Actor Laura Benanti has detailed the significant personal fallout she experienced, including doxing and threats, stemming from her decade-long satirical portrayal of former first lady Melania Trump on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
Benanti revealed on the podcast "The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi" that a "right-wing psychopath" doxxed her, disseminating her personal information and address to a wider audience with instructions to contact her. The individual also included details about her political affiliations and past statements.
The doxing incident occurred shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Benanti learned of the threat by chance when her driver, who was identified as a supporter of Donald Trump, received the email blast himself and alerted her. "He was so upset that they would do this, and I was like, ‘This is what I’m talking about!’" Benanti recalled.
Benanti shared that the situation was so alarming that it forced her family to move from their owned apartment to a rental property. "We were paying fucking rent and a mortgage," she stated.
Despite the serious safety concerns and the disruption to her family life, Benanti decided not to cease her impersonation of Melania Trump. She explained that after a period of consideration, she felt that stopping would be an act of cowardice. Benanti believes that political satire can serve as a public service, citing feedback from individuals who expressed gratitude for her work.