Apparently, not even a history-making Broadway performance could pull Madonna’s eyes off her screen.
During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Hamilton alum Anthony Ramos called out the pop icon for being that audience member (the one glued to their device).
Ramos, now 33, originated two roles in the smash 2015 musical, most notably Philip Hamilton, Alexander’s ill-fated son. And while the show was known for drawing A-listers night after night, Madonna’s appearance is one folks backstage clearly haven’t forgotten.
When host Andy Cohen asked who the most intimidating celebrity in the crowd was during his time on the show, Ramos didn’t hesitate: “Madonna with her iPad in her face.”
“She was like this the whole time,” he said, mimicking someone scrolling. “I was like, ‘Damn, shorty… if you not enjoying it that much, you know the door’s right there,'” he said.
Back when the incident first happened, creator Lin-Manuel Miranda hinted at the frustration in a tweet: “Tonight was the first time I asked stage management NOT to allow a celebrity (who was texting all through Act 2) backstage. #noselfieforyou,” Playbill reported at the time.
He didn’t name names, but rumors quickly pointed to the Queen of Pop. Madonna’s rep denied the accusations at the time, saying she had been invited backstage “four different times” and only texted “post-show during their fundraising pitch.”
The rep added that she had “already made a generous donation.”
Still, Hamilton cast members didn’t hold back. Jonathan Groff, who played King George III, later confirmed it was Madonna, and he didn’t sugarcoat it. “You couldn’t miss it from the stage,” Groff told Variety. “Her face was perfectly lit by the glow of her iPhone through three-quarters of the show. She wasn’t invited backstage because that b***h was on her phone.”
To be fair, Madonna isn’t new to the theater. She starred in David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow back in 1988 and famously took on the role of Eva Perón in the 1996 film version of Evita, which earned her a Golden Globe.
But her turn as Eva wasn’t exactly beloved by everyone, including Broadway legend Patti LuPone, who originated the role on stage and won a Tony for it.
When asked about Madonna’s version during her own Watch What Happens Live appearance, LuPone didn’t hold back either. “I saw ‘Buenos Aires’ on MTV,” she said. “And I thought it was a piece of s**t.”
“Madonna is a movie killer,” LuPone added, per AOL. “She’s dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be in film or on stage. She’s a wonderful performer for what she does, but she’s not an actress. Bing!”
One thing’s for sure: Broadway folks have long memories... especially when you’re (allegedly) texting through the second act.