Alyssa Milano darkened her complexion for a Funny or Die video back in 2013, but she’s adamant that it wasn’t blackface.
The former Charmed actress was accused of doing blackface in a sketch by LifeZette, claiming that a “damning photo” had come “back to haunt her.”
Milano screenshotted the article and said the following of the allegation.
“Hey, assholes. The below picture is me parodying Jersey Shore and Snooki’s [sic] tan,” wrote Milano.
“Snookie’s tan (she is a sweetheart by the way) is worthy of parodying as is Trump’s ‘tan.’ So go f–k yourselves with your smear campaign.”
Milano then shared the full Funny or Die Jersey Shore parody, which showed her dressing up as a Jersey Shore resident with a notably darker complexion, thanks to a dark tan.
She is also kitted out with duck lips.
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, a star of Jersey Shore, is Chilean-American, and her fellow cast members are known for dressing up and partying the night away.
The whole thing started when Milano addressed cancel culture and seemed to think that the resurfacing of the video reiterated her point.
“Cancel culture is being weaponized by the right/Putin,” she tweeted earlier this week.
“Take notice of who they are targeting & what is trending. Are they trying to hurt Trump’s most vocal critics? Yup. The misinformation campaign has begun. Be vigilant in what you post on social media. Truth still matters.”
That’s when someone shared a photo of her dressed as Snooki, and claimed that she was hiding it in her replies.
Milano shot back, saying that it “proves the entire point of the actual tweet,” adding that, “I’ve never done, nor would I ever do blackface.”
You can watch the full video below.
[embedded content]Several stars have been accused of the racist action in recent weeks.
Jimmy Fallon issued an apology in May for the “terrible decision” he made to wear blackface to impersonate Chris Rock on Saturday Night Live in 2000.
The 45-year-old comedian said he made an “unquestionably offensive” choice and shared his gratitude to fans for “holding me accountable.”
Jimmy Kimmel also recently opened up about his regret over his own “thoughtless” blackface skits and impersonations, including his impressions of NBA player Karl Malone in blackface for KROQ radio.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.