Abigail Breslin Says She Received 'Death Threats' over Her Song About Ex-Boyfriend 5SOS' Michael Clifford

Mar. 15, 2025

Abigail Breslin; Michael Clifford.Photo:Rebecca Sapp/Getty; Justin Lloyd/Newspix via Getty

Rebecca Sapp/Getty; Justin Lloyd/Newspix via Getty

Abigail Breslinis recalling a difficult period in her life following her breakup from5 Seconds of Summerband memberMichael Clifford.

During her recent appearance onChristy Carlson Romano’s video podcastseriesVulnerable, the Oscar nominee, 27, recalled releasing thesong “You Suck"in 2014, which many linked to being about ex-boyfriend Clifford, 28.

“I don’t even need to be cryptic about it. Everyone knows who it’s about,” Breslin said, while admitting: “Let’s be real, the song does kind of suck a little bit. It’s not a great song.”

“It was the most traumatizing experience,” she continued, “because I did write the song about him basically because, you know, you’re 17, 16 or 17 … and I definitely had a much bigger idea of what this relationship was than maybe he thought.”

Abigail Breslin and Michael Clifford in 2014.Frederick M. Brown/Getty; Cameron Spencer/Getty

Frederick M. Brown/Getty; Cameron Spencer/Getty

Clifford’s 5SOS band also includes Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood and Ashton Irwin.

Breslin recalled receiving “such hate online” over the song: “I was getting death threats sent to me. People were showing up outside of my apartment. All this crazy, crazy s—. … People were like, ‘I hope you get killed and raped and, like, thrown out into the streets.’ "

TheScream Queensactress said she got the messages on social media, but also in handwritten letters from people outside her home.

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Abigail Breslin.Jesse Grant/Getty

Weeks later, Clifford addressed Breslin’s “You Suck” track,writingon Twitter in January 2015, “I didn’t find your joke song funny.” She said on the podcast that the tweet reignited backlash against her.

“I had this onslaught of these girls just literally hating on me. And not to make it into a whole thing, but that is what I feel like we’re kind of stepping away from now. … Nobody ever wants to say, ‘Oh, maybe he did something to you,’ you know, whatever,” Breslin said.

source: people.com