Ginny & Georgia Star Antonia Gentry Speaks Out Amid Backlash Over Taylor Swift Joke

Just days after Taylor Swift called out Ginny & Georgia for a "deeply sexist joke," Antonia Gentry, who plays Ginny, took to Instagram and thanked the show's fans for their love and support.

By Elyse Dupre Mar 05, 2021 1:38 PMTags
Watch: "Ginny & Georgia": Antonia Gentry Speaks Out After Taylor Swift Joke

Ginny & Georgia star Antonia Gentry is sending a message to fans amid criticism over the Netflix series.

While the 23-year-old actress didn't mention Taylor Swift, her latest Instagram post came just days after the 31-year-old singer called out the streaming service and its show for a line in the script. 

"Thank you for the love and support you have shown me and our show, 'Ginny & Georgia,' over the last week," Gentry wrote on March 4 . "I never would have imagined something like this as a young girl—that is, having a voice capable of impact. It is so meaningful to see the hundreds of messages from fans in my inbox who feel seen, heard and understood because of the show and its characters. It has also been fun to hear from those who were just happy to be along for an entertaining ride."

She then reflected on what it was like to play her character, Ginny Miller. "As someone who grew up feeling voiceless and unimportant, and who did not see herself reflected on screen, Ginny Miller was finally a reprieve," Gentry added. "Finally, a character who was just as confused and imperfect as I was gets a chance to exist."

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And while Gentry noted Ginny is a fictional character, she also talked about how she "reflects all of life's contradictions and imperfections."

"I fell in love with playing as Ginny Miller because she is a character who dares to be flawed, a character who tries her hardest to melt into the world around her seamlessly, but is consistently told no," she added. "She is a character among many in the show who implicate us all. She shows us our own biases, prejudices and injustices. She loves, she lies and she stands up for what she believes in—even though she may not have all of her facts straight. She makes mistakes—morally, mentally, physically, emotionally—and not just within herself, but within the broken world she lives in."

At the end of her post, Gentry gave a shout-out to the show's team and sent love to her fans. "I am so delighted to work with talented, earnest and honest women who aren't afraid of pulling back the curtain and exposing all of life's intricacies—the good and the bad, all with a glass of wine in hand, and a tongue in cheek," she wrote. "To all of the people who have sent hundreds of messages about feeling seen for the first time, whether through Ginny or another character in 'Ginny and Georgia,' thank you for your voices and inspiration. With so much love, Toni <3."

Instagram, Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

As fans may recall, Swift took to Twitter on March 1 to address a Ginny & Georgia scene in which Gentry's teenage character Ginny is having an argument with her mom Georgia (Brianne Howey) and says, "What do you care? You go through men faster than Taylor Swift." 

"Hey Ginny & Georgia, 2010 called and it wants its lazy, deeply sexist joke back," the Grammy winner tweeted. "How about we stop degrading hard working women by defining this horse s--t as FuNnY. Also,@netflix after Miss Americana this outfit doesn't look cute on you. Happy Women's History Month I guess."

"Respect Taylor Swift" started trending on Twitter and numerous fans and celebrities sent her support. But according to BuzzFeed, some of show's stars, including Gentry, were also targeted online. Since then, many commenters have come to her defense.

"I love Taylor sm but y'all need to stop harassing Antonia," one follower wrote underneath one of Gentry's posts. "She didn't write that line, pls leave her alone. She doesn't deserve this."

Added another, "All of you yelling at Toni need to back off. I love Taylor Swift and am glad she stood up for herself, but bullying an actor for lines she had no control over is cruel and petty. Please take your dissent to the writers who wrote the script instead of attacking an actress who worked really hard to get here."  

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