Teyana Taylor, known for her role in “One Battle After Another,” recently likened her detractors to ‘demons’ following criticism of her spirited reaction to Amy Madigan’s Oscar win at the 96th Academy Awards.
On Sunday night, Taylor left the iconic Dolby Theatre without an award, as Madigan took home the Best Supporting Actress trophy for her performance in the supernatural thriller “Weapons.”
However, Taylor captured attention for a different reason, enthusiastically standing and clapping as Madigan approached the stage. Her lively display was in sharp contrast to the more reserved applause from her fellow nominees.
This boisterous show of support, along with an earlier red carpet incident, has sparked ongoing debate about the 35-year-old actress and her conduct during the prestigious event.
Addressing the backlash on X, she posted on Monday, “The world is so full of sorrow that some forget what joy looks like.”
“They become accustomed to being sore losers, so when true sportsmanship appears, it disturbs them—like holy water to a demon,” she continued.
One Battle After Another star Teyana Taylor has hit back after facing sustained criticism for her enthusiastic response to Amy Madigan winning an Oscar at her expense on Sunday evening
‘Because clapping for someone else’s victory requires something many people never learned…how to win with grace & pure joy, and how to lose with grace, chin up & dignity.’
Taylor accompanied her post with a clip of Zoe Saldaña announcing the winner for Best Supporting Actress, followed by her own enthusiastic response.
The actress also revealed what really happened when she was allegedly shoved by a security guard during what transpired to be a particularly dramatic night for the star.
A viral video showed Taylor accusing a man of getting physical with her as she tried to move through the crowd at the Academy Awards.
The actress was asked by TMZ about the alleged shoving after the Oscars and claimed that a bad apple among the security guards was responsible for the move.
‘It’s all good,’ she said. ‘Everybody’s having a good time, security was just doing a lot. There’s always that one.
‘At the end of the day, I just don’t tolerate disrespect, especially when it’s unwarranted and it’s unprovoked.’
A witness told E! the moment occurred after Taylor was approached by security as she tried to get onto the Dolby Theatre stage with Warner Bros co-head Pamela Abdy to take a group photo.
Video of the aftermath showed the actress erupting backstage after she was allegedly ‘shoved’ by an unknown man.
Pointing angrily at someone off camera, the visibly upset star raised her voice and said: ‘You’re a man putting his hands on a female.’
She continued, repeating: ‘You’re very rude. You’re very rude. You’re very rude.’
Taylor claimed the spotlight by leaping to her feet and wildly clapping the air as Madigan made her way to the stage – a stark contrast to the subdued response shared by her fellow nominees
The over-exuberant response, coupled with a red carpet altercation outside the venue, has since led to prolonged criticism of the actress and her perceived behaviour at the ceremony
Turning to a concerned attendee who approached the tense scene, Taylor explained the situation, saying: ‘Cause he put his hands on a female.’
The singer-turned-actress then claimed the man had pushed her, adding: ‘He literally shoved me. He was damn near shoving her,’ while referencing an unidentified woman nearby.
The clip ended with Taylor making it clear why she was furious, telling those around her: ‘Do not touch me, do not shove me, do not push me.’
In a statement to Variety, the security firm, Security Industry Specialists, Inc. acknowledged that ‘there was a brief interaction involving Ms Taylor and a member of our security team during the show last evening.’
‘Our security personnel were working to manage a crowded area and ensure the safety of all guests,’ the security firm explained. ‘During that interaction, there was incidental contact and we regret that the situation escalated.
‘This is not the standard of professionalism we expect from our team, and we have addressed the manner internally to help ensure situations like this do not happen again.’
