Audra McDonald has some thoughts on boundaries she’d like to share.
In a video shared to her Instagram Reels on Saturday, August 16, a day ahead of her final bow in the historic Broadway revival of “Gypsy,” the 55-year-old Broadway star recounted a troubling encounter that happened after Friday night’s performance, when a fan followed her home.
“That is crossing a big ol’ boundary,” McDonald said in the video. “That’s now messing with my safety. And it’s not right.”
She explained that after Friday night’s performance, a fan “snuck around and found” the way she exited the theater and then followed her to where she was staying. The person even managed to get inside the building. Even once security finally got involved, McDonald said the fan still pressed for an autograph, insisting they deserved one because they had come from far away.
The actress said that type of behavior is not only invasive but also dangerous.
“When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don’t stop, leave them alone,” she added. “There is a reason that they’re not stopping, and it has nothing to do with you.”
The six-time Tony Award winner’s run as Mama Rose in “Gypsy” has made history. McDonald is the first Black actress to step into the role on Broadway. The production also earned her an 11th Tony nomination, further cementing her status. In addition to being the most nominated performer, she currently holds more wins than any other performer in Tony’s history.
However, as McDonald pointed out, no number of accolades and amount of buzz exempts performers from needing space.
“Actors, as much as we would love to greet every single one of you after a show sometimes, we’re just exhausted and it’s hard,” she said. “Some people get anxiety about doing the stage door. Some people are in a rush to catch the train so they can get home. Some people avoid the stage door because of health reasons. And that’s perfectly fair.”
On Sunday, McDonald took her final bow in “Gypsy” at the Majestic Theatre. The star-studded audience included Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, who cheered her on.
King later revealed in an Instagram post that Winfrey said of McDonald, “She’s on fire!”
