McDonald was just nominated for a Tony for playing Rose in Gypsy, a role for which LuPone previously won a Tony. When the latter was also asked about McDonald’s current production of Gypsy, Schulman wrote that LuPone stared at him for 15 seconds in silence, before turning to look out the window and sighing, “What a beautiful day.”

LuPone's allusion to a feud between the two Broadway actors was among several eyebrow-raising comments made in a bombshell New Yorker profile.

McDonald responded in an interview with Gayle King, during which she said she's "been busy with life and stuff."