Ashley Graham leans on 'kindness' after awkward Oscars chat with Hugh Grant goes viral
Ashley Graham isn't letting her awkward interview with Hugh Grant on the red carpet at Sunday's Oscars get the best of her.
The model and television personality spoke to TMZ at Los Angeles International Airport Monday afternoon about the viral moment and how she's coping with the criticism.
"You know what, my mom has told me to kill them with kindness, so there you go," Graham said. She also told TMZ that she "had so much fun" despite the exchange.
Sunday's awards show had its share of memorable moments, but the "Love Actually" actor's pre-show chat with Graham made the internet rounds Sunday and split viewers.
"Hugh Grant steps forward to be interviewed at the Oscars, then gives most awkward, painful interview ever," tweeted former NBCUniversal executive Mike Sington. "Kudos to Ashley Graham for trying to get him to talk and being a pro."
Before the ceremony, Grant stopped by Graham's spot on the red carpet, where she asked him about his "favorite thing about coming to the Oscars."
"Ugh, it's fascinating. The whole of humanity's here. It's 'Vanity Fair,'" Grant responded, chuckling and raising his eyebrows.
Grant appeared to be making a literary reference to the allegorical Vanity Fair of sinful frivolity, but this seemed to be lost on Graham.
"Oh, it's all about Vanity Fair. That's where we let loose and have a little of fun," she said, referring to the A-list after-party.
As the interview went on, Grant and Graham struggled to connect, with the former sharing blunt responses. Was he rooting for anyone? "No one in particular." Who made his tuxedo? "Um, I can't remember. My tailor."
"You don't have to be that much of a d—, Hugh Grant. I mean you really just don't," tweeted writer Rebecca Carroll.
"If you don’t want to be interviewed, don’t take the mic, smile politely and keep walking," wrote #OscarsSoWhite creator April Reign. "Kudos to @ashleygraham for trying repeatedly to get something interesting out of him."
As if the previous exchanges weren't cringe-worthy enough, the exchange concluded with Graham asking Grant about his brief appearance in Rian Johnson's "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery."
"Well I'm barely in it. I'm in it for about three seconds," he said.
After Sunday's ceremony, Graham got plenty of support from social media users who praised her for keeping her cool.
"You handled that Hugh Grant interview like a pro," one follower commented on her Instagram post.
"You did a great job not letting someone bring you down during [an] interview...," said another follower.
Some online critics weren't as supportive, writing that Graham has "got to do your homework." Filmmaker Jared Christopher tweeted that Grant had "the greatest Red Carpet interview of all time."
On Graham's post, an Instagram user dismissed Grant's supposed attitude as him "being a funny, sarcastic Brit."
"There's a huge difference. It was actually refreshing to hear someone reply authentically and relaxed instead of fake and pretentious like many others," Instagram user Angel Carra wrote.
See more reactions to that red-carpet exchange below:
hugh grant could not want to talk to ashley graham less
— alex (@alex_abads) March 12, 2023
Hugh Grant made a reference to Vanity Fair and Ashley Graham clearly didn’t know what he meant and the interview went down hill from there. #Oscars
— Robert Daniels (@812filmreviews) March 12, 2023
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.
— Katherine Singh (@katherineesingh) March 12, 2023
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).
— Natasha Devon 🌈💙 (@_NatashaDevon) March 13, 2023
Major s/o to Ashley Graham for handling that Hugh Grant interview with grace and patience. #Oscars
— Dave Quinn (@NineDaves) March 12, 2023
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.
— Jamie B. Golden (@jamiebgolden) March 12, 2023
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.