Garcelle Beauvais says she held her thoughts for a week. But now she says, “This madness has to stop.”
In a video posted to her social media on Sunday, the Haitian actress, producer and Bravo star The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills says he has decided to speak out against the dangerous conspiracy theories that have targeted his community.
“Remaining silent in the face of racism and hatred is something I refuse to do,” he explained. “Last week, the lies that were spewed about the Haitian community, about My community — have been disgusting, deeply painful and dangerous.”
President Donald Trump and his 2024 running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, have spread unfounded conspiracy theories that Haitian immigrants in Springfield eat dogs and other pets. During the first and perhaps only presidential debate between Republican nominee Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC News on September 10, Trump brought the bizarre and false claim to the national debate stage while discussing border control and immigration to the United States.
“They’re eating the dogs, the people who came in, they’re eating the cats,” he proclaimed, to which Harris responded, “What? These are extremes!” Moderators fact-checked and debunked the claims. Since then, however, and despite city officials also repeatedly debunking the claims that put Springfield in the spotlight, Vance has redoubled his efforts.
Saying it's not about politics but about “humanity,” Beauvais, who was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti, and moved to the United States when she was 7, said: “We have to condemn this kind of hatred, this kind of racism, for anyone.
Beauvais, who wrote about his life in memoirs Love Me As I Am: My Journey From Haiti To Hollywood To HappinessShe has had to deal with her fair share of drama and social backlash that has targeted both herself and her family, as is normal in the Real Housewives franchising. She speaks openly about how meme-fueled conspiracy theories have even led to bomb threats and that immigrants in Springfield feel unsafe.
“I've always been a proud Haitian immigrant. Coming to America, working hard, that's what we do,” she continued. “We come from gratitude. And I'm not going to sit back and let people talk about my community in whatever way they want for their own personal gain.”
Speaking directly to her community, she said in two languages, “The power we have is to vote, to register and vote, and to stop this madness, this chaos.” Beauvais added, “We should be encouraging each other, from our leaders to our neighbors. This has to stop… We can't just sit back and watch. Register to vote. We have 50-odd days. Get out there and vote. We have to stop this chaos.”
Beauvais' film credits include The Jamie Foxx Show, NYPD Blue, Arriving in America AND Spider-Man: HomecomingHe acted in RHOBH Since 2020, he has co-hosted the talk show The real one for two seasons and more recently has devoted himself to producing in collaboration with Lifetime on Missing Black Girl AND Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by LoveHe will return in the upcoming 14th season of RHOBHcurrently in production.
His comments came on the same day as a second assassination attempt against Trump by a gunman at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The attempt came just nine weeks after Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania, when a bullet grazed his ear.