Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesThe world and Internet collectively applauded Viola Davis' Emmys acceptance speech Sunday night, but General Hospital star Nancy Lee Grahn was not about it. Grahn took to Twitter to express her distaste for Davis' speech, which she gave after becoming the first black woman to ever win the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
"I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech," wrote Grahn, 57. "But I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it."
Considering the standing ovation and tears shed by the audience, Grahn was one of the few who didn't fangirl at Davis', 50, words.
"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is simply opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there," the How to Get Away With Murder star said. "So here's to all the writers, the awesome people—people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black.
But Grahn wrote that Davis has "never been discriminated against" in Hollywood in a series of tweets. "Im a f--king actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve. Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled," she wrote, but the tweet has since been deleted.
"I think she's the bees knees but she's elite of TV performers," she tweeted in response to a fan. "Brilliant as she is. She has never been discriminated against."
Naturally, the Internet flipped out, unleashing its wrath on the soap opera star. Unable to take it, she tried to atone for her words by apologizing on Twitter. "I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her roles. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors," she wrote. "I apologize 2 anyone who I offended. I'm women advocate since I became one. After reading responses, I hear u and my tweet was badly phrased.
She followed up with a link to a longer apology. "I apologize for my earlier tweets and now realize I need to check my own privilege," she continued. "My intention was not to take this historic and important moment from Viola Davis or other women of color but I realize that my intention doesn't matter here because that is what I ended up doing. I learned a lot tonight and I admit that there are still some things I don't understand but I am trying to and will let this be a learning experience for me."
While Grahn might have been a hater, Davis had the majority of Hollywood on her side, as many stars shared their excitement and joy for her on Twitter.