Elon Musk has publicly criticized actress Anne Hathaway, targeting a 2018 speech she delivered in support of gay and transgender rights. Musk's comments came on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, where he labeled Hathaway a "marionette" and suggested that the speech was not her own work.
Hathaway's 2018 remarks were made at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, D.C., where she accepted the National Ally for Equality award. During her speech, she advocated for equality and acknowledged her privilege as a white, straight, cisgender woman. She stated that the idea of certain identities orbiting around others was a "myth that keeps money and power in the hands of the few, instead of being invested in the lives of the free." Hathaway also expressed apprehension about what she was witnessing daily, seemingly referencing the Trump administration, and urged the audience to "destroy" the myth of a default identity.
The resurfacing of the speech followed a video reaction by marketing professor Gad Saad, who called Hathaway a "degenerate narcissist." Musk's subsequent commentary on X echoed some of Saad's criticisms, with Musk adding that "whoever wrote her speech is the real douchebag" and that Hathaway was merely "reading the script someone else wrote" without critical thought.
Musk's remarks about Hathaway come amidst his ongoing critique of director Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey." The tech mogul recently announced plans to use his AI platform Grok to create a "historically accurate" version of Homer's epic poem. This initiative follows Musk's previous criticisms of Nolan's casting choices, including Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy and Elliot Page. Musk has stated that Nolan's casting decisions were driven by a desire to win awards.
"The Odyssey" movie, which features Hathaway as Queen Penelope, has been a box office success, grossing over $264 million in its opening weekend. Representatives for Hathaway and Musk have not yet responded to requests for comment.