Strife Unfolds: Patti LuPone's Apology After 'Offensive' Comments on Black Broadway Icons Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis

A Broadway rift appears to be igniting between Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone, with only McDonald receiving accolades for her dignified response. The controversy erupted when LuPone, 76, stated in a New Yorker interview that McDonald was “not a friend,” leaving McDonald bewildered as she hadn’t seen LuPone in over a decade. In a CBS interview, McDonald gracefully dismissed the speculation, attributing their lack of contact to life's demands. Many praised her composure online, including Broadway voice coach Arthur Jeffrey Levy, who highlighted her graciousness amid LuPone’s ire. LuPone’s recent remarks regarding fellow actress Kecia Lewis further intensified the backlash, prompting over 500 Broadway stars to denounce her comments. Following public outcry, LuPone publicly apologized, committing to improve her behavior in the theater community.