Paul Anthony Kelly has faced online criticism for his 'dismissive' response when asked about his favourite Beyonce song at the Met Gala on Monday. The actor, known for his role in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, was walking the red carpet when a reporter inquired about the music of the Met co-chair.
Paul, 37, responded by shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders, saying, 'I don't know. I'm a metal head.' Critics accused him of being 'disrespectful' and claimed he 'couldn't be bothered' to provide a thoughtful answer.
While Paul's musical preferences may differ, some observers noted that his 'excessive shoulder shrugs and eye rolls' could be interpreted as a sign of disrespect towards Beyonce. On X, one user commented, 'On any other year he wouldn't have looked as ignorant as he does... Beyonce is co-chair. She's on his invitation. No matter how he feels, he could've prepared an answer.'
Another added, 'That's also why men don't recognise Beyonce as the greatest regardless of her having achieved way more than Michael Jackson. U.S. metrics by nature are about quantity but this never applies to Beyonce because it would mean the greatest is no longer a man - that's why this man behaved that way - misogyny.'
Others expressed similar sentiments, with one stating, 'Responses like this are so performative. They say this bc they have fragile masculinity or want to make a political statement. Everyone knows a Beyonce song.' Another user noted, 'The way he worded it is simply rude. He could've said like "not sure" or "still can't decide" but the way he said it, it seems like "I don't like her music and what about it b***."'
However, not everyone viewed the exchange as a slight against Beyonce. Some defended Paul's right to his own musical taste. One supporter said, 'We got to stop pretending certain artists are holy gods and have to be loved and listened to by everyone! He was completely unproblematic and professional and just answered the question honestly!' Another added, 'Yess let's normalise people having their own music taste, and not trying to "fit in" in a world where everyone wants to fit in.'
During the evening, Paul reunited with his Love Story co-star Sarah Pigeon, who also attended the event. Sarah portrayed fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, while Kelly played John F. Kennedy Jr. Sarah dazzled in a yellow and white dress with a bow detail, while Paul wore a dark red velvet jacket, black trousers, and dress shoes.
The series, which premiered on February 12 and concluded on March 26, became FX's most streamed limited series, amassing 65 million hours streamed on Hulu and Disney+. The finale, titled 'Search And Recovery,' was the most-viewed episode. Critics gave it an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audience ratings were lower at 69%.
Some reviews were mixed. Daily Mail gave the first three episodes two out of five stars. A close friend of Carolyn, Gordon Henderson, told The Post, 'I just thought it was not done well.' JFK Jr.'s nephew Jack Schlossberg also criticised the series for not consulting the family.
Sarah Pigeon, in an interview with Vogue, expressed her commitment to portraying Carolyn accurately: 'The online conversations at the beginning of the process served as a reminder of how important it was to get our portrayal of Carolyn correct. She grew even more important to me.' She added, 'What I hope is that people feel a little closer to knowing the woman behind the clothes.'
Daily Mail has reached out to Paul's representative for comment.
