Emily Blunt has expressed regret over remarks she made during a talk show appearance 11 years ago, concerning the weight of a restaurant employee.
In a video that recently reemerged from The Jonathan Ross Show, originally aired in September 2012, the 40-year-old actress described a server at a Chili’s restaurant in Louisiana as “enormous.”
Her remarks were part of a story about the server recognizing her during the production of the 2012 film Looper.
An edited clip of the conversation surfaced on TikTok and X this week, prompting numerous internet users to label Blunt’s comments as “fatphobic.”
Reflecting on her words, she stated: “The girl who was serving me was enormous. I think she got freebie meals at Chili’s.” To which Ross replied, “Nothing wrong with that.”
Blunt recounted that the employee then asked, “Did anyone ever tell you you look like Emily Blunt?”
The server soon recognized she was indeed talking to Blunt herself, who confirmed she was in the region for a film shoot.
Reaching out to People magazine, the actress shared that she was shocked upon reviewing the video.
“I’m appalled that I would say something so insensitive, hurtful, and unrelated to whatever story I was trying to tell on a talk show,” she conveyed.
“I’ve always considered myself someone who wouldn’t dream of upsetting anyone, so whatever possessed me to say anything like this in that moment is unrecognizable to me or anything I stand for.”
“And yet it happened, and I said it, and I’m so sorry for any hurt caused. I was absolutely old enough to know better.”
Blunt was featured on the Jonathan Ross Show with other notable guests, including the late actor Michael Gambon, comedian John Bishop, DJ David Guetta, and Jack Antonoff’s band, fun.
She is acclaimed for her roles in “The Devil Wears Prada,” “A Quiet Place,” and “Mary Poppins Returns,” and recently portrayed Katherine, the wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer, in “Oppenheimer.”
