After immense backlash for her anti-Islamic comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war, actress Selma Blair has apologized for her remarks via Instagram.
Blair, known for her roles in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and Hellboy, sparked a social-media firestorm earlier this month with her now-deleted comment that read in part: “Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroyed minds,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Blair took to Instagram on Tuesday to apologize.
“In my comment, I mistakenly and inadvertently conflated Muslims with Radical Islamists and fundamentalists, a terrible err in my words, and resulted in hurting countless people I never meant to, and I deeply regret this,” Blair wrote on Instagram. “As soon as my error was brought to my attention, I deleted the comment.”
Her original comment had been in response to U.S. Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib voting against a bill to restrict immigration by those who “who participated in or otherwise facilitated” Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, HuffPost reported.
Tlaib explained in a statement: “H.R. 6679 is unnecessary because it is redundant with already existing federal law. It’s just another GOP messaging bill being used to incite anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim hatred that makes communities like ours unsafe.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) was among those who condemned Blair for her original comment. “Based on the hateful and ignorant remarks that Ms. Blair made, we doubt that she has ever engaged in any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community,” CAIR said on X.
Colleagues including filmmaker James LeBrecht had also weighed in. “I am heartbroken after seeing what she has posted online. I barely know how to use Instagram and don’t follow anyone daily,” LeBrecht wrote on X. “All of this took me completely by surprise. I want to be as clear as I can possibly be. I want to see a cease-fire immediately. I want the hostages freed immediately. I hate the Israeli government for what they have done. I deplore the killing of innocent people anywhere. Be precise, I deplore all killing.”
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