American actress Paget Brewster, best known for playing the recurring role of Kathy on FRIENDS, has apologized for her earlier harsh remarks toward Shealyn Scott, a TV journalist and senior writer at ScreenRant.
On Saturday afternoon, Brewster, 57, took to X and lashed out at Scott for her article, “Paramount+’s Criminal Minds Format Change Finally Backfires”. It had Paget’s picture from the long-running procedural drama as a cover image. In the now-deleted post, the actress wrote (according to Variety):
“Hello, critic Shealynn Scott. You’re young. You don’t know that bad pics and bad reviews can lead to 350 people losing their jobs. Sell vintage. Work at a shelter. Do something better than what you do now. Because right now you suck.”
After facing backlash from many senior journalists online, Paget Brewster wrote an apology:
“Hi guys, I was mean to Shealyn Scott last night and I profoundly regret it. Shame on me for insulting a human being for doing their job. I’m very sorry, Shealyn. And I’m sorry to those who follow me that you saw me behave like that. Turns out, last night, I sucked.”
Shealyn has yet to address the matter.
More about Shealyn Scott amid Paget Brewster drama
According to her LinkedIn, Shealyn Scott is a native of Tinley Park, Illinois. She graduated from Saint Xavier University in Chicago in 2024, where she worked as a teaching consultant and a writing consultant.
Later, she joined the school’s newspaper, The Xavierite, and served as a columnist and head copyeditor.
Shealyn Scott joined ScreenRant in November 2024 as a features contributor. After six months, she was promoted to senior writer and continues to serve in the position.
Scott uses the pronouns she/her. Her bio reads:
“Avidly interested in all things English, from dissecting general rhetoric to copyediting or ghost-writing various written works. Patient, driven, and passionate above all else. Bookworm, baker, and lover of cheesy romantic comedies. B.A. in English Literature, minors in History and Writing.”
Shealyn’s fellow writer, Andy Behbakht, called out Paget Brewster via X, writing:
“This is disgusting behavior on your part, and really tragic to see you tearing down a young female journalist whom you are literally telling that she ‘sucks’ and that she shouldn’t be in the field that she is in. I stand by my colleague, and you owe her an apology.”
Likewise, David Rooney, the chief film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, clapped back at Paget Brewster, writing in her comments:
“This is a very bad look. An actor on a long-running show attacking a young reviewer who contextualizes her respectful criticisms with obvious knowledge of the material — says way more about u being thin-skinned than it does about her professionalism. ‘Work at a shelter,’ really?!”
Paget’s apology is now earning mixed reactions online.
Since 2006, Brewster has gained wide recognition for playing FBI Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss on CBS’ Criminal Minds. The network was recently acquired by Paramount+. The series premiered its 15th and final season in 2020. Two years later, Paramount+ revived it as Criminal Minds: Evolution.
Edited by Pallavi K