Poor Things star Emma Stone recently faced some serious backlash from Swifties after jokingly referring to her friend of nearly 20 years as an “a**hole” backstage at the Golden Globes, and now the 35-year-old actress says she regrets making the humorous comment. Speaking to People, Stone called herself a “dope” for joking about Taylor Swift, and says the media took things out of context and ran with it. She says she saw the headlines, and won’t be repeating the mistake any time soon.
Stone secured her second Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Poor Things and was doing press backstage following the event. When asked about Swift giving her a standing ovation, Stone jokingly commented, “What an a**hole, am I right?” She followed up by explaining their friendship and expressing her happiness that Swift could attend.
The media sensationalized the comment, leading to backlash from fans who may not have been aware of their long-standing friendship since 2008 when they met at the Young Hollywood Awards. Stone clarified her friendship with Swift in a 2023 Vanity Fair interview, mentioning how it even helped her secure tickets to The Eras Tour.
Poor Things, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, has received critical acclaim and commercial success, earning $100 million at the box office and holding a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Stone), Best Director (Lanthimos), and Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo).
Stone expressed gratitude for her Oscar nomination on Good Morning America, highlighting her experience playing Bella in Poor Things as a beautiful one. She described Bella as a character free from judgment, fully embracing life. Stone will collaborate with Lanthimos again for the anthology film Kinds of Kindness, featuring Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons, Margaret Qualley, and Joe Alwyn.
Poor Things will be available for rent or purchase on VOD starting February 27, 2024, while Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour will premiere on Disney + on March 15, 2024.
