Jameela Jamil is under fire after suggesting Ariana Grande may be “possibly dying.” Days after the pop singer released her new album, Jamil commented on her appearance, citing her personal experience with anorexia. The remarks came amid ongoing conversations about Grande’s health.
Jameela Jamil accused Ariana Grande’s team of promoting a deeply damaging image in her new “Petal” music video
On July 31, Grande released ‘Petal’, the title track and second single from her eighth studio album. The music video, filmed in the 1950s cinematic format VistaVision, sparked reactions from fans who noticed her changed appearance. Jamil was among those who shared their thoughts.
The 40-year-old actress and activist wrote in a comment on Instagram, “‘This poor woman is possibly dying right in front of us. This outfit is designed to accentuate the thinness for discourse. Her team [is] thoroughly irresponsible for not guiding her away from this deeply damaging image for her young fans to see so glamorized.”
However, her comments soon sparked backlash. A fan wrote, “How many times has Ariana said that comments about her body affect her deeply?? Just accept her art and LET HER BE.” Another commented, “Jameela needs to mind her own f**king business and learn how to stop criticizing other women. She always does this.”
Jamil later responded, saying her comments were intended to discuss the impact of beauty ideals on young people, not to criticize Grande. She said she felt “extremely bad for Ariana” because of her own experience with anorexia.
She wrote on her Instagram Story, “It was only due to the people around me intervening INSENSITIVELY once I willfully ignored (and sort of enjoyed) their careful concern, that I survived. I don’t know Ariana and pray she recovers.”
Jamil emphasized that she wasn’t criticizing Grande’s body. Instead, she said she wanted to warn young audiences against normalizing harmful beauty standards. Adding, “Silence is complicity when it gets this far.”
The remarks come after Grande revealed plans to take a break once her Eternal Sunshine tour concludes.
The tour launched in Oakland, California, on June 6 and will conclude on September 1. A representative for the singer said to PEOPLE that she “will be taking a step back from visibility,” adding that she wants to end the tour “on a high note, both healthily and happily.”
The representative explained that the singer will take “a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances” after facing “endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”
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Reported by Meenakshi Sengupta on Reality Tea.
