LOS ANGELES, Sept. 21 (UPI) — General Hospital star Nancy Lee Grahn came under fire on social media Sunday after criticizing Viola Davis‘ Emmy acceptance speech. Now the actress has taken to Twitter to apologize.
Davis made history at the Emmys when she became the first black woman to win an Emmy for Best Lead Actress.
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is simply opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” the How to Get Away With Murder star said after accepting her award. “So here’s to all the writers, the awesome people—people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black.”
The 50-year-old received a standing ovation but Grahn wasn’t a fan.
“I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech,” tweeted Grahn after Davis won, “But I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it.”
Grahn continued on her rant posting “Im a f–king actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve. Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled,” in a tweet that has since been deleted.
The soap opera actress was then flooded online with negative responses forcing Grahn to then apologize for her comments.
“I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her role. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors,” she wrote.
“I apologize 2 anyone who I offended. I’m a women advocate since I became one. After reading responses, I hear u and my tweet was badly phrased.”
In an extended tweet, Grahn ended her apology by stating, “I apologize for my earlier tweets and now realize I need to check my own privilege. My intention was not to take this historic and important moment from Viola Davis or other women of color but I realize that my intention doesn’t matter here because that is what I ended up doing. I learned a lot tonight and I admit that there are still some things I don’t understand but I am trying to and will let this be a learning experience for me.”
