Gillian Anderson has responded to widespread backlash after a viral video in which she tells fans to stop sitting in the front row.
The X-Files actress, 58, was seen telling a group of fans that they were “distracting” her while she performed in London’s West End production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In the video, Anderson says, “You guys cannot sit in the front row, I do not care. You cannot sit in the front row. It’s so distracting.”
“You can’t come 20 times and sit in the front row, it’ll drive me mad,” she told the fans, who are not seen in the video. They were heard responding, “I’m sorry” and “I know.”
The video sparked both discussion and criticism, and Anderson has now responded. In a statement on X, the star clarified, “The video doing the rounds is me talking with women I go back over 20 years with—so please don’t say anything negative to or about them.”
“We’re thrilled to be doing this show but for people in the front row, please be aware that in such an intimate venue we can all see you and sometimes, it can be a tad distracting!” she continued.
She concluded, “That’s all. All good. On with the show and love to everyone and thank you to all of those coming.”
However, users on X jumped to Anderson’s defense, with several telling the actress she didn’t need to apologize for voicing her complaints. “How are they even getting front row seats multiple times?! Their entitlement is out of control,” one user wrote. “They made you issue a notes app apology FOR WHAT,” another said.
Anderson plays Martha in Edward Albee’s play, opposite Billy Crudup, who plays George. “They are confident performers,” the Guardian review of the play says, “And it makes sense that this 1962 American classic about conjugal warfare is taken on by two Americans, albeit under the aegis of British directorial powerhouse Marianne Elliott.”
Anderson, who spent a large part of her childhood in London, is not the only stage performer to call out audience behavior in the last few months alone.
In April, Wicked star Cynthia Erivo paused a performance of Dracula, returning only once an audience member who was filming the show was removed from the theater.
In June, Rosamund Pike publicly criticized an audience member during a performance of Inter Alia at London’s Wyndham Theatre.
Legally Blonde musical star Amber Davies called out a theater-goer in July for filming the performance, also slamming the fan for distracting the cast. That same month, actress Sadie Sink also condemned poor theater etiquette she noticed while performing Romeo & Juliet in London’s West End.
