NEW YORK — Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth sparked a firestorm on X after posting about her grief over the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025. Her emotional message, “Heartbroken over Charlie Kirk. No one deserves this,” posted on September 12, drew 300,000 views but faced sharp criticism from fans who recalled her past support for Kirk’s controversial views.
Chenoweth, 57, known for Wicked and Glee, met Kirk at a 2018 Turning Point USA event where she performed. She praised his “bravery” in a 2019 tweet, a move that clashed with many fans’ progressive values. After Kirk’s death at Utah Valley University, her condolence post reignited tensions. “You endorsed his hate!” wrote @BroadwayBabe on X, a post liked 50,000 times. Others, like @TheaterFan, questioned, “Why mourn someone who spread division?”
In a statement to Variety, Chenoweth defended her stance, saying, “I mourn the loss of a life, not politics.” She highlighted Kirk’s kindness to her, noting private moments of support during their friendship. Supporters on X, like @FaithAndFame, backed her, posting, “Kristin’s heart is in the right place—let her grieve.”
The backlash reflects Chenoweth’s complex ties to Kirk, whose Turning Point USA championed conservative causes often criticized as divisive. Her 2019 feud with Wicked co-star Idina Menzel over Kirk’s views resurfaced, with fans citing Menzel’s tweet calling his rhetoric “dangerous.” As the FBI investigates Kirk’s killer, Tyler Robinson, Chenoweth’s post has fueled a broader debate about celebrities and political alliances, keeping X ablaze with opinions.