- Fantasia Barrino took to social media on Sunday to call out Airbnb and one of its hosts.
- The actor, who stars in "The Color Purple," said the host tried to kick her, her son, and his friends out.
Fantasia Barrino, the actor who plays Celie in this year's reboot of "The Color Purple," has taken to social media to call out Airbnb and one of its hosts.
The singer, professionally known as Fantasia, wrote on X on Sunday morning that an Airbnb host tried to kick her and her children out at midnight. In her post, Fantasia said the host claimed she and her guests were throwing a party with "loud noises," but never said guests "weren't allowed to have any company over."
My stomach is so uneasy this morning as I’m riding back to my home in the cold and rain. I don’t say much when people do me wrong, but I can’t stay quiet on how my family and I were just treated from a host with @Airbnb @airbnbhelp trying to kick my kids and I out at 12:00…
— Fantasia Taylor (@TasiasWord) December 17, 2023
"It's evident to me this was racial profiling and the treatment we received was due to the color of our skin," Fantasia wrote in the post.
On Sunday, an Airbnb representative told Business Insider they reached out to Fantasia in the comment section of her X post.
The representative's message in part reads, "Airbnb does not condone discrimination in any way," and includes a link to the company's Nondiscrimination Policy. The message also directs the singer to send a DM with the host's email address to follow up.
Hi Fantasia, Airbnb does not condone discrimination in any way. You can view our Nondiscrimination Policy here: https://t.co/6U6NcNnC7U Please send us a DM with the email address connected to your booking, so our team can follow up. Thank you. https://t.co/WCQEFGIlXC
— Airbnb Help (@AirbnbHelp) December 17, 2023
Fantasia wrote that because of the home's game room, fire pit, jacuzzi, and poker table, it seemed like guests often held gatherings or parties at the property.
According to her X post, Fantasia booked the Airbnb for her son and his friends, who are between the ages of 10 and 12. In a separate Instagram post, she said the kids spent time doing a paint 'n' sip with hot chocolate, and photos showed them hanging out around a fire pit.
"I wanted my son to enjoy his friends (10-12) year old and make him feel special as I have been traveling for the last 35+ days promoting a movie I starred in," her X post continued.
While she didn't leave with the children at midnight, she wrote on Instagram that they left at 6 a.m. on Sunday, writing: "in the freezing rain, with sleepy kids, we loaded up 4 vehicles, respectfully cleaned and organized everything back to its original place and we left."
Fantasia stars in "The Color Purple," which premieres in theaters on December 25. In the movie — based on the novel of the same name — Fantasia plays Celie, a fictional Black woman living in rural Georgia.
Fantasia is playing the role for the second time; She played Celie in the Broadway rendition of "The Color Purple" between 2005 and 2008, according to Playbill.