Angelica Ross claims Emma Roberts misgendered her while filming American Horror Story and helped fuel a toxic work environment. Ross also claimed a crew member wore racist shirts on set and her complaint was dismissed as “free speech.”
Ross, who starred on two seasons of American Horror Story (Double Feature and 1984) from 2019 to 2021, publicly shared the allegations days after calling out creator Ryan Murphy. Ross alleged Murphy, whom she also worked with on Pose, left her “on read” after she pitched an idea for an all-Black cast for a season of AHS.
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Roberts allegedly made transphobic comments to Ross
During an Instagram Live, Ross detailed a supposed incident in which Roberts didn’t identify her as a woman. Ross said she and Roberts were goofing around on set when the longtime AHS star pretended to tattle on her to the director.
“John, Angelica’s being mean,” Roberts purportedly stated. (Ross said she knew Roberts wasn’t being “for real.”)
The director apparently replied, “OK ladies, that’s enough. Let’s get back to work.”
Ross claimed Roberts looked at her and replied, “Don’t you mean lady?”
Roberts then supposedly covered her mouth and turned away. “I’m looking at her deadass in the camera… trying to process [what] the f*** she just said,” Ross continued. “My blood is boiling.”
Ross claimed she didn’t report the incident because Roberts was already getting away with alleged problematic behavior.
“I’m like, ‘If I say something, it’s going to be me that’s the problem,’ and I know this because there was someone who spoke up about what [Roberts] was doing and they got repercussions from it. Not her! They did,” Ross added. The Pose star said she never spoke to Roberts after that, even though they had scenes together.
That apparently wasn’t the only transphobic incident. On Wednesday, Ross claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Roberts mocked her voice.
The funniest part? We’re all sitting around & I’m copying Cody’s accent. Didn’t know he had one. Emma then copies my voice & laugh and drops it several octaves. I was SHOOK. She read me for blood with my own words 😂 of course I was self conscious about my voice on set after…
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 20, 2023
Ross and Roberts got along at first as Julia Roberts’s niece called out someone’s “racist T-shirts” on set.
During the same Instagram Live, Ross said she initially “thought things were going great” with Roberts. The 32-year-old actress asked Ross questions in order to educate herself about racism. Roberts allegedly pointed out a set of “racist T-shirts” that a crew member was wearing to work. The first day, the unnamed man wore a shirt that said “Build That Wall” and on another day, he wore a shirt saying, “I Don’t Kneel.” Ross claimed she was essentially dismissed when she brought up the shirts to higher-ups.
Will also tell you about the transphobic remarks my co-star said to my face, and the racism I complained about on set that they said was “free speech”. We on strike so you know I got time this week.
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 19, 2023
Roberts has not addressed the allegations — but apparently apologized to Ross
Ross tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that she received a call from Roberts, who apologized for not being a LGBTQ “ally.”
Thank you @RobertsEmma for calling and apologizing, recognizing your behavior was not that of an ally. I will leave the line open to follow up on your desire to do better and support social justice causes with your platform.
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 20, 2023
Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Roberts’s rep for comment, but did not receive a response. The actress has yet to say anything on social media.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Ross asked people not to “joke about violence towards Emma,” but rather “joke about her being held accountable.”
Let me make something absolutely clear. I appreciate the support but please do not joke about violence towards Emma. Joke about her being held accountable. Now THATs funny 😆
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 20, 2023
Ross called out Ryan Murphy, too
Earlier this week, Ross shared emails between herself and Murphy that appeared to show them collaborating on what an all-Black cast of American Horror Story would look like. Ross had previously pitched the idea, and in 2020, the Emmy-winning writer appeared to say, “I’m doing it.”
“Along with you, who are the four women I should get? I think you, Keke Palmer, Gabby,” Murphy allegedly wrote, seemingly referring to Gabourey Sidibe. “Not sure of the fourth?”
Ross followed up — and sent him flowers — but claimed Murphy left her “on read,” which means he apparently just didn’t respond. (Neither did a rep for Murphy, when contacted by Yahoo.) In other tweets, Ross claimed she was mostly upset as she was contracted for another season of American Horror Story, yet couldn’t get a reply from Murphy about her casting status.
After not hearing back. After sending flowers and no response I sent one last email in Feb 2022 (it took about a year to film season 10 due to COVID) while still contractually in first position with the show. Mind you, marvel had called twice now. I haven’t heard from him… pic.twitter.com/s7HfeABd8j
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 18, 2023
It’s not JUST that the idea changed. Things change all the time. It’s that I called business affairs for MONTHS trying to get clarity if they were picking up my contract option or if I was ok to tell Marvel that I was available for whatever they were calling me for. I had been… https://t.co/On0sBPfRTK
— A N G E L I C A (@angelicaross) September 18, 2023
A source told TheWrap that Murphy’s anthology series often mulls over various ideas before moving forward with a premise.
