Patti LuPone didn’t hold back when she revealed where she stands with fellow Broadway superstar Audra McDonald.
In a New Yorker profile published on May 26, LuPone made it clear that she and Audra are no longer friends, bluntly stating, “She’s not a friend.” The 76-year-old Broadway legend didn’t go into detail about their falling out but noted it was a long-ago rift that has never really healed.
When interviewer Michael Schulman asked her about Audra’s current role as Rose in the Gypsy revival, LuPone’s reaction was telling. After a 15-second silence, she turned away, sighed, and said, “What a beautiful day,” avoiding any direct comment on McDonald’s performance. This moment spoke volumes about the cool distance between the two.
Audra McDonald, 54, is a Broadway powerhouse, holding the record for most Tony wins with six. She recently earned her 11th Tony nomination for Gypsy, becoming the most nominated performer of all time. Patti LuPone herself has three Tonys and famously won for playing Rose in the 2008 production of Gypsy. Their careers have crossed paths many times. The two have performed together in concerts, galas, and notably the 2007 LA Opera production of Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. They also shared the stage in the 2000 New York Philharmonic concert version of Sweeney Todd, where LuPone was Mrs. Lovett and McDonald was the Beggar Woman. Despite this rich history, their friendship soured.
The New Yorker profile also touched on LuPone’s recent conflict with another Broadway star, Kecia Lewis. Last year, Lewis posted a video calling LuPone’s comments about the Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen “bullying,” “offensive,” “racially microaggressive,” and “rooted in privilege.” LuPone had complained about the musical’s loud sound cues bleeding through the wall into her show The Roommate. LuPone fired back fiercely, challenging Lewis’s Broadway experience and snapping, “Don’t call yourself a vet, bitch!” Lewis actually has 10 Broadway credits, while Patti has 28, though Patti claimed 31 in the interview.
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What made things even messier was that Audra McDonald responded to Lewis’s criticism of LuPone with supportive emojis. LuPone called that “typical of Audra,” expressing her disappointment in McDonald for not backing her publicly. This adds another layer to the tension between the two Broadway giants.
While LuPone has stayed silent about the Gypsy revival itself, she has praised another revival this season: Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Blvd. starring Nicole Scherzinger. Back in December, Patti sent a voice message to NY1’s Frank DiLella raving about the production’s lighting and innovative use of filming. “I was energized when I left the theater. I loved it,” she said.
The Gypsy revival is historic for casting a Black actress as Rose on Broadway for the first time, with tickets now on sale and lots of buzz surrounding the production. Meanwhile, the backstage drama between LuPone and McDonald keeps the spotlight on Broadway beyond the stage.
Patti LuPone’s blunt words remind us that even Broadway legends can have messy, complicated relationships. Her feud with Audra McDonald highlights just how personal and intense the theater world can be behind the curtains, with star power and pride clashing offstage as much as on.
