Brandy Shares Why She Called Out Body Shamers

Brandy Shares Why She Called Out Body Shamers in Powerful Message

Sorry internet trolls, Brandy will not keep her thoughts in her own little corner.

The Descendants: Wicked Wonderland actress got candid about why she recently addressed online criticism of her appearance.

“I didn't appreciate that,” Brandy admitted to E! News' Will Marfuggi during a joint interview with her Descendants costars Rita Ora and Leonardo Nam. “I didn’t love the way that made me feel.”

The reaction was what inspired her July 11 Instagram post in which she encouraged her followers to think before they spoke ill of someone’s body or face.

“I thought about how everyone feels if someone comments about their appearance or anything like that,” she continued. “And I took the moment and decided to share in a teaching way to just encourage people and to inspire people to just be gentle with each other.”

And as the 47-year-old reiterated, it’s important for her to offer grace to others.

“You see someone and you judge them,” she told E!. “You don't know what story they're carrying. You don't know what they've been through or anything like that.”

Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty Images

At the end of the day, Brandy—who shares daughter Sy'rai Smith with ex-boyfriend Robert Smith—did her best to bring a bit of her character Cinderella into the real world, adding, “Just be kind and be gentle.”

And having had the chance to play the iconic character again since her first turn in 1997’s Cinderella has meant everything to her—especially as she reflected on her experience with the original TV special, which costarred Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother.

“The memory that I have the most is when I was recording ‘Impossible’ with Whitney Houston,” Brandy recalled. “I don't really have the words for that.”

Disney

As such, the Grammy winner was grateful that she was able to pay homage to the late Houston with her current portrayal of Cinderella in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, which premieres on the Disney Channel July 16 and will be available the next day on Disney+.

“It means everything to me because I feel like I'm doing what she would want me to do,” Brandy shared. “Which is live this beautiful life, doing what I love to do, and still carrying out her legacy, my legacy, in a positive way. In an inspirational way.”

For more celebs who have clapped back at body shamers, keep reading.

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