"Ironic, gross and stupid": Alia Shawkat and Brad Pitt dating rumors explained as former slams media

In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Alia Shawkat, 32, addressed rumors about her dating Brad Pitt, 58. Shawkat and Pitt were first linked in September 2019 when they were spotted at the opening of the show A Play is a Poem in Los Angeles.

Later in October 2019, the duo attended Mike Birbiglia's one-man play The New One. They also clicked a selfie with Birbiglia backstage, which the comedian posted on his Instagram profile.

In November 2019, they went to an art exhibit in downtown Los Angeles and were seen having dinner together later that night. Alia Shawkat and Brad Pitt were photographed at the exhibit, making several tabloids speculating about their 'ongoing romance.'

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Alia Shawkat dismissed dating Brad Pitt for the second time

Shawkat and Pitt are just friends (Images via WireImage and AP)

In the interview with The New Yorker, Alia Shawkat stated that she broke the news to Brad Pitt, who had no idea about the ongoing rumors. Speaking about Pitt's not-so-surprised reaction, Shawkat said:

"He had no awareness of it at all. Which is so funny. Because he doesn’t read that sh*t. I was, like, 'you know everyone thinks we’re dating? And there’s this whole thing, and I’m being followed.' 'And he was, like, I’m sorry. It happens. If you hang out with me, it happens.' He had no awareness of it at all."

Later in the interview, Alia Shawkat commented on how the "ironic, gross and stupid" rumor got her more attention than her 20-year acting career did, saying:

"At the time, it was not fun at all. I’m not an actor who has ever dealt with the paparazzi. They don’t know who the f** I am. There’s something ironic about it. It has nothing to do with Brad as a person—he’s a great f**ing guy. But of course, the idea of me being romantically involved with an older white guy is what gets me the most attention. Not a 20-year career. That’s what gets me. And it’s ironic, gross and stupid. But yeah, again, it was super brief. And I was fine."

However, Shawkat's paternal grandmother enjoyed the attention her granddaughter got over her rumored 'romance' with Brad. The actress told New Yorker:

"But the other day I was at my grandmother’s house, my father’s mother. She’s been in this country for over thirty years and still barely speaks English. An Iraqi Muslim woman. She’s sitting there, watching her Turkish soap opera. And next to her is this old gossip magazine with Brad’s face, and my face in a small circle. And it says “Brad’s New Girl!” And then on the inside it’s old Instagram photos of me and friends at dinner. It was, like, “ALL ABOUT ALIA.”"

She added:

"This whole made-up story about how we were healing each other by spending time together. All this crazy sh*t. I looked at my grandmother, like, 'why do you have this?' She’s, like, 'it’s you and this movie star! And it’s your face.' I was embarrassed by it. I told her she had to throw it away. And she laughed."

Alia Shawkat had spoken on the rumors for the first time when she told Vulture that the two were just friends, not dating back in June 2020. She explained:

"We just became friends, and Brad introduced me to his group of friends, and it grew from there."

She expressed that the tabloids were invested in the story of the two being romantically involved because it was unlikely.

"To them it’s like, ‘We don’t get it! This girl is weird! She’s so different! Why are they hanging out?' You get too close to the prom king, and all of a sudden, everyone’s like, ‘Well, who is this bi*ch?’"

The Search Party and Arrested Development actress is currently looking forward to releasing her upcoming TV series The Old Man, which will air around the end of the first half of 2022.