In a new interview with Who What Wear, the Mean Girls actress reflected on an Instagram comment she posted shortly after Kirk’s death in September. Responding to a video that compiled past quotes attributed to Kirk, Seyfried wrote just three words: “He was hateful.”
“I’m not f---ing apologizing for that,” Seyfried said in the interview. “I commented on one thing. I said something that was based on actual reality and actual footage and actual quotes.”
The post she commented on came from the account @So.Informed and featured a list of remarks Kirk had allegedly made about Black women, immigrants, protesters, birth control, and empathy. Seyfried said she briefly considered deleting her comment after it sparked backlash, but ultimately decided to leave it up.
“What I said was pretty damn factual, and I’m free to have an opinion,” she said. “Thank God for Instagram. I was able to give some clarity. It was about getting my voice back because I felt like it had been stolen and recontextualized.”
After the controversy grew, Seyfried shared a longer post explaining her position. In it, she stressed that criticizing rhetoric and condemning violence are not mutually exclusive.
“We’re forgetting the nuance of humanity,” she wrote at the time. “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, “No one should have to experience this level of violence. This country is grieving too many senseless and violent deaths and shootings. Can we agree on that at least?”
During the interview, Seyfried also reflected on her role as a public figure and the limits of her influence. She admitted that, at times, speaking out can feel small compared to the scale of what is happening in the world.
“It seems ridiculous at times because people are marching the streets, and I’m not one of them — at least not today,” she said. “I have nothing to apologize for unless I’m harming someone emotionally, physically, or mentally.”
Seyfried noted that promoting her work is also a responsibility. “A lot of people’s lives depend on that movie being promoted,” she said, adding that the current climate can feel overwhelming.
Looking ahead, Seyfried will next appear in Paul Feig’s thriller The Housemaid alongside Sydney Sweeney, followed by Mona Fastvold’s historical drama The Testament of Ann Lee. She also spoke warmly about Sweeney, saying the younger actress faces far more intense scrutiny than she ever did.
“She’s got it so much harder than I ever did,” Seyfried said. “There’s a spotlight on her that I never had, never wanted. I feel protective of her, even though she doesn’t need my protection.”
The Housemaid hits theaters on December 19, while The Testament of Ann Lee arrives on Christmas Day.
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