Amanda Seyfried is facing a wave of online criticism after commenting on an Instagram post about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in the wake of his death, calling him “hateful” and resharing a text post that some users interpreted as suggesting he had invited violence.
Seyfried, 39, replied to an Instagram post that quoted Kirk and highlighted controversial statements he had made about abortion, immigration and race with the succinct comment, “He was hateful.” She later reshared a text-only image to her Instagram Stories that read, “You can’t invite violence to the dinner table and be shocked when it starts eating.”
The social-media reaction was immediate. Several users on X called for boycotts of Seyfried’s films and denounced the comment as an endorsement of violence against Kirk. One X post read, “Amanda seyfried believes Charlie Kirk assassination was justified. Make sure to never see another one of her movies.” Another user posted, “I am not watching any more movies with Amanda Seyfried SHE IS SPREADING THE LIE THAT CHARLIE Kirk was Hateful She should lose her Job. HAS SHE ACTUALLY WATCHED ANY OF CHARLIE KIRK VIDEOS.”
On Instagram, critics targeted a pinned post of Seyfried with her cat, leaving numerous negative comments including calls for the actress to “be a better person” and accusations that she was legitimizing political assassination. Some users accused Seyfried of hypocrisy, arguing that her reshared message implied those who engaged in violent protests in the past “invited” forceful responses. Those commenters linked the logic of Seyfried’s reshared quote to events such as the unrest during the George Floyd protests.
Seyfried’s exchange came after the Instagram post about Kirk included a January 2024 quote attributed to him and a collection of excerpts that critics say show contentious statements on social issues. The precise post that prompted Seyfried’s reply juxtaposed an aphorism about judging others with samples of Kirk’s remarks; Seyfried’s comment appeared beneath that compilation.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot Sept. 10 while onstage at Utah Valley University during a stop on his American Comeback Tour. He died later that day. Kirk and his wife, Erika, had two children, a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son.
The exchange illustrates the immediate scrutiny public figures face when they comment on the deaths of polarizing political figures. Comments from both supporters and detractors of Kirk proliferated across platforms, with some users focusing on Seyfried’s language and others condemning Kirk’s past statements. The posts and responses remain on public accounts, where they continue to generate debate among followers and strangers alike.