Audra McDonald Says She Didn’t Know About “Rift” Between Her and Patti LuPone

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If Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone have beef, McDonald wasn’t aware.

The performer who’s both an actress and a singer has addressed the remarks made by Patti LuPone in her latest interview with The New Yorker. In that interview, it appeared as if she criticized McDonald, stating that they no longer maintained a friendship following a disagreement.

When Gayle King from CBS Mornings inquired on Thursday whether McDonald was taken aback by LuPone’s comments, McDonald replied, “Well, if there’s a disagreement between us, I’m not aware of it. You might need to ask Patti about that.”

This version maintains the original meaning while using simpler and more conversational language.

McDonald stated that it’s been roughly eleven years since he last saw her due to being occupied with life matters. As a result, he’s unaware of any rift she might be referring to. Instead, you should inquire about it from her directly.

In a recent interview with Michael Schulman from The New Yorker, Patti LuPone stated about McDonald’s, “She’s not my friend.” LuPone didn’t provide further details, but she hinted at a disagreement that occurred several years back.

McDonald has recently been nominated for a Tony Award, similar to one LuPone previously won, when she played Rose in Gypsy. When asked about McDonald’s current performance in Gypsy, Schulman wrote that LuPone looked at him silently for 15 seconds before gazing out the window and sighing, “What a lovely day.

Previously, these two performers have collaborated on several projects. For instance, they both participated in the Los Angeles Opera production of “Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” in 2007. Additionally, they shared the stage in the 2000 concert version of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” presented by the New York Philharmonic.

During her interview, LuPone didn’t just single out McDonald for criticism. She also brought up an incident that took place last fall while she was performing in the Broadway production, “The Roommate“. This involved another Tony winner, Kecia Lewis. After LuPone made a noise complaint about the musical next door, “Hell’s Kitchen“, Lewis posted on Instagram, accusing LuPone of bullying and making racially insensitive comments because she had labeled “a Black show loud.” McDonald is said to have liked the post.

There seems to be an issue here. She claims to be a veteran, but let’s verify her experience on Broadway, as her understanding appears to be unclear. She was quoted saying in The New Yorker, ‘Don’t misrepresent yourself, it’s not appropriate.’ In essence, she advised against using the term ‘vet.’

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2025-05-30 05:24