Tessa Thompson clarifies comments on Lena Dunham Time's Up photo

Tessa Thompson is clarifying comments she made slamming Lena Dunham for crashing a "Time's Up" photo op. The actress wrote in a now-deleted photo on Instagram that though Dunham posed with stars like Tracee Ellis Ross and Reese Witherspoon in the picture, the "Girls" creator was "not anywhere present" when the women in the photo made their plan to bring activists onto the red carpet at the Golden Globes. 

Thompson said Tuesday that she did not mean to distract people from the central message of Time's Up. She wrote on Twitter, "A response I made to comments on an Instagram became fodder for a piece that I believe was designed to create conflict where there isn't any ... I, in no way, want to diminish Lena Dunham and her work, her voice, and her importance. We have spoken and she knows my heart."

She continued, "I regret that my words were misinterpreted to distract from the most important thing: The Time's Up campaign is for everyone, in all capacities, contributions big and small. It doesn't belong to any one. It is for us all.' 

Dunham recently faced backlash after she defended a "Girls" writer who was accused of sexual assault by actress Aurora Perrineau. When an Instagram user commented on the Time's Up photo and asked Thompson why Dunham was in the photo, the "Thor" actress responded frankly.

"Lena was not anywhere present in our group during the countless hours of work for the last two months. We hosted an open house for actresses for red carpet messaging and Lena presence was a surprise to us all. This is a time of reckoning. And for many, a re-education. So many women also have real work to do. I'm afraid it's too nuanced a conversation to have on this platform. But I hear you, and know that your thoughts and words are not lost on me. It's been discussed." 

Later, Thompson deleted the entire post.

Thompson later tweeted saying her first statement was "not meant as an apology, as much as an attempt to re-center the conversation around the work."

She continued, "The truth remains: Many women, particularly women of color, don't feel safe and seen. To those women, like Aurora Perrineau - I see you. I am with you. This must be clear."

In a comment to IndieWire, Dunham responded, "I was honored to be invited to the meeting by a close friend and to observe the work that these amazing women have been doing the past few months. For highly personal reasons, I've been unable to join previous efforts but being asked to be a part of this celebratory moment was truly beautiful. I've worked with Tessa and respect her artistry and admire her consistent candor."

Andrea Park

Andrea is an entertainment producer at CBSNews.com

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