Chris Wallace Blasted For Telling Adam Driver He Doesn’t “Look Like A Typical Movie Star”: “Extremely Rude And Unprofessional”

By Samantha Nungesser @samjnungesser
Published Dec. 5, 2023, 9:11 a.m. ET

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Chris Wallace made the mistake of grilling Adam Driver about his looks — and now he’s feeling the wrath of the actor’s fans.

On a recent episode of Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? on Max, the journalist began by comparing Driver to other iconic figures in Hollywood like Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson. While the Marriage Story star told him that was “very nice” and that they were the actors who inspired him to get into the industry, he reminded Wallace that not everyone in the media has been as kind.

“The New Yorker has also called me a horse-face so I take it with a grain of salt,” he said. “I remember reading one reviewer [who said], ‘His agent probably doesn’t know whether to put him in a movie or the Kentucky Derby.’ So if you believe the good thing, you have to believe the bad thing. So I try to not absorb anything.”

Wallace took his opportunity to point out that Driver doesn’t “look like a typical movie star” — and asked if it’s been a “help or a hindrance” to his career.

“I’ve worked consistently, which is nice, with people I always dreamed that I wanted to work with. I look how I look. I can’t change that. So, I guess it helped me,” Driver said, before sarcastically adding, “A hindrance in only breaking mirrors wherever I go, and having a misshapen outsized body that I can’t fit through doorways or most clothes or fit into most cars, so apart from that, it’s good.”

But Wallace wasn’t ready to give up the subject, asking the Oscar-nominated actor if his career “would be easier” if he looked like Robert Redford.

“Yeah, but it would just be different. I would be giving something off,” Driver replied. “Maybe I’m trying to be diplomatic. And I guess if I was alone in a room, I’m like, ‘Who doesn’t want to look like Robert Redford?’ I just kind of accepted this is how I look.”

Meanwhile, fans of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor have taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to slam Wallace for the “rude” series of questions.

“I cannot believe a distinguished Interviewer like Chris Wallace, would go down this line of questioning!” one wrote. “It was extremely rude, and unprofessional. Adam Driver has millions of fans that think he is perfect the way he is.”

Another added, “In the year 2023, we don’t need to be talking about people’s bodies or perceived attraction which is SUBJECTIVE for all. We just don’t have to even go there! We all look how we look! Interviewer can and should be dragged to hell, wtf is this.”

A third fumed, “Absolutely depraved and cruel. Props to Adam for handling it like he did,” while another shared, “Um excuse me Chris Wallace, I happen to find Adam Driver very sexy, intelligent and talented! I mean, what a tacky set of questions.”

Decider has reached out to reps for Wallace for comment, but did not hear back by time of publication.