Julianna Margulies apologises for antisemitism comments about Black and LGBT+ people

US actor Julianna Margulies has apologised after facing backlash for comments she made recently about the Black and LGBT+ communities.

During a 21 November appearance on The Back Room with Andy Ostroy podcast, the ER actor discussed her concerns surrounding the rise of antisemitism in the US. She went onto claim that the Black and LGBT+ communities were not sufficiently supporting Israel in the wake of the 7 October attacks.

On Friday (1 December), the 57-year-old actor released a statement saying she was “horrified” to have offended “communities I truly love and respect”.

She said: “I want to be 100% clear: Racism, homophobia, sexism, or any prejudice against anyone’s personal beliefs or identity are abhorrent to me, full stop.

“Throughout my career I have worked tirelessly to combat hate of all kind, end antisemitism, speak out against terrorist groups like Hamas, and forge a united front against discrimination. I did not intend for my words to sow further division, for which I am sincerely apologetic.”

During the podcast appearance, Margulies claimed that “kids [who] use pronouns” are “spewing this antisemitic hate”, remarking: “These people who want us to call them They/Them, or whatever they want us to call them – which I have respectfully really made a point of doing, like be whoever you want to be.”

She continued: “It’s those people that will be the first people beheaded and their heads played [like] a soccer ball. Terrorists who don’t want women to have their rights, don’t want LGBTQ people… this is who you’re supporting?”

Margulies then claimed of the Black community: “You know, there was a film being shown by this Black lesbian club on the Columbia campus and they put up signs that said ‘no Jews allowed.’”

The actor was seemingly – and incorrectly – referencing a New York Post story about the LionLez group at Columbia University, which said no “Zionists” were permitted to attend the screening.

She continued: “And as someone who plays a lesbian journalist on The Morning Show, I am more offended by it as a lesbian than I am as a Jew, to be honest with you.

“I want to say to them, “you f***ing idiots, you don’t exist [to Hamas]. You’re even lower than the Jews [to Hamas]. A. You’re Black. B. You’re gay, and you’re turning your back against the people who support you. Because Jews, they rally around everybody.”

Clips of the actor making the comments quickly went viral on social media with many people criticising her sentiments.

“This is one of the most racist things I’ve heard a celeb say in a very long time, I’m actually shocked,” one person wrote, while BBC presenter Richie Brave added: “Listened to this clip and ‘You’re even lower than the Jews’ is a really weird thing to say.”