Rebel Wilson has learned a valuable lesson.
The Aussie actress apologized for declaring herself the “first-ever plus-sized girl” to star in a romantic comedy, tweeting a mea culpa on Monday following days of backlash on social media.
WATCH: Rebel Wilson Gets Flak For Saying She’s The ‘First-Ever Plus-Sized Girl’ To Star In A Rom-Com
Rebel had appeared on the Halloween episode of “Ellen” to promote her upcoming movie “Isn’t It Romantic,” and shared how “proud” she is to have top billing because it marks a trailblazing moment for fuller-figured actresses.
However, Twitter users quickly pointed out that others have already achieved that milestone, with one now-viral tweet referencing Queen Latifah in “Last Holiday” and “Just Wright” and Mo’Nique in “Phat Girlz.”
At the time, Rebel doubled down and replied that there is a “slight grey area” in the debate, causing more friction with the online community and a reaction from Mo’Nique herself.
“Let’s please not allow this business to erase our talent with giving grey areas and technicalities,” the Oscar winner wrote, urging Rebel to “take a moment and know the history” and avoid being “a part of erasing it.”
It seems Rebel took that advice to heart.
In her new tweets, the “Pitch Perfect” star explained that her remarks on “Ellen” were “well-intentioned” but ultimately “neglected to show the proper respect” to her predecessors, including Queen Latifah, Mo’Nique, Melissa McCarthy, Ricki Lake “and likely many others.”
In a couple of well-intentioned moments, hoping to lift my fellow plus sized women up, I neglected to show the proper respect to those who climbed this mountain before me like Mo’Nique, Queen Latifah, Melissa McCarthy, Ricki Lake and likely many others.
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
With the help of some very compassionate and well-thought out responses from others on social media, I now realize what I said was not only wrong but also incredibly hurtful. To be part of a problem I was hoping I was helping makes it that much more embarrassing & hard to-
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
acknowledge. I blocked people on Twitter because I was hurting from the criticism, but those are the people I actually need to hear from more, not less. Again, I am deeply sorry.
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 5, 2018
WATCH: Anna Kendrick & Rebel Wilson Share Why ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ Was The Most Fun To Shoot
“With the help of some very compassionate and well-thought out responses from others on social media, I now realized what I said was not only wrong but also incredibly hurtful,” she wrote.
The 38-year-old went on to acknowledge that she’d “blocked people on Twitter” as result of her own hurt feelings, but now realizes that she should have welcomed their opinions with special regard.
“Those are the people I actually need to hear more from, not less,” she continued. “Again, I am deeply sorry.”
“Isn’t It Romantic” may not be the landmark project that Rebel had initially claimed, but it is an important achievement for her in another notable way. The Valentine’s Day 2019 release marks her first time producing a feature film.
— Erin Biglow
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