Brief recap: There’s been quite a bit of online uproar since Nicole — who is currently gaining praise for her performance in the current Broadway staging of Sunset Boulevard — left a comment on Russell’s recent Instagram post showcasing a MAGA-esque “Make Jesus First Again” hat.
“Where do I get this hat!!!?” she replied to Russell, who was accused of rape and sexual assault last year.
For, like, one thousand reasons, people were not happy about Nicole’s comment. Some even speculated that the furor around it would eventually destroy her chances of winning a Best Actress Tony for her Sunset Boulevard performance, which she was previously the center of buzz for.
So, as celebs often do, Nicole shared an apology to her IG Story for the comment, as well as for what it could possibly imply regarding her own political views.
“I deeply apologize for the hurt caused by my recent engagement with some social media posts,” she wrote. “When I commented on these posts, I made the mistake of not realizing that they could be easily interpreted as being politically related and I apologize to anyone who understandably reached that conclusion.”
“Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who l voted for,” she added. “Many of the marginalized communities feeling hurt and concerned by the results of the presidential election are people I care about most.”
“I stand with them, as I always have, throughout my life and career.”
Nicole went on to claim that she made her comment on Russell’s post because she interpreted the post itself as “encouraging people to choose love and faith—’putting Jesus first.'”
“For me Christ embodies peace, compassion, hope, and—above all—unconditional love, especially for those who may feel it the least right now.”
“I come from a place of love, and I will always support values that bring us closer together,” she concluded. “It’s so important we come together with compassion, and love one another now more than ever.”
