"I'm not f***ing apologizing": Amanda Seyfried justifies herself for calling Charlie Kirk 'hateful' amid ongoing backlash

A wave of renewed public debate surrounding the backlash against her viral comment, has placed Amanda Seyfried back in the spotlight after the actor stood firm on her decision not to retract her words about Charlie Kirk. Her refusal to step back from the comment has since opened a larger conversation about political expression and the scrutiny faced by celebrities who speak out publicly.

The interview put her back at the center of public conversation after she repeated that she was “not f**ing apologizing*” for her remark on Charlie Kirk and political views. The remark, made after Kirk was killed during a college speaking event, sparked days of criticism online. In the intro of her new interview, Seyfried explained that the anger aimed at her came from people misunderstanding the intention behind her brief comment. She argued that her reaction was rooted in what she believed to be verifiable footage of Kirk’s rhetoric rather than any celebration of his death. 

The situation has now grown beyond one social media reply, turning into a wider debate about political expression, nuance, and how easily meaning is distorted in the current climate.

Seyfried defends her stance and clarifies what she meant by her viral comment

Seyfried addressed the issue head-on in her Who What Wear interview, repeating her full quote: 

“I’m not f*cking apologizing for that. I mean, for f*ck’s sake, I commented on one thing. I said something that was based on actual reality and actual footage and actual quotes.” 

Her comment, ”he was hateful”, appeared beneath an Instagram Reel that compiled some of Kirk’s most controversial public statements about immigrants, women, and race. After Kirk was fatally shot during an outdoor debate event on September 10, 2025, Seyfried’s remark was interpreted by some conservatives as an endorsement of what happened, something she has repeatedly rejected.

Days later, Seyfried posted a longer statement on Instagram to clarify her position more directly. She wrote: 

“We’re forgetting the nuance of humanity. I can get angry about misogyny and racist rhetoric and ALSO very much agree that Charlie Kirk’s murder was absolutely disturbing and deplorable in every way imaginable.” 

She added that she had no desire to fuel a divisive narrative, only to correct how her original comment was being reframed.

In her latest remarks, she explained why she felt the need to speak again. Social media, she said, allowed her to regain control of her voice after her words were “stolen and recontextualized.” 

A look at Amanda Seyfried’s evolution as a performer

Amanda Seyfried has built a career defined by versatility and longevity. She began acting at 15, appearing in As the World Turns and All My Children before landing her breakout film role as Karen Smith in Mean Girls. The unexpected cult success of the film introduced her to global audiences, but her career continued to expand far beyond teen comedy.

She demonstrated strong range across genres, from musicals like Mamma Mia!, which became one of the most successful movie musicals ever, to darker roles in Jennifer’s Body, the romance drama Dear John, and the action-sci-fi film In Time. Critics took particular note of her performance as Cosette in Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables (2012) and her emotionally demanding portrayal of adult film star Linda Lovelace in Lovelace (2013).

Seyfried later earned some of the highest acclaim of her career with David Fincher’s Mank, playing Marion Davies, a role that secured her first Oscar nomination. She then won both a Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe for her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout, widely praised as one of her strongest performances to date. In recent years, she has continued exploring complex, character-driven roles in The Crowded Room, Long Bright River, and the upcoming thriller The Housemaid.

Her artistic range extends further. Seyfried’s spontaneous dulcimer cover of Joni Mitchell’s “California” on The Tonight Show went viral, something she joked earned her new opportunities “faster than winning an Emmy did.” The combination of vulnerability, control, and unpredictability she brings to each project has kept her among Hollywood’s most consistent and compelling performers.