Hugh Grant has come under fire for his red carpet interview at the Oscars. The actor was in attendance at the 95th Academy Awards and as he rubbed shoulders with his fellow big screen stars before the ceremony, he spoke with model Ashley Graham in what People Magazine called "a brief, awkward interview".
Ashley was hosting for ABC’s Countdown To The Oscars when she chatted with the 62-year-old on the new champagne carpet ahead of his hosting duties at the awards ceremony. Kicking off her chat with Hugh, Ashley, 35, asked the star what his favourite part of attending the Oscars was.
But she was met with an awkwardly long pause, before the Four Weddings And A Funeral star eventually replied: "It’s fascinating … the whole of humanity is here … it’s Vanity Fair."
"Oh yes, it’s all about [the] Vanity Fair [after party], that’s where we need to let loose and have a little fun," the model replied, appearing to misunderstand Hugh's reference to the 1848 novel by William Makepeace Thackery, rather than the magazine.
He also admitted that he could not remember the name of his tailor when Ashley asked him about who designed his outfit, before she asked him about filming his cameo in Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
"So tell me what it felt like to be in Glass Onion, it was such an amazing film, I really loved it – I love a thriller. How fun is it to shoot something like that?" Ashley asked. "Well I’m barely in it," he replied. "I’m in it for three seconds." Ashley did continue to probe him on whether he had fun filming the project, to which he responded: "Almost." But following the chat, social media was awash with comments criticising him for his 'rude' response to Ashley's questions.
@ReignOfApril tweeted: "I don’t understand this from Hugh Grant. If you don’t want to be interviewed, don’t take the mic, smile politely and keep walking. Kudos to @ashleygraham for trying repeatedly to get something interesting out of him. #Oscars." @Alexa21396778 said: "Why was Hugh grant so rude?? Shout out to Ashley for holding up the conversation. / getting through that #Oscars."
@onuvelez commented: "Hugh Grant if you don’t want to be at the Oscars simple dont go. How rude to the person interviewing you. #hughgrant #Oscar." @floridamingo posted: "That Hugh Grant interview was painful. Feel bad for Ashley. He gave her nothing. #Oscars." @Aussie_Livia added: "That interview with Hugh Grant and Ashley Graham was truly painful to watch. He seemed super rude #AcademyAwards."
But some did come to the British actor's defence. @bumblepai tweeted: "The whole Hugh Grant thing just proves that British dry humour is incompatible with some folk. Like the way ppl are reacting to his interview, you'd think he was actually rude during it and not just being dry."
@mlmyers24 said: "I don’t feel Hugh Grant was rude. I feel like she should have deeper questions for people who may not care about their designer. Also he said the night was “a vanity fair” and she thought he was talking about the Vanity Fair after party lol the whole interaction was just cringe." @jojobear_82 added: "I have always loved Hugh Grant. He's not rude,a little awkward perhaps but not rude. To be fair as an English person myself I want to be left alone,and would gladly talk to nobody ever."
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