Julianne Hough's Blackface Costume 'Not Bright' Says Brother Derek
Derek Hough addressed the criticism of his sister Julianne Hough's controversial Halloween costume following Monday's "Dancing the with the Stars" episode.
The "DWTS" dance pro admitted that his little sister's "Orange is the New Black" costume from over the weekend was a lapse in judgment, and that Julianne is "mortified" over her mistake.
"Obviously, it wasn't her brightest moment in her life," Hough told E! News of his sister's Crazy Eyes costume, which saw the actress wearing face paint that made her skin look darker.
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"She's my little baby sister and she's the sweetest thing ever," the award-winning dancer added. "She is just beyond beside herself. She's so apologetic. She's so so sorry."
Meanwhile, Julianne issued an apology for her Netflix series-inspired costume via Twitter.
"I am a huge fan of the show 'Orange is the New Black,' actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she has created," Hough wrote. "It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way. I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize."
Nevertheless, Hough's Halloween interpretation offended a slew of people and drew criticism from several directions.
Although "Orange is the New Black" star Laverne Cox was not offended by Hough's costume, the actress said that the concept was drawn "out of ignorance."
"I wasn't offended," the star told Us Weekly. "I thought it was a shame that she is in this country, that she would wear blackface and not understand the historical implications of that."
"I don't think Julianne is making a specific, informed choice to comment on blackness," Cox added. "I just think it's out of ignorance. That's really sad."
The Halloween costume was not the first time Hough has drawn ire recently. The former "DWTS" professional dancer appeared on the reality dancing series earlier this month when her criticisms against Mark Ballas reportedly enraged him.
"The dancers were all talking about it," an insider told Us Weekly. "Mark was so pissed after his routine, he was in silence, just gritting his teeth for a long time. He was so angry."
Following Hough's comments on "DWTS," Ballas and his celebrity partner, Christina Milian, were eliminated from the show.
