Actor Xavier Smalls is issuing an apology after a resurfaced clip from his Feb. 7 social media broadcast showed him comparing LGBTQ+ people to murderers and calling them an “abomination.”
Smalls plays Angel, a gay‑for‑pay exotic dancer, on Tyler Perry’s Netflix drama series “Beauty in Black.” The comments drew swift backlash once the clip began circulating again last week, prompting Smalls to release a lengthy statement on Instagram Sunday.
He said he has “taken time to listen” to friends — including those within the LGBTQ+ community — and now recognizes “how my approach may have lacked the love, humility, and awareness that I believe God calls us to have.”
Smalls added, “Allow me to be very clear about my heart and intentions. Nothing I shared was meant to condemn or harm anyone. Every human being deserves dignity, compassion, and most importantly love.”