Angela Lansbury on Wednesday clarified comments she made previously, which some interpreted as placing at least some blame for sexual harassment on women, and asserted that critics had taken her comments out of context.
Lansbury initially said in a Tuesday Radio Times interview that “women must sometimes take blame” for being sexually harassed because they have made themselves too attractive.
“There are two sides to this coin,” the 92-year-old "Murder, She Wrote" actress said in the interview, adding that women trying to be attractive has “backfired” to create the current situation. “We must sometimes take blame, women. I really do think that. Although it’s awful to say we can’t make ourselves look as attractive as possible without being knocked down and raped.”
Lansbury did add there was no excuse for the harassment and that she thinks it will stop because of all the women who are now coming forward.
After many women, including actress Patricia Arquette, called Lansbury's remarks into question, Lansbury released a statement to clarify the remarks.
“There is no excuse whatsoever for men to harass women in an abusive sexual manner,” Lansbury said Wednesday. “And I am devastated that anyone should deem me capable of thinking otherwise,” noting that she has been a longtime supporter of women’s rights.
“I would like to add that I am troubled by how quickly and brutishly some have taken my comments out of context and attempted to blame my generation, my age, or my mindset, without having read the entirety of what I said,” she added.
Twitter was relieved Lansbury wasn’t trending because she had died, but didn’t think her initial statement was quite right either, although some defended her on various grounds.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.