Josh Hutcherson Has Spoken Out About the Backlash He Received From Taylor Swift’s Fans

Josh Hutcherson attends HBO's I Love LA panel
(Image credit: Getty Images)
  • The Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson has recalled being labelled a 'monster' on the internet after his 2025 comments that he was not a Taylor Swift fan.
  • "I'm not a Swiftie," Hutcherson previously reported in a viral video interview with i-D Magazine. "Very much not. No shade, all respect, but definitely not."
  • The backlash from these comments reportedly turned the internet against him, with Hutcherson recalling: "that is why I don’t want to be online.”

Josh Hutcherson has spoken out about the online backlash he has received from Taylor Swift's fans, after stating last year that he was not a fan of the Opalite singer.

The I Love L.A. star, 33, made the viral comments in a video interview with i-D magazine, when playing a camera roulette game with co-star Jordan Firstman as part of their press tour.

The photograph chosen from Hutcherson's phone showed him and his mum in the VIP section of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in New Orleans, to which the actor explained: "My mum made me".

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"I’m not a Swiftie," Hutcherson continued in the interview. "Very much not. No shade, all respect, but definitely not."

Taylor Swift performs on stage during the Eras Tour

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This went on to prompt a major online backlash against the actor. And given the difficulty of securing Eras tour tickets, various Taylor Swift fans were angered that he had accepted VIP passes.

Hutcherson has now spoken out about the backlash, recalling that it is one of the reasons why he doesn't want to be online anymore.

"I got some heat because I did a photo shoot with Jordan, and Jordan asked me something about being a [Taylor Swift fan], and I was like, 'Oh no, I’m definitely not a Swiftie,'" Hutcherson recalled in a recent interview with GQ.

"All of a sudden it garnered this, ‘Fuck him! He’s a monster! Destroy him! He’s short! He hates her because he’s short!'," the actor continued. "It’s just like, whoa! I think she’s great. Her music is [just] not my kind of music. That is why I don’t want to be online."

"I don’t need that energy," Hutcherson went on to explain of his decision to limit his social media presence. "It’s counterintuitive to my job, because if people know you more, you can’t disappear into characters. They see you as, 'Oh, that’s Josh.' You know what I mean? So, if you’re a fucking meme, people know you for the meme."

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Contributing Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.