Christine Baranski brands Katy Perry's Blue Origin flight 'grotesque'

Perth Now

19 hours ago

Christine Baranski has branded the women who travelled on the Blue Origins NS-31 flight as "grotesque".
The 73-year-old actress is the latest celebrity to voice their disgust after an all-female crew flew to the boundary of space on Jeff Bezos' rocket in April, including pop star Katy Perry, his now-wife Lauren Sanchez, broadcaster Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
Speaking on a panel about the displays of wealth on her HBO series The Gilded Age at ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas, on August 11, she said: 'And the grotesque displays of wealth? Sending women into a spaceship for what? So they can do their makeup? What the f***?"
Speaking in her character Agnes van Rhijn's voice, she said: 'Don't get me started. I'm going to sound like Agnes.'
Emily Ratajkowski was among those who have criticised the trip.
In a TikTok video, the model ranted: "That space mission this morning? That's end time s***. Like, this is beyond parody.
"Saying that you care about Mother Earth and it's about Mother Earth, and you're going up in a spaceship that is built and paid for by a company that's singlehandedly destroying the planet?
"Look at the state of the world and think about how many resources went into putting these women into space. For what? What was the marketing there?
"And then to try to make it like… I'm disgusted. Literally, I'm disgusted."
Actress Olivia Wilde re-posted a meme on her Instagram Story featuring Katy kissing the ground after exiting the rocket and text which read: "getting off a commercial flight in 2025 #BlueOrigin. (sic)"
She captioned the post: "Billion dollars bought some good memes, I guess."
Ahead of the flight, Munn branded the trip "a bit gluttonous".
She said on Today with Jenna and Friends: 'What's the point? Is it historic that you guys are going on a ride? I think it's a bit gluttonous.
'Space exploration was to further our knowledge and to help mankind. What are they gonna do up there that has made it better for us down here?'
Gayle addressed the backlash and said she was "very disappointed and very saddened".
The journalist said she was frustrated by those who branded the 11-minute trip "frivolous".
Speaking on CBS Mornings the host said: "Space is not an either or, it's a both and, and because you do something in space doesn't mean you're taking anything away from Earth. And what you're doing in space is trying to make things better here on Earth.
"What Blue Origin wants to do is take the waste here and figure out a way to put it in space to make our planet cleaner. Jeff Bezos has so many ideas, and the people that are working there are really devoted and dedicated to making our planet a better place. That's number one.
"There was nothing frivolous about what we do.
"So, you know, I'm very disappointed and very saddened by it [the criticism]. And I also say this — what it's doing to inspire other women and young girls? Please don't ignore that. I've had so many women and young girls reach out to me, and men too, by the way. Men too that say, 'Wow, I never thought I could do that, but I see you doing it at this stage of your life.'"