Audra McDonald admires Meghan Markle for walking with ‘grace, strength & purpose’

Audra McDonald is an acclaimed actress of the stage and screen. She’s won six Tony Awards (!!) and she has a National Medal of the Arts. She’s a big deal, and she sat down with Vanity Fair for their “Proust Questionnaire” series. All of her answers were amazing, but she’s getting some attention for the answer in which she name-checked the Duchess of Sussex. Some highlights from this VF piece (the bolded text is the Proust question).

What is your greatest fear? Balloons. I have a big phobia of balloons. Big.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? If hoarding and procrastination were Olympic sports, I’d have at least 70 gold medals.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? Judy Garland, but not for the reason you think. I identify with the insecurity she had as a performer. She once said something like “I always worry that this is the time they’ll figure out that I don’t know what I’m doing up there.” I feel that. Deep, deep, deep in my bones.

What is your greatest extravagance? As a New Yorker and a terrible cook, I order takeout much more than I should.

On what occasion do you lie? When they ask your weight for the teeny tiny puddle jumper planes. I have lied every time. Every single time.

What do you dislike most about your appearance? Not gonna answer that. My New Year’s resolution this year is less self-loathing, more self-loving.

When and where were you happiest? In the hospital giving birth to my second daughter with my first daughter right there in the room as it was happening. I don’t remember any pain. I just remember feeling more alive and full of fierce mama bear love than at any other point in my life.

What are your favorite names? Zoe and Sally.

Which living person do you most admire? Meghan Markle. I don’t know how she continues to walk through this world with the grace, strength, and purpose that she does given the unbearable amount of vitriol and hate she has been subjected to, but she does. I wish she didn’t have to.

Which talent would you most like to have? To be able to speak six or seven languages fluently.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Living a life filled with hate.

Who are your heroes in real life? Black women.

What is it that you most dislike? Cruelty, and beets. I despise both.

[From Vanity Fair]

You’re really not supposed to lie about your weight when the math means the difference between life and death! Pilots record a passenger’s weight because they need it for their calculations! I mean, I doubt her lie is a ridiculous number, she’s probably just shaving off 10 pounds or something, but still! Anyway, I also despise beets and cruelty and I also admire Meghan’s grace and strength. I know that’s Meghan’s brand, kindness and grace, but I would love it if Meghan told off those salty, despicable people at least once.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.