'Suits' star Patrick J. Adams Apologizes After Fans Accuse Him of Body-Shaming a Woman on Instagram

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Patrick J. Adams and wife Troian Bellisario arrive at the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. (Photo: Ian West/PA Wire)
Patrick J. Adams and wife Troian Bellisario arrive at the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. (Photo: Ian West/PA Wire)

Patrick J. Adams is apologizing after posting an unflattering photo of a woman who he says criticized his appearance at the royal wedding.

In a since-deleted Instagram post, Adams claimed a woman in the airport called him “chunky” in a photo from the wedding.

“She reads her paper. See’s picture of me and Troian from wedding,” he wrote, according to screenshots published in the Daily Mail. “‘My God. What a terrible photo of you.’ I look over. ‘Really. I kind of like that photo. What do you think is wrong with it?’ She pauses. ‘Well, you’re just so….chunky.'”

In response to her comment, Adams took an unflattering photo of the woman sleeping in the chair next to him.

“She laughs and falls asleep,” he continued. “And …. Scene.”

On Monday, Adams issued an apology and explained his actions after fans called him out for body-shaming the woman.

“Yesterday I posted a photo of a woman who did some casual body shaming of my wife and I in the airport,” he wrote. “My intention was solely to put a face to the people who think that sort of glancing commentary is necessary, helpful or funny. Some of the comments on the post instead said I was being a bully and should have taken the ‘high road’ (some also doubled down on the body shaming. Thumbs up guys!)”

Adams said after considering the criticism from fans, he decided to take down the post.

“I thought it over and agreed and took it down, not because I felt the woman was right or fair or undeserving of being called out but because any sense of being a bully or lashing out felt wrong,” he explained. “I’m no bully. What that woman said to us was offensive and unnecessary but I should have told her she was rude and out of line and left it at that. I’m sorry I didn’t. I was too shocked and annoyed and Canadian — so I avoided the confrontation. Again, I’m sorry.”

Yesterday I posted a photo of a woman who did some casual body shaming of my wife and I in the airport. My intention was solely to put a face to the people who think that sort of glancing commentary is necessary, helpful or funny. Some of the comments on the post instead said I was being a bully and should have taken the “high road” (some also doubled down on the body shaming. Thumbs up guys!) I thought it over and agreed and took it down, not because I felt the woman was right or fair or undeserving of being called out but because any sense of being a bully or lashing out felt wrong. Now a number of familiar outlets with a lot of extra time on their hands are asking for comment and getting ready to publish the post in their hard hitting newspapers, magazines and blogs. So I’ll comment here. I’m no bully. What that woman said to us was offensive and unnecessary but I should have told her she was rude and out of line and left it at that. I’m sorry I didn’t. I was too shocked and annoyed and Canadian – so I avoided the confrontation. Again, I’m sorry. Now if you see the original post on any media outlet just know that they are choosing to take a relatively small indiscretion and make it worse. Not for me. Because I promise you once I hit post on this message it will be out of my mind forever. But it will make whatever bullying or embarrassment I might have caused for that woman far worse for a far wider audience. Now -this has obviously taken up far too much of our time and of the precious internet space that we need so much. Sorry about that. But let’s just finish with a quick summary. 1. Don’t talk shit about the way people look. You have no idea what’s going on with them and your commentary will always make their day worse not better. 2. If someone does. Don’t use the internet to settle scores. Tell them right to their face and in public that they’re part of the problem and not the solution. 3. Believe pretty much nothing you read in magazines. Good or bad. The machinery runs on misfortune and oversimplification. 4. Be cool to yourself and others at every opportunity. Life is too short for all of this. Thx for reading. Now back to our lives…

A post shared by Patrick Adams (@halfadams) on May 21, 2018 at 9:33am PDT

Sophia Bush commented on the post, praising Adams for the recognizing his mistake.

“Well done friend,” she wrote. “People forget that you’re human. This is a great teaching moment.”

Adams attended the royal wedding Saturday to support his former Suits costar and on-screen wife Meghan Markle as she married Prince Harry.

Ahead of the ceremony, Adams shared sweet words of encouragement to Meghan on Twitter.

Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle co-starred in USA’s “Suits.” (Photo: Shane Mahood/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank)
Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle co-starred in USA’s “Suits.” (Photo: Shane Mahood/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank)

“Going to bed now and thinking a lot about the strange surreal and wonderful day my friend Meghan is going to have tomorrow. Meghan — wherever you are — we are so grateful to be here to watch you both take this monumental step together. Love deeply and live well. #RoyalWedding,” he tweeted.

Adams’ wife Troian Bellisario accompanied the actor to the wedding.

Adams and Bellisario were among a handful of celebrities who scored an invited to the ceremony. George and Amal Clooney were also in attendance, along with Oprah and several other Suits costars, including Gina Torres, Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman.

Harry and Meghan said their “I dos” in a fairytale ceremony in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Meghan, who arrived at the chapel with her mother, Doria Ragland, was a beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle to wed her royal fiancé in an elegant service fit for a princess.