Patti LuPone is making a clear stance on friendship with fellow Broadway legend Audra McDonald, that the two are no longer on friendly terms.
In a New Yorker profile published on Monday, May 26, LuPone opened up about various chapters of her career and didn’t shy away from addressing past tensions.
When asked about McDonald, the three-time Tony winner simply stated, “Not a friend.”
LuPone, 76, didn’t go into details about what led to the falling out but noted the rift happened long ago. The topic came up as part of a broader conversation that included her thoughts on the Broadway community and a recent public disagreement with another theater star.
When the interviewer brought up McDonald’s current role as Rose in Gypsy — a part LuPone famously played in the 2008 production — she responded with silence.
According to the article, LuPone stared out the window for 15 seconds before saying, “What a beautiful day.”
McDonald recently received her 11th Tony nomination for Gypsy, setting a new record for the most nominations ever for a performer. She already holds the record for the most Tony wins with six, compared to LuPone’s three.
The two Broadway powerhouses have shared the stage before.
They performed together in the 2007 LA Opera production of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and in the 2000 New York Philharmonic concert version of Sweeney Todd, where LuPone played Mrs. Lovett and McDonald the Beggar Woman.
Their fractured relationship came up as LuPone addressed a conflict from late last year with Broadway actress Kecia Lewis.
At the time, LuPone had been performing in The Roommate and expressed frustration about hearing sound cues from the adjacent theater where Alicia Keys’ musical Hell’s Kitchen was playing.
Lewis posted a video on Instagram calling LuPone’s comments “bullying,” “offensive,” “racially microaggressive,” and “rooted in privilege.”
LuPone’s reaction in the profile was blunt.
“She calls herself a veteran? Let’s find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn’t know what the f— she’s talking about,” she said. “She’s done seven. I’ve done 31. Don’t call yourself a vet, bitch!”
According to the publication, Lewis actually has 10 Broadway credits, while LuPone has 28. When the interviewer noted that McDonald had responded to Lewis’ video with supportive emojis, LuPone replied, “Exactly. And I thought, ‘You should know better.’ That’s typical of Audra.”
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