'White Lotus' Star Jon Gries Says He Warned Aubrey Plaza About Possible Wardrobe Malfunction at SAG Awards
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Jon Gries is sharing his side of the SAG Awards story.
The White Lotus star, who came under fire on Monday following the cast's appearance at the 2023 SAG Awards, told Page Six that he did have a moment with Aubrey Plaza on stage regarding her dress. However, he said it was blown way out of proportion.
When the cast took the stage to accept their award for drama series ensemble, Plaza, 38, was tucked behind a few of her costars and standing next to Gries. Viewers could see Gries whisper something to her before she adjusted her dress. She then shuffled backward out of the way of Meghann Fahy and Michael Imperioli as they went in for a hug. As she did, she muttered, "Jesus Christ."
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The internet was quick to notice Plaza's behavior on stage and some wondered if someone — namely Gries — said something to her that bothered her. Gries, 65, told Page Six, though, that he hadn't.
He said he could see she was "being blocked by about 15 people," so he advised her to "look to the front."
He said he then added, "You might want to fix that first," referring to the amount of skin she had showing in the cutout of her sequin dress.
That was when Plaza adjusted her Michael Kors gown on stage. The actor took Plaza's "Jesus Christ" comment to be a reaction to what he said, adding that this is all just her level of humor.
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"I think what she was intimating is why would that be a problem if my nipple is showing," he said, adding, "She has that dry, dead-pan wit; that's her biting wit."
But when Gries saw the internet's reaction to their interaction, he said he felt concerned about everyone interpreting it as a "creepy moment," so he checked in with Plaza.
"You weren't really upset?" he said he texted her, to which she replied, "No! Not at all!"
Gries said that Plaza thanked him for saving her from a wardrobe malfunction on stage.
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Though Plaza's dress had a dramatic cutout on the front — with plenty of skin showing — her stylist, Jessica Paster, insisted that it was exactly how they wanted it to look.
Plaza's look received mixed reactions from fans on Sunday night, who took to the comment section of Instagram fashion blog Check the Tag, which shared a photo of Plaza's look ahead of the event, to express their critiques. But, Paster was quick to defend her work.
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After one user wrote, "the straps could be better adjusted, but i love the color, and hair and makeup look amazing," Paster replied, "Did 7 fittings .. for real … I wanted underboob 😍."
To complete her bold look, Plaza also donned bling by Mouawad jewelry and metallic Jimmy Choo sandal heels. The Parks and Recreation alum also went back to her natural brown hair after spending a couple months as a blonde. She styled her short strands in voluminous curls for an Old Hollywood glam look.
