A lot happened at the star-studded opening night of the Broadway play “Othello” in New York City on Sunday night.
Former president Joe Biden was among the celebrities and VIPs who visited Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the other cast members at the Barrymore Theatre.
The Broadway production generated $2.8 million, exceeding the record of $2.7 million set by “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” in December, according to Deadline.
Biden and the former first lady Jill Biden spoke with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal backstage.
The former president seemed dazed by the flashing lights. He shook Denzel’s hand and congratulated the legendary actor.
Video of the meet and greet was uploaded on TikTok.
@broadwayworld Former president Joe Biden visited Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the cast of #Othello ? original sound – BroadwayWorld
Meanwhile, TV talk show host Sherri Shepherd and actress Nia Long had a heated confrontation in the theater lobby on Sunday.
According to Page Six, Shepherd said she’d been accosted by an “unnamed celebrity” before the show began.
The former “The View” co-host said that Long “grabbed my arm and forcefully turned me around… and she says to me, ‘You’ve been shading me a lot.'”
Shepherd said the accusation left her “really mad.”
“I went to the bathroom during the intermission and I waited there for 15 minutes waiting for a meeting in the ladies room,” she said.
“You don’t get to grab me and turn me around like we’re in a daggone cartoon and just walk away,” she said.
Shepherd was sure the encounter was a case of “mistaken identity”. She invited Long to come on her show and clear the air.
Also at the star-studded opening were Jennifer Lopez, Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoe Kravitz, Christine Baranski, Peter Dinklage, Colman Domingo, Tamron Hall, Sunny Hostin, Keegan Michael Key, Spike Lee and many others.
