Emily Armstrong, the new lead singer of Linkin Park and former frontwoman of Dead Sara, has quickly found herself under scrutiny following her recent appointment. Critics have voiced concerns about Armstrong’s previous connections to the Church of Scientology and her past support of actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape. On Friday evening, Armstrong responded to the growing criticism in a statement shared via her Instagram stories.
“Hi, I’m Emily,” she began. “I’m new to many of you, and I wanted to address something from my past.” Armstrong explained that several years ago, she was asked to attend a court hearing in support of Masterson, whom she considered a friend at the time. “I went to one early hearing as an observer, thinking I was supporting a friend. It soon became clear that I was wrong. I have not spoken to him since that time,” she stated.
Armstrong emphasized that she does not support any form of abuse or violence against women, adding, “Unimaginable details emerged, and he was later found guilty. To be absolutely clear: I do not condone abuse or violence, and my heart goes out to the victims of these heinous acts.”
Masterson, best known for his roles on “That ’70s Show” and “The Ranch,” was sentenced in September to 30 years to life in prison after being convicted on two counts of forcible rape earlier in the year. The incidents took place between 2001 and 2003 at Masterson’s home in Hollywood Hills while he was still filming “That ’70s Show.” Although multiple women accused him of sexual assault, Masterson was convicted based on charges brought by two anonymous women.
Among those leading the backlash against Armstrong are Mars Volta vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and his wife, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, who is one of several women who accused Masterson of sexual assault. Although Masterson was not convicted based on her allegations, Carnell-Bixler has been vocal about her experiences and the harassment she says she faced from the Church of Scientology, of which Masterson is a member.
Bixler-Zavala’s criticism resurfaced recently, highlighting a comment he left on Dead Sara’s Instagram page last year: “Do your fans know about your friend Danny Masterson? Your rapist friend.” The comment referred to Armstrong’s attendance at one of Masterson’s court hearings in 2020, which was perceived as a show of support.
Bixler-Zavala and Carnell-Bixler, both former Scientologists, have spoken out against the church, accusing it of harassing them due to their allegations against Masterson. Bixler-Zavala further condemned Armstrong in a post, stating, “I’m surprised none of you wrote a letter on Danny Masterson’s behalf since your corny ass singer showed up to support him in the prelims.” He continued to criticize the church, recalling an incident where one of Masterson’s accusers was allegedly surrounded by Scientologists at the courthouse.
