Rebel Wilson said she was “deeply sorry” for claiming in an interview last week that she’s the first plus-size actress to star in a romantic comedy.
The “Pitch Perfect” and “Bridesmaids” star issued a strongly worded apology in series of tweets Monday evening.
“I now realize what I said was not only wrong but also incredibly hurtful,” she wrote, acknowledging that she “neglected to show the proper respect” to Queen Latifah, Mo’Nique and other plus-size actresses who’ve appeared in rom-coms.
Wilson sparked outrage after her claim during an Oct. 31 appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to promote her new movie, “Isn’t It Romantic.” The film sees the Aussie-born actress playing a jaded, unlucky-in-love New Yorker who wakes up after an accident to find herself trapped in a “Pretty Woman”-style romantic comedy.
In what appeared to be an attempt to explain why she believes “Isn’t It Romantic” breaks away from Hollywood rom-com tropes, Wilson told DeGeneres, “I’m proud to be the first-ever plus-sized girl to be the star of a romantic comedy.”
The star’s remark instantly went viral, with people on Twitter blasting Wilson for overlooking Queen Latifah in “Last Holiday” and Mo’Nique in “Phat Girlz.”
Others argued that Wilson’s comment amounted to an example of black erasure in popular culture.
Wilson, meanwhile, was further lambasted when she blocked some Twitter users who were critical of her remarks, inspiring a #RebelWilsonBlockedMe hashtag.
By Saturday, Mo’Nique herself had chimed in.
It’s unclear whether the controversy will affect “Isn’t It Romantic.” The movie, which also stars Adam DeVine and Liam Hemsworth, is due out Valentine’s Day 2019.