Tony Award-winning actress Laura Benanti revealed on July 16 that threats from angry Trump supporters forced her family to relocate after her home address was published online. The Broadway star discussed the harrowing experience during a guest appearance on “The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi” podcast, explaining how her satirical performances as First Lady Melania Trump on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” led to years of harassment and surveillance.
Benanti’s decade-long run impersonating the first lady — featuring exaggerated accents and a pouty expression — began in July 2016 and continued through more than a dozen appearances. Her final sketch, titled “A Message From First Lady Melania Trump,” aired in April 2026, shortly before the program concluded its run in May 2026. She returned for three performances in 2025 and twice more in 2026, including a February 2026 segment skewering the first lady’s million-dollar vanity documentary.
Doxxing Email Included Address and Call to Action
A right-wing activist compiled footage of her impression alongside her political statements and affiliations, then distributed a mass email encouraging recipients to “let her know” their opinions — complete with her residential address.
Ironically, Benanti discovered the danger through her own driver, who happened to be a Trump supporter himself and received the email. He immediately texted her with a warning and asked for guidance on how to respond.
“He was so upset that they would do this, and I was like, ‘This is what I’m talking about!'” Benanti recalled. She told him the decision was his, acknowledging that these were, after all, his people.
Stalker Photographed Toddler on Way to School
The harassment escalated beyond digital threats when someone photographed Benanti walking her daughter, then around two years old, to school. The incident occurred before the coronavirus pandemic and represented a terrifying invasion of her family’s safety. Benanti described it as “so scary.”
The harassment prompted an immediate relocation. Benanti and her family abandoned their owned apartment for a rental property, creating a crushing financial burden as they simultaneously paid both a mortgage and rent. When the pandemic arrived, they moved again — this time to New Jersey — compounding the expense.
When asked if she would have accepted the role knowing what lay ahead, Benanti admitted she might have declined. She said she didn’t think she would have done it.
Quitting Would Have Felt Like Cowardice
Despite the risks, Benanti never stopped performing the impression. She and her team discussed pausing the character temporarily, but ultimately decided that backing down would be cowardly. She emphasized satire’s critical role and noted that countless people had expressed gratitude for her work over the years.
Beyond late-night comedy, Benanti has built an impressive career spanning television and theater. Her screen credits include “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Life & Beth,” “Nashville,” “Supergirl,” “The Detour,” “Gossip Girl” and “The Gilded Age.” On Broadway, she has starred in productions of “The Sound of Music,” “Gypsy,” “Into the Woods,” and “She Loves Me.”
Currently, Benanti is touring her comedy-music show “Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares.” After launching in London, the production will make stops in six U.S. cities: New Brunswick, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Costa Mesa, before wrapping up in Arlington, Virginia in spring 2027.
For Benanti, persisting despite the doxxing and terror reflects a deeper belief that comedy serves a vital purpose during turbulent times. It’s a principle she defended at considerable personal cost, one threatening email at a time.
