Cynthia Nixon unexpectedly faced off against a church pastor when she spoke at the annual Breast Cancer Summit on Long Island. The former “Sex and the City” star gave an impassioned speech at the Coral House about her mother’s battle with breast cancer, as well as her own.
The openly gay star also made a passing reference to her wife [Christine Marinoni]. But after a round of applause, an audience member — identified as Pastor Lisa Calabrese of the Regeneration Church — told Nixon during a Q&A with Dr. Roger L. Simpson that her speech didn’t offer enough “hope,” then blasted the actress for mentioning her wife, spies said.
“The woman told Cynthia she didn’t need to speak about her wife when the summit’s purpose was to discuss breast cancer,” a spy said, adding the crowd was “shocked” at Calabrese’s comment, which got “boos and catcalls.”
Nixon shot back: “I acknowledge your first statement and totally reject your second comment,” and the audience applauded. Calabrese didn’t respond to a call seeking comment.