Emily Blunt has issued an apology for a remark she previously made about a Chili’s server, after being hit with backlash.

In a statement issued to The Independent on 20 October, the actor addressed her 2012 interview on The Johnathan Ross Show, during which she referred to a Chili’s worker as “enormous”. Her recent response comes after being been hit with criticism from fans, who accused her of being “fat-phobic” and questioned her decision to make the comment in the first place.

Blunt reflected on her previous comments in a statement from her representative, which read: “I just need to address this head on as my jaw was on the floor watching this clip from 12 years ago. I’m appalled that I would say something so insensitive, hurtful, and unrelated to whatever story I was trying to tell on a talk show.”

She issued an apology for the way in which she addressed the restaurant worker, adding: “I’ve always considered myself someone who wouldn’t dream of upsetting anyone so whatever possessed me to say anything like this in that moment is unrecognisable to me or anything I stand for. And yet it happened, and I said it and I’m so sorry for any hurt caused. I was absolutely old enough to know better.”

During her interview with TV host Jonathan Ross in 2012, she told him a story about her dinner at a Chili’s restaurant. She began by making shaming comments about the server’s appearance, claiming: “The girl who was serving me was enormous. I think she got freebie meals at Chili’s.”

Ross hit back at Blunt’s remarks about the restaurant worker, as he responded: “Nothing wrong with that.” She continued her story about the restaurant experience, recalling that the Chili’s worker asked her: “Did anyone ever tell you you look like Emily Blunt?”

The Jungle Cruise star explained that she told the server she was indeed the actor, and told the Chili’s worker she was at the chain restaurant in Louisiana because she was filming her 2012 movie, Looper. Blunt recalled that the Chili’s worker believed she “made up” the name of the movie, to which the actor responded: “I really didn’t.”

When the clip first resurfaced on social media this week, many people critcised Blunt for making the negative remark about the server’s weight and accused her of being “fatphobic”.

“Ugh f*** Emily Blunt seriously was one of my fave actresses but turns out she’s a fatphobic unfunny mean girl who thinks it’s funny to point out the size of a server when it adds nothing to the story - for shame,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Let’s not forget that time Emily Blunt fat-shamed a waitress for literally no reason,” another added.

A third wrote: “Enormous is a hugely disrespectful word in this context. Emily Blunt should apologise.”

Other people went on to question Blunt for making the comment about the server’s weight in the first place, since it wasn’t relevant to the story.

“It’s not surprising to hear actors be openly fatphobic, because that’s the world we live in. It doesn’t make it any less disappointing. There is no need to bring up someone’s size or comment on it, especially for laughs. Shame on you,” one wrote.

“Emily Blunt’s story about a Chili’s server has me curious. I wonder why there was the need to mention her weight,” another agreed. “I’m curious why the accent was important. I wonder if Emily knows a comp meal may be a person’s only meal that day.”

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