Abigail Breslin Says She Received 'Death Threats' Over Her Song About Ex-Boyfriend 5SOS' Michael Clifford

"It was the most traumatizing experience," the actress said of the backlash to her song "You Suck"

Abigail Breslin is recalling a difficult period in her life following her breakup from 5 Seconds of Summer band member Michael Clifford.

During her recent appearance on Christy Carlson Romano's video podcast series Vulnerable, the Oscar nominee, 27, recalled releasing the song "You Suck" in 2014, which many linked to being about ex-boyfriend Clifford, 28.

"I don't even need to be cryptic about it. Everyone knows who it's about," Breslin said, while admitting: "Let's be real, the song does kind of suck a little bit. It's not a great song."

"It was the most traumatizing experience," she continued, "because I did write the song about him basically because, you know, you're 17, 16 or 17 ... and I definitely had a much bigger idea of what this relationship was than maybe he thought."

"I had gotten what I felt to be 'burned' by him in some way, and I wrote a very bad song called 'You Suck' about him," said Breslin. "I did not realize though that people would put two and two together so much; didn't realize that, like, the week before I released it he was going to become this huge boy band."

Related: Abigail Breslin Shares Her Breakup Advice for Fan: 'Treat Yourself and Realize It's a Good Thing'

Clifford's 5SOS band also includes Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin.

Breslin recalled receiving "such hate online" over the song: "I was getting death threats sent to me. People were showing up outside of my apartment. All this crazy, crazy s---. ... People were like, 'I hope you get killed and raped and, like, thrown out into the streets.' "

The Scream Queens actress said she got the messages on social media, but also in handwritten letters from people outside her home.

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Weeks later, Clifford addressed Breslin's "You Suck" track, writing on Twitter in January 2015, "I didn't find your joke song funny." She said on the podcast that the tweet reignited backlash against her.

"I had this onslaught of these girls just literally hating on me. And not to make it into a whole thing, but that is what I feel like we're kind of stepping away from now. ... Nobody ever wants to say, 'Oh, maybe he did something to you,' you know, whatever," Breslin said.

Breslin married husband Ira Kunyansky in January 2023. Clifford and his wife Crystal Leigh welcomed their first baby together, daughter Lua Stevie, on Oct. 30.

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