by Chris Peterson, Founder
Here’s the thing: Broadway is no stranger to drama. We love it. We thrive on it. But every once in a while, the drama leaps off the stage and into real life, and this time, it’s between two bona fide legends.
In a recent New Yorker interview, Patti LuPone—never one to mince words—referred to Audra McDonald as “not a friend.” Now, for anyone who grew up idolizing both of these powerhouse performers (raises hand), that comment landed like a dropped chandelier. What happened? Why the shade?
Well, Audra finally spoke out. And she handled it with the kind of grace that reminds you why she’s not just a six-time Tony winner but also a class act through and through.
In an interview with CBS Mornings, Audra was asked directly about Patti’s comment. Her response? Calm, clear, and beautifully unbothered. “If there’s a rift between us, I don’t know what it is,” she said. “That’s something you’d have to ask Patti about. I haven’t seen her in about 11 years, just because we’ve been busy with life and stuff. So I don’t know what rift she’s talking about.”