Nicole Scherzinger, currently starring in Broadway’s new production of “Sunset Blvd.,” drew criticism on social media Thursday evening after she posted a positive comment on Instagram, beaming at a post by Russell Brand in which he flashes a red hat reading “Make Jesus First Again.” Posted in the hours ahead of the U.S. presidential election, Brand captioned the post “God Bless America.”
“Where do I get this hat?” Scherzinger wrote in a now-deleted comment, alongside a prayer hands emoji and a red heart emoji.
Many fans took offense to Scherzinger’s positive sentiment toward iconography associated with Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and signature red hat campaign wardrobe, just a day after the Republican nominee defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential election.
A representative for Scherzinger was not immediately available for comment.
Along with the Trump-related imagery, others have noted the additional controversy of engaging with Brand himself, who was accused of “rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse” by five women in a joint investigation by the Sunday Times of London and Channel 4 last September. A subsequent lawsuit accusing the actor and comedian of another act of sexual assault was filed two months later.
Brand has denied such claims. Though the “Arthur” and “Get Him to the Greek” actor hasn’t acted in major TV shows or films in recent years, he has committed himself to his production company Legitimate Business Firm Limited and has garnered a substantial online following posting regular video content, oftentimes focused on Christianity.
Scherzinger, whose star rose as a member of The Pussycat Dolls through the 2000’s, has earned raves for her performance as has-been Hollywood legend Norma Desmond in director Jamie Lloyd’s Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard.” In Variety’s review of the show, chief correspondent Daniel D’Addario called Scherzinger’s performance a “coming-out party for a performer whose plainly evident raw talent has long outstripped her ability to find a landing place in the entertainment industry.” Scherzinger is widely seen as a favorite for this year’s Tony Awards.