Vanessa Hudgens has apologized after being hotly criticized for posting an Instagram live video Monday in which she said that Coronavirus deaths are “inevitable.”
“Um, yeah, ’til July sounds like a bunch of bulls-t,” the “High School Musical” star said of events being postponed due to the illness spreading.
“I’m sorry, but like, it’s a virus, I get it, like, I respect it, but at the same time I’m like, even if everybody gets it, like yeah, people are going to die, which is terrible but like, inevitable?” she continued in the video.
The star, who has 18.4 million Instagram followers, then seemed to walk back on her stance.
“I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this right now,” she said.
Twitter users quickly jumped on the actress for her comments, which some called “heartless” and “sad.”
“What a horrible and heartless message for you to share with the younger people who look up to you,” said journalist Yashar Ali.
“Bad Feminist” writer Roxane Gay called her comments “beyond sad.”
“She is like 31… strange. I suppose until It hits home this is not real for many people,” Gay continued.
“It’s sad you would need a loved one to die in order to understand the severity of this pandemic,” said another user. “WTF is wrong with people?”
But on Tuesday, Hudgens responded to the backlash in an Instagram story, saying that her comments had been taken “out of context.”
“Hey guys, so yesterday I did an Instagram live, and I realized today that some of my comments are being taken out of context. It’s a crazy time,” she said. “I am at home and in lockdown and that’s what I hope you guys are doing too, in full quarantine and staying safe and sane. Yeah, I don’t take this situation lightly by any means. I am home. So stay inside, y’all.”
When that response did not slow the wave of criticism, Hudgens formally apologized in a tweet later on Tuesday.
“Hey guys. I’m so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from my Instagram live yesterday,” she wrote. “I realize my words were insensitive and not at all appropriate for the situation our country and the world are in right now. This has been a huge wake up call about the significance my words have, now more than ever. I’m sending safe wishes to everyone to stay safe and healthy during this crazy time.”
Watch both videos below.
What a horrible and heartless message for you to share with the younger people who look up to you @VanessaHudgens https://t.co/p0vIekdigP
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/ChiaraL10493019/status/1240004390792105988