Roseanne Barr thinks the death of her on-screen character in ‘The Conners’ was "grim and morbid".
The 65-year-old actress’ character was killed off during the opening episode of the new sitcom – which is a spin-off of Roseanne’s eponymous show – but in a statement, Roseanne and her mentor Rabbi Shmuley Boteach have bemoaned the way in which the situation was dealt with.
Roseanne – whose character died due to an accidental opioid overdose – said: "While we wish the very best for the cast and production crew of ‘The Conners’, all of whom are deeply dedicated to their craft and were Roseanne’s cherished colleagues, we regret that ABC chose to cancel ‘Roseanne’ by killing off the Roseanne Conner character."
Fans had previously speculated about how ‘The Conners’ would deal with Roseanne’s exit, which was triggered by her offensive tweet about Valerie Jarrett – a senior adviser to former US President Barack Obama – earlier this year.
But the veteran star – who previously claimed to have sent the tweet while using the sedative Ambien – argued her on-screen death was simply too bleak.
Her statement continued: "That [the character’s death] was done through an opioid overdose lent an unnecessary grim and morbid dimension to an otherwise happy family show.
"This was a choice the network did not have to make.
"’Roseanne’ was the only show on television that directly addressed the deep divisions threatening the very fabric of our society. Specifically, the show promoted the message that love and respect for one another’s personhood should transcend differences in background and ideological discord.
"The show brought together characters of different political persuasions and ethnic backgrounds in one, unified family, a rarity in modern American entertainment. Above all else, the show celebrated a strong, matriarchal woman in a leading role, something we need more of in our country."
Roseanne also blasted ABC for axing her in light of the controversy surrounding her tweet.
She said: "After repeated and heartfelt apologies, the network was unwilling to look past a regrettable mistake, thereby denying the twin American values of both repentance and forgiveness.
"In a hyper-partisan climate, people will sometimes make the mistake of speaking with words that do not truly reflect who they are. However, it is the power of forgiveness that defines our humanity."
Roseanne Barr bemoans ‘grim and morbid’ death in The Conners
