NEW YORK, Nov 5: 'Will & Grace' actress Debra Messing has sparked criticism after sharing a political meme on election day suggesting that New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was a “jihadist,” days before Mamdani secured his historic victory.

The 57-year-old Emmy winner reposted the image on her verified Instagram Story from an account called The Persian Jewess. The original image depicted an edited ballot listing two candidates: one reading, “A Democrat. Just a Democrat,” and the other stating, “An actual communist jihadist. A literal Karl Marx-quoting, America-hating jihadist.”

The Persian Jewess account captioned the post: “This isn’t just a mayoral race. It’s the battle for Democracy itself. New York City, make the right choice. Vote for [Andrew] Cuomo. Vote for NYC. Vote for Democracy,” including the hashtag #ZohranMamdani.

Messing faced immediate backlash on social media for sharing the post, which called Mamdani — the son of filmmaker Mira Nair, known for Queen of Katwe and Mississippi Masala — a jihadist, a term often associated with violent defense of Islamic ideals.

“I think Zohran has actually broken her brain,” one X user wrote. Another commentator, writer Carey O'Donnell, labeled Messing a “psychopath” in response to her online behavior. Entertainment Weekly confirmed it has reached out to representatives for both Messing and Mamdani for comment.

In recent months, Mamdani, 34, had emerged as a prominent figure in New York City politics, drawing scrutiny from conservatives, including former President Donald Trump. Trump encouraged voters to support Cuomo, describing Mamdani as a “communist” and stating he would prefer a “bad Democrat” over a communist candidate.

Mamdani also sparked debate among other public figures. In October, he appeared on The View, where conservative panelist Alyssa Farah Griffin expressed concern over his potential mayoral win and questioned why some top Democrats had not endorsed him. Mamdani emphasized his support from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and highlighted the decisive role of the city’s voters.

On Tuesday, Mamdani made history by becoming New York City’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor, as well as the youngest mayor in generations, according to the Associated Press.

The meme controversy reignites discussion about celebrity influence in politics, particularly as Messing’s post contrasted with the city’s electoral outcome. Critics have highlighted the potential harm of spreading misleading or inflammatory characterizations of political candidates.