Beloved actor Andrew Scott did not hold back in a new interview when asked to give a message to Fleabag fans.
First there was Miriam Margolyes telling Harry Potter fans to grow up, now the Ripley star has risked upsetting his dedicated fanbase as he told them to ‘go outside’.
Andrew, 47, had starred in season two of the Phoebe Waller-Bridge series as the Priest — affectionately known as the ‘Hot Priest’.
Effortlessly charming, he forms an attachment with Phoebe’s unnamed and chaotic protagonist but ultimately delivers the unforgettable rejection line: ‘It’ll pass’.
‘Go out and get some fresh air!’ Andrew declared to Entertainment Weekly with a laugh at the Los Angeles Ripley premiere.
Fleabag ran for two seasons, wrapping five years ago, but has spawned a devoted viewership who still bring up the Bafta and Golden Globe winning series at every chance.
Doubling down on the message he added: ‘Stop crying in your room with the curtains closed. Do something better with your life.
‘It’s a great show, we all love it, but come on now! Pull yourself together. Open the curtains and go outside.’
Fans were shocked by his response and took to X to express how the Sherlock star had hit a nerve with his antics, with some accepting the joke better than others.
‘Didn’t have to attack me like that but ok I guess,’ said Anna while Yeri added: ‘Now why does the hot priest have to attack me like this? as if “it’ll pass” wasn’t enough.’
Kris joked: ‘He really said touch grass it’s spring!’
Others were less impressed, calling the comments ‘disparaging’ especially in the context of a male actor aiming them at a show with a primarily female audience.
User Sunstone said: ‘I know it’s just jokes but it really gets annoying when men get a fanbase from a show/movie mainly aimed at women then proceed to disparage it or the fans. Robert Pattinson, Jacob Elordi, etc. Is it hard to just be like “glad it brought people enjoyment and still does”.’
However, most celebrated the bluntness of Andrew’s comments as fan laylabyclapton wrote: ‘Honestly more actors should be calling out weird unhealthy and obsessive fan behaviour because this is funny and also valid.’
‘Andrew text Paul Mescal and tell him to do the same so that we’re freed from the Normal People nostalgia merchants too,’ joked user Androgoop.
All of Us Strangers co-star and friend Paul, 27, rose to fame as Connell in the Sally Rooney adaptation — which has sparked a similar dedication from viewers.
In 2019, when Fleabag ended, Andrew paid tribute to Phoebe and Fleabag stating ‘she [is the] reason I’m standing here.’
He dedicated his Hugo Boss Standout Performance Award at GQ’s Men of the Year ceremony to the Crashing star.
‘When we first talked about doing Fleabag together we wanted to talk about the extraordinary way love manifests itself in the world,’ he continued. ‘I’m just so thrilled that the world has been able to see Phoebe’s qualities.
‘That’s what has touched the world, those qualities of generosity. She’s an incredibly generous person.’
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