29, at 9 p.m. ET and concludes on August 14. Earlier this year, LuPone confirmed that she will be featured in two episodes and has scenes with Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie Bradshaw.
McDonald stars on Broadway as Rose in the show Gypsy, which is the first time the character has been played by a Black actor. Tickets are currently on sale, although McDonald will not be appearing in the entire run.
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