After Candace Cameron Bure, 46, sparked controversy for her “traditional marriage” comment in regards to the Great American Family network, Neal Bledsoe, 41, declared he was leaving the network to support the LGBTQ+ community. But Danica McKellar, who has worked with Neal on three films, felt differently about the situation, as she explained in an interview with Fox News at ChristmasCon on December 10.
“Neal is a wonderful person. He’s such a great actor and I have enjoyed working with him so much,” The Wonder Years star, 47, said. “He and I both share our love and support of the LGBT community for sure. I don’t agree with his interpretation of her comments. I just didn’t see them the same way,” she added.
Despite being friends, Neal and Danica aren’t on the same page about Candace’s comment that sparked controversy in Hollywood. The Full House alum told the Wall Street Journal in November that she left the Hallmark Channel for the Great American Family network because she believes the network “will keep traditional marriage at the core.” Candace also said she does not believe the network has plans to write gay leads into their films.
After receiving backlash, Candace released a statement in which she said she was heartbroken to hear that people think she’s a bigot. “All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people. It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” she said on Instagram. “To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you.”
Stars like JoJo Siwa and Hilarie Burton have slammed Candace for dissing the LGBTQ+ community in the WSJ interview. GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis even released a statement criticizing Candace. “It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion,” she said in the statement, per Just Jared. “I’d love to have a conversation with Bure about my wife, our kids, and our family’s traditions. As the company’s Chief Creative Officer, her statement is harmful and insulting to LGBTQ employees, as well as employees with LGBTQ friends and family.”