Amanda Seyfried is facing major backlash for seemingly insinuating that Charlie Kirk was to blame for his assassination.
The Turning Point founder was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday (September 10).
Tyler Robinson, the primary suspect, has since been arrested and charged with seven offenses, including aggravated m*rder.
Highlights
- Amanda Seyfried has come under fire for criticizing Charlie Kirk and suggesting his assassination wasn’t “shocking.”
- The actress faced calls to boycott her upcoming films and thousands of negative comments on social media.
- Amanda addressed the backlash on Instagram, stating that she never intended to justify the crime.
Following the crime, Amanda criticized the political activist in a social media post highlighting Kirk’s views on immigration, Black people, and reproductive rights.
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“‘Ask yourself, why is exposing the flaws of MLK [Martin Luther King]’s life and character — something he said we should judge others by — so controversial?’ – Charlie Kirk, January 2024,” read the caption of the Instagram post, attributing the quote to the late activist.
The Mamma Mia actress commented on the post with her verified account on Sunday (September 14), writing, “He was hateful.”
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
The following day, Amanda re-shared a post on her Instagram Stories that appeared to justify Kirk’s assassination.
“You can’t invite violence to the dinner table and be shocked when it starts eating,” the message reads.
The post drew widespread criticism, with many interpreting it as the Golden Globe winner condoning violence before an audience of millions.
“Amanda seyfried believes Charlie Kirk assassination was justified. Make sure to never see another one of her movies,” said one user.
“Never watch another one of Amanda’s movies ever again. Get her fired so Mamma Mia 3 doesn’t happen,” commented someone else.
Others called Amanda a “mean girl” and told her to remember that Kirk was “a human with opinions.”
The actress called the political activist "hateful" after the crime and shared a post about "inviting violence to the dinner table"
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“Imagine thinking someone deserves to d*e for speaking - typical Hollywood clown,” a separate user typed.
“Your heart is hateful. What a horrible thing to say to someone who was assassinated,” added someone else.
Amanda responded to the backlash in a statement on her Instagram Stories, clarifying that she never intended to justify the assassination.
“We’re forgetting the nuance of humanity,” she wrote, explaining that while Kirk’s comments made her “angry,” she also “very much” agrees that the crime was “absolutely disturbing and deplorable in every way imaginable.”
Amanda later addressed the backlash and clarified that she never intended to justify violence
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The 39-year-old added, “No one should have to experience this level of violence. This country is grieving too many senseless and violent d*aths. Can we agree on that at least?”
She also shared an illustration of a woman sleeping next to her cat that read, “We’re living in fu**ed up times. Hold on to the ones you love.”
Image credits: Charlie Kirk/YpuTube
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When announcing the charges against Tyler Robinson, the Utah County Attorney said the 22-year-old left a trail of texts to his roommate and romantic partner in which he seemingly admitted to the crime.
In one exchange, Robinson’s partner asked why he had committed the crime, to which he allegedly replied, "I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out."
The Mamma Mia star later called Kirk's assassination "absolutely disturbing and deplorable"
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In other Amanda news, the actress recently shared details about preparing for her film The Testament of Ann Lee and the “sacrifices” she had to make for the role.
In the film, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, she portrays Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers, a radical religious movement that emerged in the late 1700s.
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Amanda revealed that she couldn’t get Botox for a year or wear makeup for the role, as director Mona Fastvold wanted to keep her appearance natural while portraying the religious leader.
“That was a big assignment... When I first got [Botox], I was, like, 'This is amazing,' because I frown a lot. But then it all came back in a way that was absolutely necessary for all the work I was doing,” she told Vanity Fair.
"I'm an actor and that's my job and that's what I love to do. I don't necessarily need all that in my life. I just like it. The things that I like, I can sacrifice a little. Of course I can."
Amanda is set to star in The Testament of Ann Lee and The Housemaid
Image credits: mingey/Instagram
The historical musical drama earned a 15-minute standing ovation in Venice, the longest of any film at the festival, surpassing Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein.
Amanda will also appear in the upcoming film The Housemaid, starring alongside Sydney Sweeney and Brandon Sklenar.
Image credits: Lionsgate Movies
Image credits: Lionsgate Movies
Image credits: Lionsgate Movies
In the psychological thriller, she plays Nina Winchester, a wealthy Long Island woman who hires a young woman with a troubled past to work as a live-in housemaid for her and her husband, Andrew.
Directed by Paul Feig and based on Freida McFadden’s best-selling novel, the film hits theaters on December 19.
Many people criticized the Golden Globe winner following her social media posts
