Nancy Lee Grahn Apologizes After Criticizing Viola Davis’ Emmy Acceptance Speech

Soap star Nancy Lee Grahn was taken to task on Twitter for her criticism of Viola Davis‘ Emmy acceptance speech and has been trying to make amends with her followers.

Nancy Lee Grahn On Viola Davis

On Sunday night, Davis became the first black woman to ever win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Annalise Keating on Shonda Rhimes‘ How to Get Away with Murder. In her acceptance speech, Davis quoted Harriet Tubman and spoke to the importance of diversity in Hollywood.

“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,” Davis had 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.”

Grahn, who was watching the awards show from home, shared her thoughts about Davis’ speech on Twitter.

“Im a f–king actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve,” Grahn said in a since-deleted tweet. “Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled.”

“Think she’s the bees knees but she’s elite of TV performers,” she wrote in another tweet that’s no longer on her page. “Brilliant as she is. She has never been discriminated against.”

Grahn has, however, left up a few of her tweets in which she explains that she is an advocate for all women.

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.

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015

Viola Davis winning lead actress Emmy’s historic. My upset is acting awards dont fix racial injustice. As an actor I see how irrelevant we r

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015

Grahn has also left up a tweet dissing Davis’ speech-writing abilities.

I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech, but I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it. #Emmys

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015

After the backlash, Grahn offered her followers a couple of apologies.

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

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015

Schooled. As surrogate 2 last democratic presidents I thought I needed no lesson in equality. I was wrong. Please accept my apology.

— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015