Stephen Curry attacks treatment of women after former players criticize wife Ayesha’s movie kiss

Curry posted a 90-second video on Instagram on Wednesday in response to comments by former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young, as well as former NFL players Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy.

The criticism focused on a scene in Ayesha Curry’s new film, Second Chance Holiday, which premiered on the Roku Channel on 5 November and features her in her first leading film role opposite actor Matthew Daddario.

The former athletes questioned Ayesha’s participation in the film and discussed its implications for her marriage, with Arenas describing her as the "only blemish" on Curry’s family life during a recent podcast episode.

Curry said the remarks reflected a broader problem with attitudes toward women and the expectations placed upon them, questioning the former athletes’ understanding of acting.

Curry's defense of his wife

Curry, who has generally avoided publicly engaging with criticism of his family, suggested the ex-players owed his wife an apology and thanked them for bringing attention to the film.

The Warriors guard accompanied the video with photographs of his wife promoting the movie and a message encouraging her to "Keep shining".

He also appeared to take another swipe at the commentators in his caption, writing: "You don’t have to like & subscribe to all podcasts."

His sister, Sydel Curry-Lee, supported the response in the comments, writing: "HEAVY on how it speaks about how the world views women. Play with someone else. Enough is enough!"

Curry's history of advocacy

Curry has previously spoken out about gender equality, crediting his wife and mother for shaping his views on women’s rights and opportunities.

In a 2018 essay for the Players’ Tribune calling for an end to the gender pay gap, he wrote that one of the most important lessons they had taught him was to challenge society’s expectations of women and "always stay listening to women, to always stay believing in women".

Ayesha Curry is an actor, cookbook author and entrepreneur who has appeared in television and film projects for nearly two decades.

Her previous credits include an appearance on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana and a supporting role alongside Lindsay Lohan in the 2024 Netflix romantic comedy Irish Wish.

Warriors' season context

Curry’s post came as Golden State, at joint-third in the Western Conference standings with an 8-3 record, prepared to face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night in the opening game of a five-game road trip.

The team is currently navigating a challenging stretch of the season while dealing with the off-court controversy surrounding Curry’s wife.