American journalist and chief TV critic for The New York Time, Alessandra Stanley attempted to take down Shonda Rhimes, the creator of medical drama TV series, 'Grey's Anatomy' and in the process, she also insulted Viola Davis by correlating her to other lighter-skinned African American stars.

In her review, Stanley wrote, "The actress doesn't look at all like the typical star of a network drama." She further added, "Ignoring the narrow beauty standards some African-American women are held to, Rhimes chose a performer who is older, darker-skinned and less classically beautiful than [Kerry Washington], or for that matter Halle Berry, who played an astronaut on the summer mini-series Extant."

Apparently Davis replied her via Twitter with a quote from the late Mayay Angelou's, 'Still I rise' (1978), "You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise!!!"

Though Davis did not link to the article, it's speculated the Tony and Drama Desk Award winner was responding to Stanley's article. Scandal stars Joe Morton, Josh Malina and Bellamy Young too expressed their shock via Twitter. The American actress who earned fame with her role as Meredith Grey in the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy along with television stars Lena Dunham, Yvette Nicole Brown and Octavia Spencer too expressed their outrage via their social media accounts.

However, Stanley told BuzzFeed News, "The whole point of the piece...is to praise Shonda Rhimes for pushing back so successfully on a tiresome but insidious stereotype." Stanley continued standing by her questionable criticism. Irrespective of what her intent, the message was not conveyed correctly.

According to Davis, How to Get Away With Murder will be only successful if viewers will accept "a woman of color, of a certain age and a certain hue." She further added, "I don't see anyone on TV like me in a role like this. And you can't even mention Halle Berry or Kerry Washington."

However, it seems Stanley didn't get the message.