Viewers Cringe As Rebel Wilson Hosts The BAFTA Awards Ceremony
Rebel Wilson hosting the BAFTA Awards ceremony in the UK has not gone down well with people on social media.
While the crowd of A-listers inside Royal Albert Hall chuckled with delight at each of the Aussie star's punchlines, it seems like people watching at home were not impressed.
The Pitch Perfect actor made some rogue jokes about Prince Andrew, JK Rowling, Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and many others during her big hosting gig.
Rebel Wilson gives Michael Polanksy a bra and Gaga can’t contain herself omg #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/MSbWrrJDuc
— gaga (@thegagasource_) March 13, 2022
Dunno who thought Rebel Wilson hosting the #BAFTA2022 was a good idea, but they need sacking... pic.twitter.com/eR1DSFz16B
— James Dwyer 💙🇺🇦💛 (@jamesdwyer192) March 13, 2022
Actually wondering if Rebel Wilson actually read through her script before this. She is looking increasingly uncomfortable and has the look of someone feeling they’ve been stitched up royally. 🤔 #BAFTA2022
— outdoorshuman (@outdoorshuman) March 13, 2022
She kicked things off in a very informal way by walking through the audience and singling some people out.
As Rebel approached approached CODA star Emilia Jones, the Aussie joked: “I’ll give you the award for the person in the crowd Leonardo DiCaprio would find most attractive... He does like them young.”
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When Jones was brought on stage, Wilson said there would be two sign language interpreters to help deaf British and American viewers understand what was being said.
Then Rebel stuck up her middle finger and added: "Luckily, though, in all sign languages, this is the gesture for Putin.”
Wilson used her dig at the Harry Potter author it as a chance to address her recent weight loss as well.
She acknowledged to the crowd that she is 'looking different' and had had 'transformation' over the past few years before adding: “I hope JK Rowling still approves.”
While Rebel managed to touch on all the potential pop culture and news punchlines, it seems like people watching the show weren't impressed.
As an Aussie I'm not really interested in #BAFTA2022 but on behalf of Australia I would like to apologise for Rebel Wilson's hosting.
— BYoung 🇦🇺 (@MrBMYoung) March 13, 2022
Rebel Wilson trying to do a Ricki Gervais at the @BAFTA.
— Scott Pattison (@scott_pattison) March 13, 2022
I haven't cringed this much since George Galloway thought he was a cat.
OMG whose bright idea was it to have Rebel Wilson as the host of the #baftas
— Claire_l 💚🤍💜 🦕 (@akaCW1) March 13, 2022
Crude, boring and predictable jokes. And of course she had to get ANOTHER dig in at JK Rowling.
This is going to be a long night! I’m not sure I’ll bother.
One person wrote: "Rebel Wilson's hosting and jokes are so awful, I want to switch off. But it's like watching a car crash and I can't take my eyes off the carnage."
Another added: "BAFTA has made some horrendous decisions over the years but asking Rebel Wilson to host has to be the worst ever!"
A third said: "5 minutes in I’ve turned off! Rebel Wilson, crass, embarrassingly unfunny. Surely there was someone better than a 2nd rate actress to front this award show."
Before the show had started, the Aussie actor was promising to bring the big laughs with her material.
Speaking to the PA News Agency, Rebel explained "I'm very scared of doing it, because it's very nerve-wracking and I get very nervous for live performances.
"For movies I don't get nervous but the live stuff, it's kind of one and done.
"I hope that people realise just that in my heart, I'm doing it to celebrate movies, to celebrate all the great people that work in movies.
"In Australia, our culture is you can take potshots at people if they're successful, so I'll be doing a little bit of that."
Stewart Perrie