Kristin Chenoweth responds to outrage over Charlie Kirk comments

Kristin Chenoweth sparked some big reactions from her followers last week after she responded to the killing of the conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk. Shortly after he was pronounced dead, Chenoweth left a comment on Kirk’s last Instagram post saying, “I’m. So. Upset. Didn’t always agree but appreciated some perspectives. What a heartbreak. His young family. I know where he is now. Heaven. But still.”

In a new interview with Spectrum News’ New York 1, Chenoweth sat down with On Stage host Frank DiLella, who asked her about the backlash she received, especially from the LGBTQ+ community, for her comments regarding Kirk.

She smiled and wiped away tears, apologizing for getting emotional, and then said, “I saw what happened online with my own eyes. And I had a human moment of reflection, just right then. I came to understand that my comment hurt some folks and that hurt me so bad. I would never…”

She added, “It’s no secret that I have been…that I’m a Christian, that I’m a person of faith. It’s also no secret that I am an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. And for some, that doesn’t go together. But for me, it always has, and it always will.”

Chenoweth is gearing up for a stint in the new Broadway show The Queen of Versailles, based on the 2012 documentary of the same name. The documentary followed Jackie Siegel, a former beauty queen who married a billionaire and wants to build a home in Florida modeled after the Palace of Versailles. The show will feature music from Wicked composer, Stephen Schwartz, who is also serving as a producer.

The Queen of Versailles will mark Chenoweth’s first headlining role in a musical since her run in On the Twentieth Century back in 2015. She’ll star alongside The White Lotus star F. Murray Abraham, and previews begin October 8.

This article originally appeared on Out: Kristin Chenoweth responds to outrage over Charlie Kirk comments