Angelica Ross says Ryan Murphy ghosted her, alleges transphobic comments by Emma Roberts
Actress Angelica Ross is none too pleased about being "left on read" by prolific producer Ryan Murphy, who Ross says got her hopes up about being featured in an "American Horror Story" season spotlighting Black women.
Earlier this week, Ross claimed Murphy ghosted her, posting a screen shot on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, of an exchange she had with him in the summer of 2020, in which she excitedly responded to his request for casting help.
"Remember your idea about a Horror seasons starring Black women? Well I’m doing it," Murphy wrote to Ross. "Not sure of the story yet, but we will start a writers room in the fall. Along with you, who are the four women I should get? I think you, Keke Palmer, Gabby … not sure of the fourth?"
The actress, a veteran of Murphy's series "Pose" and "American Horror Story," wrote back the same day.
"YAAAAAASSSSS!" she wrote. "Debbi Morgan ('Eve's Bayou') the culture would LIVE and she's a powerhouse actress. Also someone like Lynn Whitfield or Alfre Woodard would TURN IT!"
Among the other names Ross suggested were Keke Palmer and Angela Bassett, adding that she had a "long list of Black women I want to work with Gabrielle Union, Viola Davis, Lupita (Nyong'o), Kerry Washington, Halle Berry, the list definitely goes on!"
But since that exchange, Murphy has been silent, Ross contends. In a TikTok video, Ross said she was "left on read" by Murphy. She approached the producer again by email in 2022, asking to be part of the writing and producing process on the proposed series, but says she got no response.
Ross also suggests that in waiting for Murphy to respond on a "Horror Story" season focused on Black women characters, she had to pass up opportunities to appear in Marvel movies.
"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," she wrote on X. "Mind you, marvel had called twice now. I haven’t heard from him since."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Ross, Murphy and Marvel for comment.
Angelica Ross accuses Emma Roberts of transphobic comment
Ross goes on at length about actress Emma Roberts, with whom she shared time on the set of "American Horror Story: 1984," Wednesday in an Instagram live video clip, archived by users on X.
In the video, Ross says most of the cast was "irritated" by Roberts, but worse, Ross claims Roberts made transphobic remarks during one on-set exchange.
According to the Ross, who is transgender, Roberts and director John J. Gray were talking to her when Roberts jokingly complained to Gray that Ross was being mean to her. Gray tried to keep things calm by saying, "OK ladies, that's enough. Let's get back to work." Roberts allegedly replied, "Don't you mean lady?"
Ross said her blood was "boiling, because I'm like, 'If I say something, it's going to be me that's the problem.'" Ross said she did not speak to Roberts for the rest of the shoot.
USA TODAY has reached out to Roberts' rep for comment. But midday Wednesday, Ross took to X to thank Roberts 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."
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