During the promotional circuit for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, a particularly awkward picture of Lena Dunham and Brad Pitt went viral. The photo was taken on the red carpet and Dunham appeared to be trying to kiss Pitt while he wasn’t entirely interested.
Social media had a lot to say about the interaction, bringing up issues of consent. One Twitter user wrote, “If Brad Pitt did to Margot Robbie what Lena Dunham did to him on the red carpet, Dunham would write a 3,000-word essay about consent.”
Dunham has long been a lightning rod for controversy, and this was no different.
Lena Dunham was trying kiss Brad Pitt on the mouth here, even though he wasn't into it. I wonder how the media would have covered this had the genders been reversed. pic.twitter.com/4HMnX2x57a
— Price of Reason (@priceoreason) August 1, 2019
While she was a (social distancing) guest on Watch What Happens Live, Dunham opened up to host Andy Cohen about what really went on during that photo moment.
“Well, the way the internet read it was I had somehow physically accosted him causing him a great deal of stress. I would never force a kiss on Brad Pitt. I respect him far too much as an artist and a friend.”
Dunham continued, sharing a cute moment that the two costars shared at the premiere.
“Later that night, because he knew I felt nervous, he took me into a room and we secretly ate pizza and I told him I like his ring and he gave it to me. And every time I wear it, something amazing happens.”
Dunham went on to explain that she knew Pitt a little bit ahead of shooting Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood, so it’s not like they were complete strangers on set.
“I actually had the pleasure of knowing him a little bit previously, so I wasn’t going in totally blind, but when I showed up to set, I didn’t have some major megastar part. I was in a really great ensemble of girls. I expected, you know, a friendly hello from Brad.”
However, according to Dunham, Pitt was extremely affectionate when they reunited.
“I think what happened was the best thing that’s maybe ever happened to me. He was doing a scene where he was parking a car and he’s supposed to get out and look around, and he looked around and saw me at the edge of frame and came over and picked me up and spun me around. And it was like — it was like in one of those movies where the nerd shows up at the prom and the hottest guy at school is like, ‘Would you care to dance?'”
Brad Pitt: heartthrob onscreen and in real life.
