Amanda Seyfried is clarifying after stirring up a firestorm with a comment she made on Instagram following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Seyfried first reacted to reports that Kirk was fatally shot by tweeting, “He was hateful,” but she quickly got slammed by some right-wing commentators who claimed she was implying Kirk’s death was justified.
The reaction was fast and fierce, with most reviewers seeing Seyfried’s remarks as being congratulatory. The Oscar-nominee insists her wishes were grossly misunderstood.
Seyfried’s Announcement on Instagram
Today, Seyfried posted a follow-up with a delicately penned clarification statement.
“We’re forgetting the nuance of humanity. I can get angry about misogyny and racist rhetoric and ALSO very much agree that Charlie Kirk’s murder was absolutely disturbing and deplorable in every way imaginable. No one should have to experience this level of violence. This country is grieving too many senseless and violent deaths and shootings. Can we agree on that at least?”
She captioned her Instagram with these same words:
“I don’t want to add fuel to a fire. I just want to be able to give clarity to something so irresponsibly (but understandably) taken out of context. Spirited discourse isn’t that what we should be having?”
The Death of Charlie Kirk
Kirk, 31, was killed by a gunshot to the neck on September 10 while attending a university speaking engagement in Utah. The cofounder of Turning Point USA, he had assembled a huge following as a commentator and conservative activist who frequently elicited fierce admiration as well as equal measures of opposition.
