Lili Reinhart has apologized for a “racially insensitive” Instagram post depicting a demon that appeared to be painted black with the caption: “Found my Halloween costume!!” Inspired by the color of my soul.”
“I did not mean for my tweet to come off that way,” said the “Riverdale” actress, who deleted the post from her social media account.
“I can see how it was interpreted as being insensitive, completely. I saw the pic on a Halloween Instagram and didn’t think it would be interpreted as being racially insensitive,” she wrote.
She added, “I apologize. Never meant any harm. I can see how it could’ve been misinterpreted.”
Screenshots have appeared of the post, and Perez Hilton tweeted a photo of the post “for those curious.”
For those curious. She was joking about doing blackface for Halloween. pic.twitter.com/silTFxCctE
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) October 22, 2017
Some took to Twitter to call the post “racist” because it seemed the 21-year-old star “wanted to do blackface as a Halloween costume.”
However, some rushed to Reinhart’s defense, writing, “I don’t understand why people were coming for Lili Reinhart for that Halloween costume. That was NOT blackface.”
https://twitter.com/parisvelvet/status/921998038410829824
tht homophobic RAT Lili Reinhart was gonna do blackface for Halloween? Yikes…Colton Haynes can RELATE! CW actors need to do better. pic.twitter.com/vY31Sz2VZX
— Saint (@TeenSuccubus) October 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/beastdrakes/status/922203514536947722
Reinhart isn’t the first to be called out for a Halloween costume. In 2013, Julianne Hough was accused of wearing blackface while dressing up as Crazy Eyes, the inmate portrayed by Uzo Aduba on “Orange Is the New Black.”
Last year, Hilary Duff apologized for dressing up a pilgrim next to her then-boyfriend, trainer Jason Walsh, who was dressed up as a Native American, decorated with a headdress and face paint.
See Reinhart’s tweets below.
I did not mean for my tweet to come off that way. I can see how it was interpreted as being insensitive, completely. I saw the pic on a Halloween Instagram and didn't think it would be interpreted as being racially insensitive.
— Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart) October 22, 2017
I apologize. Never meant any harm. I can see how it could've been misinterpreted.
— Lili Reinhart (@lilireinhart) October 22, 2017