Broadway legend Audra McDonald recently issued a PSA to fans after being followed home by an entitled stranger.
On Sunday (Aug. 17), the actress recounted the terrifying event in an Instagram video captioned, “Some thoughts on boundaries.”
Following her final performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy, McDonald shared, “Last night, someone—I don’t even know if they did the stage door or not—but they snuck around and found me the way I had exited from the theatre.” She explained that the fan followed her to where she was staying, “came into the building, and was uncomfortably close.”
She was able to get help from security, but the fan responded, “‘Well, hey, I’ve come all the way,’” she recalled. “They named some town, some city that they’ve come all the way from. They wanted an autograph and felt that they deserved an autograph.”
McDonald admits that she doesn’t always hang around post-show to preserve her vocal health, “whatever energy I have,” and to get home to her young daughter. For other actors, she cited anxiety, health concerns, exhaustion, and more as one of the reasons why they may not greet fans after a show. However, the 55-year-old acknowledged that this restricted access is a boundary that needs to be respected.
“That is crossing a big old boundary,” she emphasized. “I just want to call that out, that’s a big no-no. That’s now messing with my safety. It’s not right.”
As a message to other fans, she urged, “When you see an actor leave the stage door, if they don’t stop, leave them alone. There is a reason that they’re not stopping, and it has nothing to do with you. It’s them protecting their space and peace, whatever that may be.”
After her final performance, McDonald shared, “Saying goodbye to Rose and to my incredible @gypsybway family. I couldn’t have wished for a more brilliant, fierce, joyous, kind and loving group of souls with which to travel this road. I don’t even have the words to express how much I love them all. My head is full of gorgeous memories, my body is tired, and my heart is full of nothing but gratitude and love.”