Angelica Ross' Beef With Emma Roberts Fully Explained

Angelica Ross didn't mince her words in late September 2023, when she took to Instagram to accuse Emma Roberts of toxic behavior on the set of "American Horror Story: 1984." The latter has subsequently reached out to apologize, but it's clear there's a lot to unpack here. 

As "American Horror Story" aficionados will remember, Ross and Roberts co-starred in the ninth season of the show. The season was a fan and critic favorite — but according to Ross, things were tense behind the scenes, and Roberts played a major role in that. Taking to Instagram Live, the "Pose" star recounted some of what had gone down on set, and pointed to a number of red flags in Roberts' behavior, from teasing a director, to inquiring about her co-stars' paychecks (via @ahszone). On top of that, Ross recounted an instance in which Roberts took what started out as a playful exchange too far, and made a transphobic comment at her expense. 

Soon after Ross shared her experience, she revealed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Roberts had reached out privately to make amends. However, accepting her apology and encouraging her to do better in future didn't mean Ross was completely done talking about the situation. Au contraire, she's done more than one interview shedding further light on everything that happened. 

Arguably the most talked-about aspect of this beef is Emma Roberts' transphobic comment, so it's unsurprising that in addition to her Instagram Live recap of what happened, Angelica Ross has given an in-depth run-down in interviews about the situation. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Ross explained that it started when she poked fun at Roberts for demanding the makeup department not make her look as old as her character was supposed to. "I'm like, 'Oh, you look rested.' And she goes, 'John [J. Gray, director of the episode], Angelica's being mean!' And he goes, 'Okay, ladies ... ' And she goes, 'Don't you mean ... lady?'" she recounted. 

As for Roberts' apology, Ross told The Hollywood Reporter that the conversation itself had come with a number of interjections. One of them came when she believed Roberts was attempting to backtrack on what she'd said, insinuating that she'd been alluding to herself as the one who didn't qualify as a lady. Another came when Roberts claimed to be an ally, with the trans icon clarifying that her actions showed that wasn't the case. 

Even so, the former co-stars came to an understanding, with Roberts vowing to do better. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Ross also pointed out that the threats Roberts had received after the Instagram Live had been upsetting. That said, she also didn't feel too compelled to jump to her defense. As she told The Hollywood Reporter, "This girl is no damsel in distress, ever." 

On that damsel in distress comment, it's worth noting that Angelica Ross has maintained that Emma Roberts — who has previously been linked to drama with other co-stars — wasn't the easiest person to work with. In fact, she's alleged that Roberts had made a point of reminding her co-stars that she was in charge. 

For one, Ross revealed to Vanity Fair that most of the people on set were afraid of her. As a result, she explained, most stayed mum on their interactions with her, lest they find themselves in trouble. Ross also told The Hollywood Reporter that she'd witnessed Roberts taunting John J. Gray. Apparently, he had been telling her to do something, and in addition to refusing, Roberts had teased, "What are you going to do about it, John? You're going to cry about it? Waaah. John's not getting his way." 

Tensions aside, Ross has said that Roberts' actions are a reflection of the society we live in. Regarding the transphobic comments, she told Vanity Fair that they were the result of a broader system of injustice. As for Roberts flexing her power on set, she told The Hollywood Reporter that at times, she felt conflicted about it. "I didn't know if I was watching a mean girl or if I was just watching a woman standing up for herself," Ross mused. Suffice it to say, there's a lot of room for growth in showbiz, and the world.