Rebel Wilson is finally apologizing for claiming to be the first plus-sized actress to land the lead role in a romantic comedy.
Days after making her controversial remarks, the Australian actress walked back her claim after Twitter users indicated that Queen Latifah and Mo’Nique had actually been pioneers for plus-sized actresses in the genre.
”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,“ she tweeted.
She went on to acknowledge that she was wrong and should not have blocked people who were trying to correct her —- many of whom were part of Black Twitter.
“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,” she wrote Monday. “Again, I am deeply sorry.”
The controversy began last week when Wilson laid claim to the title while a guest on The Ellen Degeneres Show.
“I’m proud to be the first ever plus-sized girl to be the star of a romantic comedy,” she said, while promoting her upcoming movie Isn’t It Romantic, out in February.
Still, Queen Latifah starred in the 2006 rom-com, The Last Holiday, alongside L.L. COOL J, and the 2010 romantic comedy, Just Wright, opposite Common. For her part, Mo’Nique’s Phat Girlz also came out in 2016.
Even Mo’Nique stepped in to correct her.
“Let’s please not allow this business to erase our talent with giving grey areas and technicalities. Take a moment and know the history,” she said. “DON’T BE A PART OF ERASING IT. I wish you the best.”
We are glad she apologized so we all can move on!