Drew Barrymore defends Hugh Grant’s awkward interview with Ashley Graham on red carpet of Oscars

Drew Barrymore shares his take on Hugh Grant’s much talked about interview with Ashley Graham during the red carpet phase of the 95th Academy Awards last Sunday.

During their brief conversation, which has since gone viral, Grant answered most of Graham’s questions with short, punchy answers, prompting backlash from some fans.

The actress-turned-talk-show host, who starred with the British actor in the romantic comedy Music And Lyrics (2007), maintained that in the interview he was just being himself.

“If you know Hugh, that’s his way of loving you,” Barrymore, 48, said in his defense during the most recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.

She added: “People say, ‘Oh, he’s so curmudgeonly and she’s so confused.’ I’m like, no, that’s Hugh Grant. You think you’re going to get this charming movie star and what you really get is Hugh grumpy. And then you fall for grumpy Hugh.

Barrymore reaction: In response to Grant’s short and blunt responses to Graham, which drew backlash from some fans, Barrymore maintained that the British actor was just being himself in the interview: “You think you’re getting this lovely star from movies and what you really get is grumpy Hugh. And then you fall in love with grumpy Hugh,” she said of her former co-star.

The daytime talk show host went on to say that “when he says that, I tell you, he’s being absolutely hilarious.” He doesn’t want to say anything negative about it. The person Ashley Graham met on that rug is the real Hugh.

The Wedding Singer star also confessed that when she first met Grant, it took her a few moments to get used to his demeanor and conduct.

‘Probably like Ashley Graham on the carpet, like, ‘who am I dealing with?’ And then I was like, “Oh no, I love you. I want to love you. You won’t let me love you,” Barrymore explained. ‘When I met him, I thought I love you. I love you for the real you. He is a funny and good human being.

Graham herself also reacted to her awkward interview with the Sense And Sensibility star with a short response to TMZwhere she seemed to take it all in stride.

‘Did you know? My mom told me to kill people with kindness, so there you go,” she told the publication.

The runway queen also made it a point to reveal that there was no problem or bad blood between her and Grant, in the wake of the awkward interview.

As it turns out, the only pain she felt coming out of the festive event was in her feet.

‘I had a lot of Fun. However, my feet hurt,” she added.

The Love Actually actor, 62, did not seem impressed with Graham’s line of questioning during their pre-show conversation.

Straight from the top of ABC’s Countdown to the Oscars, he asked the longtime leading man what he liked best about attending the Academy Awards.

After a brief pause, Grant finally responded, “It’s fascinating…all of humanity is here, it’s a vanity fair.”

She also asked him if he would support any of the nominees, to which he was brutally honest, replying, “No one in particular.”

Dry wit: Barrymore went on to say that Grant “doesn’t mean anything negative about it. The person Ashley Graham met on that rug is the real Hugh’

Not impressed: The Love Actually actor, 62, seemed unimpressed with Graham’s line of questions during their pre-show chat that was littered with scant answers

They have history: Barrymore, who starred with Grant Inn in the musical romantic comedy film Music And Lyrics (2007), confessed that when she first met the actor, it took her a few moments to get used to his behavior and personality.

Undeterred: Speaking briefly to TMZ about the interview with Grant, Graham seemed to take it all in stride, sharing, “You know what? My mom told me she kill people with kindness so there you go’

The model changed the subject to fashion and asked what she was wearing, prompting Grant’s dry wit: “Just my suit.”

In a last-ditch effort to salvage the interview, Graham asked about his cameo in the mystery film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022).

‘Well, I’m barely on it. I’m on this for about three seconds,’ he simply replied.

‘Well yeah, but you still showed up and had fun, right?’ Graham responded. “Almost,” Grant admitted, before he finished the interview.