Actress and Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth says the criticism she faced after commenting on the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was extremely difficult for her.
“It was tough on me,” Chenoweth, 57, told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Monday. She declined to discuss the backlash in detail, saying, “I dealt with it. It nearly broke me, and that’s all I’m going to say. You probably know my heart.”
Charlie Kirk, 31, died on September 10 after being shot while on stage at Utah Valley University during his American Comeback Tour. In the days following his death, Chenoweth posted a message of sympathy on Instagram under a post shared by Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded.
“I’m so upset,” she wrote. “Didn’t always agree but appreciated some perspectives. What a heartbreak. His young family.” She also called the shooting a “sad, senseless and disgusting act,” and asked people to pray for Kirk’s wife and two children.
While many celebrities also expressed condolences, Chenoweth received heavy criticism because Kirk was known for his strong opposition to LGBTQ+ rights. Members of the LGBTQ+ community, many of whom have long supported Chenoweth’s work, felt hurt by her public mourning.
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Days later, Chenoweth tearfully addressed the backlash in an interview with NY1. When the host noted that reactions were “mixed,” she replied, “Mixed? You’re being kind.”
She explained that she posted her comment in the moment after seeing video of the shooting, calling it a “human moment of reflection.” She said she did not intend to hurt anyone.
“I came to understand that my comment hurt some folks and that hurt me so badly. I would never,” she said.
Chenoweth added that her Christian faith and her support for LGBTQ+ rights have always coexisted for her, even if it seems contradictory to some.
“It’s no secret that I’m a Christian, that I’m a person of faith,” she said. “It’s also no secret that I am an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. For some, that doesn’t go together. But for me, it always has and it always will.”
