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Awkward…If you’ve been perusing the internet after the 2023 Academy Awards, you might have seen the Ashley Graham and Hugh Grant Oscars interview circulating around.
The 95th Annual Academy Awards was held in the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California, and was hosted by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. The red carpet was star-studded with the likes of Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal and Danai Gurira and Oscar nominees and winners like Stephanie Hsu, Paul Mescal and Cate Blanchett. Everything Everywhere All At Once swept with the most awards including Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan, Best Directors for the Daniels and the most coveted award Best Picture.
Yet, Twitter is still examining this interview. So what happened during Ashley Graham and Hugh Grant’s Oscars interview? Read more below to find out.
What happened during Ashley Graham and Hugh Grant Oscars’ interview?
What happened during Ashley Graham and Hugh Grant’s Oscars interview? On the red (excuse me, champagne) carpet at the Oscars, Ashley Graham interviewed Hugh Grant for the network hosting the event ABC.
Ashley introduced Graham in the interview as a “veteran” of the Oscars and noted that he’s been at the film awards ceremony a couple of times. When Graham asked what his favorite part of the Oscars was, Grant said, “It’s fascinating. The whole of humanity is here. It’s Vanity Fair.” Vanity Fair refers to the definition by Merriam-Webster as “a scene or place characterized by frivolity and ostentation.” It also likely refers to the decadent fair in John Bunyan’s 1678 book, The Pilgrim’s Progress and William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair.
However, Graham thought he was referring to the coveted A-lister afterparty hosted by the magazine Vanity Fair, which happens right after the Academy Awards. She quipped, “Yes, that’s where we let loose and have a little bit of fun!” When Graham asked if he was looking forward to seeing any celebrities or stars, he replied “No one in particular.” She also asked what is he wearing. “Just my suit.” Who made his suit? “I can’t remember my tailor.”
She then asked about his role in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out 2: Glass Onion a movie that she was very excited to see him in. The movie was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. “Well, I’m barely in it. I’m in it for about three seconds,” Grant replied. Graham tried to lighten the mood saying that he probably “still had fun” filming the cameo. His response, again, was mean. “Almost!” he responded with a snarky laugh.
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Graham wrapped up the interview quickly with Hugh Grant noticeably rolling his eyes toward the model. The moment became instantly viral with lots of people calling out Grant’s behavior in the interview. “And the Oscar for the guy who totally doesn’t want to be there goes to Hugh Grant. #Oscars,” one user tweeted.
Another tweeted, “Is Hugh Grant just an arrogant dick all the time? He was so rude to Ashley Graham on the red carpet, complete with an eye roll. Maybe he should stay home if he’s too good for his industry of choice #AcademyAwards” #OscarsSoWhite hashtag founder April Reign 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”
Author Natasha Devon tweeted, “In some ways it’s rather reassuring to perceive that Britain hasn’t entirely turned into the US, culturally—As demonstrated by reactions to the Hugh Grant/Ashley Graham interview (Americans think he was being rude, British people know he was just not being fake).”
Lots of people praised Graham for her professionalism “Ashley Graham interviewing Hugh Grant is the most awkward piece of television in 2023 and I’m living for it,” @joeyohern wrote on Twitter. “Ashley Graham deserves an honorary Oscar for putting up with Hugh Grant. Don’t walk the carpet if you don’t walk to talk about THE ACTUAL OSCARS,” one audience member tweeted.
TV Host Trevor Scott tweeted, “Wow @ashleygraham just earned her paycheck on that interview with Hugh Grant. She was gracious and persistent through his obvious desire to not be there. Why agree to an interview if you have no interest in participating?? #Oscars”
Though it was met with a lot of criticism online, lots of people praised Grant for his interview. Journalist Matthew Sweet defended Grant, “Hugh Grant being brilliant here. I once interviewed him and opened with some absurdly elaborate question and he said: “Look, you know I just do this for the money.”
“Hugh Grant and Ashley Graham’s red carpet exchange about “Vanity Fair ” (he was talking about the 1848 novel about shallow society, she thought he was referring to the 2023 magazine after party) is my favourite #Oscars moment of all time.” Refinery 29 writer Katherine Singh tweeted.
Grant later presented Best Production design alongside his Four Weddings and a Funeral co-star Andie MacDowell. He introduced the award by comparing his face to male genitalia. He started the joke by emphasizing “the vital importance of using a good moisturizer,” noting that MacDowell has been using one “for the last 29 years, I’ve never used one in my life.”
Grant then pointed at 64-year-old MacDowell and said: “Still stunning,” before pointing at himself and adding: “Basically, a scrotum.” The audience and nominees at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre erupted in laughter. Grant has not been nominated for an Oscar himself but Four Weddings and a Funeral was a runaway hit that scored two nominations at the 1995 Oscars: one for Best Picture and the other for Best Original Screenplay, making it one of the least-nominated Best Picture contenders in Academy Awards history.
Graham spoke to CNN at the Vanity Fair party. “My mother always told me to kill ‘em with kindness.” She said the same statement to TMZ. She added that she felt “very supported” after her exchange with Grant started trending on Twitter. Grant was also in attendance of the Vanity Fair party.
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