Lea Michele apologized after former Glee castmates accused her of racist behavior, and she lost a lucrative brand sponsorship.
Michele originally spoke out in support of Black Lives Matters, prompting a significant backlash.
On Wednesday, the 33-year-old wrote on Instagram: “I listened to these criticisms and I am learning and while I am very sorry, I will be better in the future from this experience.”
Samantha Ware was first to speak out, tweeting: “REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?!” Ware wrote. “CAUSE ILL NEVER FORGET. I BELIEVE YOU TOLD EVERYONE THAT IF TOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD “(expletive) IN MY WIG!” AMONGST OTHER TRAUMATIC MICROAGRESSIONS THAT MADE ME QUESTION A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD.”
Amber Riley, Alex Newell, Yvette Nicole Brown and others supported Ware’s allegations.
Meal delivery service Hello Fresh quickly nixed their partnership with Michele following the uproar.
Michele added to her statement: “The responses I received to what I posted have made me also focus specifically on how my own behavior towards fellow cast members was perceived by them,” denying recalling the incidents, and saying that “never judged others by their background or color of their skin.”
Still: “That’s not really the point. What matters is that I clearly acted in ways which hurt other people. 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 just being unnecessarily difficult, I apologize for my behavior and for any pain which I have caused We all can grow and change and I have definitely used these past several months to reflect my own shortcomings.”
She and Zandy Reich are expecting their first child, and she said that she would work to “better myself and take responsibility for my actions” to be a better role model for her baby.”