The Viewco-host Sunny Hostin has revealed that Cynthia Erivo phoned her to raise concerns about a viral segment on the Cornell 7 sexual assault case.
Hostin shared the call on the show’s Behind the Tablepodcast, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, saying the WickedOscar nominee wanted to explain why she was facing so much backlash.
Hostin was accused of defending the seven men at the centre of the case after telling viewers last week that it was important to understand why the district attorney did not bring charges in 2024.
Read more: New details emerge in Cornell gang rape case: Timeline revealed
She went on to outline New York law, including that voluntary intoxication which merely impairs judgement does not legally mean a person cannot consent, without first making clear that she disagreed with that law.
That omission fuelled outrage online.
Erivo, who was in Paris working on a new project at the time, was blunt but warm, according to Hostin.
“Sis, I know you and I know your heart and your life’s work has been about protecting women and children. But, the clip that I saw doesn’t reflect who you are,” Hostin recalled her saying.
Hostin said the pair get along because both are direct, and that Erivo told her she has had to learn to share her opinions in a way people can actually receive.
Her advice was to lead with empathy rather than the law, so the message about the law could land. Hostin said she took that on board the next time the topic came up.
She admitted she had “led with the law” because everyone else on the panel had spoken emotionally, and she felt she needed to steer the conversation back to what she called a terrible New York statute that needs changing.
She added that she was accused of defending the men and shaming the victim, something she said she would never do after spending most of her career prosecuting sex crimes.
Her argument, she said, was that the legal bar for proving sexual assault in New York is so high it is almost impossible to clear.
The Cornell 7 is the name given online to seven male students accused of drugging and gang raping a female classmate, identified as Jane Doe, at Cornell University in October 2024.
She is now suing the accused men, their fraternity, Cornell, her former sorority and others.
Her attorney says Cornell’s original investigation led to only two of the accused being expelled, while the others received lesser sanctions such as temporary suspensions, workshops or essay-writing assignments.
The case has drawn wide attention in Hollywood.
Florence Pugh went viral on Instagram urging men to lead conversations about changing the complicity around this behaviour, saying this is the moment men need to be as horrified as women.
Mariska Hargitay, Josh Gad and Heated Rivalrystar Hudson Williams have also condemned the accused.
Williams wrote “Arrest them” on his Instagram story.
Read more: Mariska Hargitay, Hudson Williams speaks up on ‘Cornell 7’ case
2026-10-07 02:21:00
