Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Victoria Justice went viral for an old video in which she insisted that "we all sing" alongside herVictoriouscostar Ariana Grande. The actress says the 2017 meme got "so much hate" that she received "death threats." Justice now thinks the video is "funny" and says she's "in on the joke." Victoria Justiceis reflecting on the surprisingly dark fallout from one simple meme. TheZoey 101alum discussed the backlash she received after going viral for a resurfaced video in which she converses with herVictoriouscostarsAriana Grande,Elizabeth Gillies, and Daniella Monet. "It was definitely a thing where it was like, 'The internet hates Victoria Justice right now,'" the actress said on a recent episode of Mythical Kitchen'sLast Meals. "There was a time for so long on the internet where I feel like people hated me. It was a thing. It can really be a ruthless place … Mob mentality is such a real thing." Justice attributed the negativity she dealt with to "the meme thing" —that fateful viral videothat was edited down froma 2010Popstarinterviewand recirculated in 2017. In the video, the four actresses playfully discuss their perceptions of each other's personalities. "One thing you don't know about Ariana Grande is that she literally sings everything," Gillies says in the original clip. "Like, she started to forget how to talk in her own voice because she sings everything. And it's a good thing because she has a beautiful voice." After Monet jumps in to say Gillies also frequently sings, Justice chimes in, "I think we all sing." In the video all three of her costars agree, but some viewers interpreted the clip as Justice attempting to passive-aggressively take the spotlight away from Grande. However, the actress says — and the context of the original clip suggests — that she was simply making a broad statement about the group's dynamic. Larry Busacca/KCA2010/Getty "First of all, it's factual. We did all sing, okay?" Justice said in her newLast Mealsinterview. "I think the media outlet that put it out put this whole spin on it. Man, I dunno, it must have been a really slow news day for them, because I swear to God, I think when they published that, I don't even know how many years later it was. I was like way into my 20s, from an interview I did when I was like 16." She said the vitriol she experienced was overwhelming. "I got all this hate. So much hate!" she recalled. "I'm like, 'What did I do? What did I do? I'm sitting here living my life just trying to work, live, I dunno.' It was wild." The actress went on to detail the extent of the backlash. "I got so much hate, dude. I got, like, death threats," she said. "I felt bad for my mom 'cause she was looking at all this stuff online, and she was like, she was freaking out. And I'm always kinda like, 'Oh, whatever. People are gonna say what they're gonna say.' But yeah, it really took on a life of its own and became a thing." Justice now thinks the clip is "funny" and no longer minds the attention it receives. "I don't care," she said. "I'm in on the joke. I even say it myself all the time. You know, whatever. I don't care." Victoriousfollowed a group of students at a fictional performing arts school. Justice portrayed protagonist Tori Vega, while Grande played her airheaded friend Cat Valentine. The show ran for four seasons on Nickelodeon from 2010 to 2013. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly'sfree daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Watch Justice's fullLast Mealsappearance above. Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
