Just days before the release of the drug cartel thriller Sicario, actress Emily Blunt is taking more fire for saying during an interview last weekend she regrets becoming a U.S. citizen after watching the first Republican presidential debate.
The star told The Hollywood Reporter, “I became an American citizen recently, and that night, we watched the Republican debate and I thought, ‘This was a terrible mistake. What have I done?’”
During the interview, Blunt also described Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) as “pretty impressive.”
Tuesday, on Fox & Friends, co-host Anna Kooiman hit back hard at Blunt for those and other comments, saying, “You know what, then why don’t you leave Hollywood, California, and let some American women take on the roles that you’re getting? Because Americans are watching your movies and lining your pockets.”
Co-host Brian Kilmeade agreed, saying, “I agree with you.”
Longtime co-host Steve Doocy then compared Blunt’s comments to those made by the country group the Dixie Chicks, who never rebounded after making critical, anti-war comments of President George W. Bush in 2003.
“You know what Emily Blunt just did? She just Dixie Chicked herself. She has alienated half the country, and now will think twice about going to one of her movies,” said Doocy.
“I actually didn’t know she was, and I’ve seen a lot of movies,” Kilmeade said.
He added, ”Congratulations…You’re an American citizen and you’re very unhappy.”
Blunt doubled down on the comment Tuesday during a conversation with PEOPLE, when the mag asked her if filming the movie scared her.
“You know, what scared me was watching the Republican debate after becoming a citizen,” she said at a New York screening of Sicario.
Blunt has now appeared four times in the last week to make disparaging comments about becoming an American. The actress became a naturalized citizen on Aug. 4 in Los Angeles, CA.
Her comments are being portrayed by numerous media outlets as if they were made as a joke, while a number of those outlets are discounting Fox & Friends for holding her accountable for making them.
Blunt has not yet responded to the backlash, or offered any apologies.
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