Former Disney Channel star Skai Jackson has apologised after facing widespread criticism over remarks she made about her 2018 visit to Kenya, saying her comments were misunderstood and insisting she “meant no harm.”
The actress came under fire after a clip from a recent interview resurfaced online in July 2026, in which she recounted her visit to a village school in Kenya. During the interview, Jackson claimed that mirrors were too expensive for the children she met and said some had never seen their own reflections until she showed them their faces using her mobile phone.
The remarks quickly triggered backlash from Kenyans on social media, with many accusing the actress of misrepresenting the country and reinforcing outdated stereotypes about Africa.
In response to the criticism, Jackson recorded an impromptu apology outdoors, clarifying that she was referring to one specific remote village she visited rather than Kenya as a whole.
“I meant no harm,” she said, adding that her comments were based solely on her experience in one rural community and were never intended to describe the entire country or the African continent.
The apology video also drew renewed attention after Jackson revealed that actress Jenna Ortega had accompanied her on the same humanitarian trip to Kenya in 2018.
According to Jackson, Ortega appears in old Snapchat photos from the visit, with the revelation prompting fresh interest among fans who were unaware the two actresses had travelled together.
While some social media users welcomed Jackson’s clarification and apology, others maintained that public figures should exercise greater care when speaking about other countries and cultures, particularly when recounting experiences that could shape global perceptions.
