Maddie Ziegler apologizes for ‘ignorant and racially insensitive’ past videos
Professional dancer and actress Maddie Ziegler is apologizing for her past “racially insensitive” videos.
She wrote an Instagram post that said she was “truly sorry” for a few videos from when she was 9-years-old.
“I thought it was funny to mock people and accents,” she wrote. “I’m honestly ashamed and I’m truly sorry for my actions. The decisions I made then are absolutely not decisions I would make today."
"What I thought was silly humor when I was younger I know was actually ignorant and racially insensitive,” she added. “We have all made mistakes in our lives and as we grow up we educate ourselves and learn to be better people.”
Ziegler — now best known for her appearances in Sia music videos — first stepped into the spotlight as a child star on the TV series “Dance Moms.”
She said in her post on Tuesday that “growing up in the public eye has its challenges.”
“I hope you will forgive me and also hope you realize that I have in fact grown up and would never act this way now,” she said.
Ziegler's younger sister, Mackenzie Ziegler, did an Instagram Live earlier this week apologizing for her past behavior as well, E! News reported.
"I'm much more educated now than I was before, and I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry that I offended the Black community, I would never treat you like that now," she reportedly said. "And if you guys don't forgive me, I completely understand."
Abby Lee Miller, the woman who led the show “Dance Moms,” has also previously apologized for racist remarks after one of the mothers, Adriana Smith, said in June that she had pulled her daughter Kamryn off the show as a result of Miller’s attitude and words.
“A statement from her that sticks in my mind to this day during my time on DMS8 is ‘I know you grew up in the HOOD with only a box of 8 crayons, but I grew up in the Country Club with a box of 64 — don’t be stupid,” Smith said, in part. “Kam told me she heard ‘they need a sprinkle of color!’”
After the accusations, Miller promised to “do better.”
“I realize that racism can come not just from hate, but also from ignorance. No matter the cause, it is harmful and it is my fault,” she stated. “While I cannot change the past or remove the harm I have done, I promise to educate myself, learn, grow, and do better.”
In her post on Tuesday, Ziegler also promised to “learn from my mistakes.”
"I know some of you are hurt and may not accept my apology, but I want to ask all of you to please be kind to each other on socials," she said. "I don't want anyone to feel bullied and think we can all learn from my mistakes and spread love during these times when we need it most."