Shirley MacLaine spoke to her fans in a rare video message that was shared on the Instagram page of the Southampton Playhouse the week of August 19, 2026. In it, she shared her excitement about the group’s upcoming production of “Sweet Charity” set for August 25, and reflected on the lackluster box office performance of the 1969 film.
After her run as a top star of Hollywood’s Golden Age through the ’50s and ’60s, she continued acting and once appeared in a Hallmark Hall of Fame holiday film, 2016’s “A Heavenly Christmas.”
Shirley MacLaine Lightheartedly Admits ‘Sweet Charity’ Did Not Perform Well in Theaters
The clip opens with the title “A brief message from Shirley MacLaine” before the actress appears on camera to say, “Hi Southampton Playhouse, wish I could be with you. I would like to see ‘Sweet Charity’ again. And while you’re watching it, remember how hard we worked. And between you and me, it didn’t do very well. So I hope you guys like it.” She adds, “Much love” before blowing a kiss to the camera.
For the quick recording, MacLaine wore large round thick-rimmed glasses and a gray long-sleeved shirt with a red vest on top.
Her reference to the Bob Fosse musical comedy-drama not doing “very well” was an acknowledgment of the fact that it failed to financially perform at the box office. The project grossed only $8 million against its $20 million budget, according to The Numbers.
Still, the film has a respectable 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and enjoys a respected legacy. MacLaine’s performance as a New York City dance-hall hostess searching for love and Fosse’s impressive choreography are well-regarded by critics.
In the comments, one fan declared their love for the “Terms of Endermeant” star before sharing an interesting anecdote about getting lucky enough to meet her. They wrote, “I met her once in the 90s, when I was 17 and doing an internship at a hotel, working in room service. One day, I was sent up to her suite with some ice cream.
And there I was… just me and this world-famous Hollywood film star, standing in her hotel suite. 😂
But what I remember most is how incredibly kind, warm and down-to-earth she was. There was no sense of distance or stardom at all — she was simply lovely.
It was such a small, unexpected moment in my life, but one I have never forgotten.
I still think about it all these years later. 🫶🏻✨”
Shirley MacLaine Previously Revealed She Turned Down ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ Role
“Well it’s not much of a script,” MacLaine said while explaining her choice to turn down Audrey Hepburn’s famous role as Holly Golightly during an October 2024 appearance on “CBS Sunday Mornings.” She also reasoned, “I wasn’t all that that thin. I think I’d been out to lunch with Hitch that day or something.”
When asked whether she regretted her decision after seeing the film’s success, she said, “No. Cause I knew it was Audrey that made it happen,” calling her fellow star a “lovely person.”
Lilly Collins is set to portray Hepburn in an upcoming biopic, Deadline reported in February.
