The most dependable thing about the Oscars isn’t the style and it isn’t the film with umpteen awards winning nothing - it’s the fact there’ll be drama before they’ve even shown a single film clip. This year Hugh Grant gave us our quota of am-dram, behaving like your colleague’s prickly husband who really didn’t want to attend the work function and can’t even pretend otherwise.
Hugh was invited to the Oscars to present an award - which is no small thing - and he walked the red carpet, stopping to be interviewed by Ashley Graham for ABC. Ashley was working. Hugh was working. Everyone on that red carpet was working. And all Hugh had to do was play the game, but instead he acted the wally.
“What’s your favourite thing about coming to the Oscars?” Ashley asked cheerily. There was a pause before Hugh dredged up an answer like it was a noxious belch. “It’s fascinating… The whole of humanity is here. It’s vanity fair.”
Correctly identifying the direction the interview was headed, Ashley asked an actor if he liked any colleagues or their films.
“What are you most excited to see tonight… Do you have your hopes up for anyone?”
Another longer-than-is-comfortable pause ensued before Hugh replied: “No one in particular.”
Hugh Grant steps forward to be interviewed at the Oscars, then gives most awkward, painful interview ever. Kudos to Ashley Graham for trying to get him to talk and being a pro. pic.twitter.com/LUpWssAHqw
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 13, 2023
Grabbing that bull by the horns, Ashley enquired what Hugh was wearing and he behaved like someone who was either above it all or who had stumbled on to a red carpet while looking for the bathroom in a restaurant.
“Just my suit,” he said. Prompted for the name of the designer Hugh offered “I can’t remember. My tailor.”
Steering him towards something he might have an interest in talking about, Ashley asked if he had enjoyed working on Glass Onion.
“Well, I’m barely in it. I’m in it for about three seconds.”
Keenly aware she still had 30 seconds of air-time to fill, Ashley gave it one last go, asking if he “still had fun” filming the cameo. “Almost,” was the reply.
What a curmudgeon. This is Hugh’s world, it’s the industry that has made him millions and he knows the playbook. You’re an actor Hugh, act the part of a man with manners who’s enjoying himself. Self-deprecation has its charm but this was another thing entirely.
In the end it was Ashley who had the last laugh because the internet lit up in her favour. And she also had the final word, telling reporters the next day: “You know what, my mum has told me to kill them with kindness, so there you go”.
Plus she wrapped up her 'interview' with Hugh with the words "It was nice to talk to you'". Someone give that woman an Oscar for best actress.
And the Oscar for best dressed goes to...
Sleb Safari had its work cut out for it, deciding between the very many gorgeous outfits on the champagne carpet at the Oscars. How to choose! Who to choose!
There was Cate Blanchett’s blue draped silk top and black skirt and Kerry Condon’s gorgeous soft primrose creation.
There could only be one winner and the Sleb Safari award for best dressed goes to *opens envelope* Malala Yousafzai for a stunning, silver sequined dress with hijab by Ralph Lauren. It’s exquisite. Well-played Malala.
Bennifer weren't having words at the Grammys
Ben Affleck would like to clear up that rumour that he and Jennifer Lopez were exchanging hissed, cross words at the Grammys.
Ben says he saw Grammys host Trevor Noah approach their table and noticed ”they were framing us in this shot” but did not realise they were being filmed.
“I leaned into her and I was like, ‘As soon they start rolling, I’m going to slide away from you and leave you sitting next to Trevor. She goes, ‘You better fucking not leave.’,” Ben told the Hollywood Reporter.
That was the exchange we all saw on camera and Ben says we can all calm down because there’s nothing to see here, thanks very much.
