'The Morning Show' star Julianna Margulies says people criticizing her for playing an LGBTQ character are 'making assumptions as to who I am'

• Julianna Margulies responded to critics who said her character on "The Morning Show" would be better portrayed by a member of the LGBTQ community.
• "We're all making assumptions as to who I am and what my past is and what all of our pasts are," she said in response.

Julianna Margulies responded to critics who said a gay actress could better portray her LGBTQ character on "The Morning Show," saying they were "making assumptions as to who I am and what my past is."

During an interview with CBS This Morning on Monday, Marguiles said: "We're all making assumptions as to who I am and what my past is and what all of our pasts are. I understand 100% that I can't play a different race, but I am an actress, and I am supposed to embody another character."

Margulies plays Laura Peterson, a primetime anchor on the fictional network UBS who is gay. Margulies' character had been fired from a previous job for being gay and her sexuality is a major plot point in season two of "The Morning Show."

Margulies told the "Today" show last week that she didn't have any hesitations playing a gay character, prompting some in the LGBTQ community to criticize Marguiles for taking on the role instead of a gay or lesbian actor.

On Tuesday, Margulies pushed back.

"Are you telling me because I am a mother I can never play a woman who has never had a child? Or, if you've never been married that you can't play a married woman?" Margulies said during the CBS This Morning interview.

"You have to be careful on where you're drawing the line there," she said. "We're actors. We're supposed to embody a character regardless of their sexuality. When it comes to race and gender, that's a whole different story. And I 100% agree with that."

Watch the full interview here:

-CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) October 25, 2021