Drew Barrymore’s interviewing techniques have once again caused a stir after her conversation with Austin Butler resurfaced. Uneasy viewers have called her style “invasive.”
The 49-year-old talk show host invited the Hollywood actor and his Masters of the Air colleague Callum Turner onto her show in February, where they shared the advice they received from George Clooney.
During the interview, Drew sat close to Austin as she revealed that George once encouraged her to maintain eye contact while filming a scene, despite her finding it “intimate.”
After a clip of their conversation was posted on Drew’s social media pages over the weekend, viewers immediately took notice of how close the host was to Austin, with one even claiming she “scared” him.
Someone criticized her attitude and asked, “Why is she always sitting on the guests?”
Drew Barrymore’s interviewing techniques have caused a stir after her conversation with Austin Butler resurfaced
The 49-year-old presenter was accused of ‘always sitting on her guests’ after the February interview was posted on the show’s official social media last weekend
Another said: ‘Invasive?? And that from a woman who almost fucks her guests dry??’
A third wrote: ‘I’m still trying to figure out if I like her as a host. She tries too hard to connect and she can’t….’
“She’s so embarrassing,” said a fourth. “She’s literally scaring the hell out of that guy.”
A fifth added: ‘What a poignant gesture, and she’s almost sitting on top of him.’
During their conversation, Drew talked about the time she worked under George’s direction on Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (2002), his directorial debut.
She told me how much she enjoyed working with him and that he stopped me from doing things that I didn’t think were good for my work as an actor.
Drew said, “He said, ‘You never make eye contact with people in a scene,’” to which she explained why she avoided the eyes.
‘I think, “Well, since it’s so intimate, should we kiss?” Eye contact is really cool.’
Austin had joined the program along with his Masters of the Air colleague Callum Turner
Viewers couldn’t help but criticize Drew’s appearance on social media, with some describing her as ‘cringe’
“Look, now I feel the pressure to keep my eyes on you,” Callum said, pointing his hands to her eyes.
“Eye contact is very important in life,” Drew replied.
“I almost feel like it’s a little bit pushy and that’s why I’d rather not do it. But George has made me realize that I shouldn’t do that.”
Despite criticism from viewers, Austin appeared relaxed and at ease during the interview.
Kamala Harris joined actress Drew on her daytime talk show in April, where the two sat unusually close together on the large couch
During his performance, he remained calm and placed his right arm on the back of the couch, toward Drew, while his other arm petted her dog.
Drew’s interviewing style has long been the subject of criticism.
In April, she came under fire after a bizarre interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, in which she urged her to become the “Momala of the country.”
While sitting, the two also sat noticeably close to each other on the large couch.
At one point, Drew leaned forward and held Harris’ hands as the audience applauded.