Cole Walliser Defends Jennifer Lopez After Viral Golden Globes Clip

Jennifer Lopez’s appearance at the 2026 Golden Globes was always going to turn heads—after all, she’s a red carpet mainstay. But this year, it wasn’t just her show-stopping dress or her star power that had social media buzzing. Instead, it was a brief, seemingly chilly interaction between Lopez and Glambot director Cole Walliser that set the internet ablaze with debate, speculation, and—perhaps inevitably—a bit of outrage.

The incident unfolded as Lopez, 56, made her way down the red carpet on what was, by all accounts, a hectic night. According to Page Six, Walliser had posted a behind-the-scenes video to his Instagram account showing Lopez preparing for her Glambot moment. In the clip, Walliser greeted the singer and actress, but she appeared to offer little in the way of response. When Walliser asked if she had a pose in mind, Lopez simply demonstrated it without speaking, then quickly walked away after the shot was complete. The brevity of the exchange—and Lopez’s apparent lack of engagement—sparked a flurry of criticism online.

Fans and onlookers flooded Walliser’s Instagram comments. One user wrote, “My favorite part was when she didn’t look at, speak to, or smile at you.” Another, with thousands of likes, asked bluntly, “Jesus Cole, did J.Lo even speak a word to you?” Others were harsher still, with comments like, “This doesn’t help her reputation of being rude,” and “Glad I’m not the only one that didn’t like this attitude. Just skip her next time.” As Daily Mail reported, hundreds of comments accused Lopez of being a “snob,” and thousands more liked posts criticizing her behavior.

But for Walliser, the uproar was much ado about nothing. On January 18, 2026, the Canadian filmmaker took to Instagram to set the record straight. “Everybody on the internet needs to just calm down,” he said in a video response. “With J.Lo, I didn’t take it personally. It didn’t feel rude in that moment.” He explained that Lopez was “just down to business” because the carpet was closed and she was ready to go inside. “She knew what she was gonna do. She got into the position,” Walliser continued. “It’s just unfortunate that the position was she was facing away from me. So I am talking to her, she is looking away, but she’s getting ready for the move.”

Walliser emphasized that the Glambot experience is entirely optional for celebrities. “Glambots are completely elective,” he said, as quoted by BuzzFeed. “Nobody’s forcing you to do these things. If you want to do it, you can. If you’re in a bad attitude and you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to do it. So anybody that stops, I already like you because you’re taking the time to do my thing, and this is generous of you because you don’t have to do it.”

He went further, contextualizing the environment on the red carpet. “Red carpets are generally insane,” Walliser said. “It’s just a really crazy environment. When people land on the Glambot, sometimes they don’t know what they’re walking up to. And I’m not just talking about J.Lo here, I’m talking about a bunch of celebrities in the past.” He noted that celebrities are often being ushered from one commitment to another, with people shouting instructions and the clock ticking down. “These celebrities, they’re at work. They’re there to do a thing—to promote their show, to be a guest, to be a presenter. They’re working.”

For Walliser, the viral moment was a simple case of timing and focus. “I knew what she was doing. I knew she was getting ready. I knew it was late. We were just getting through it. That moment didn’t feel rude,” he explained, as reported by Page Six and Daily Mail. He also clarified that he’s “never felt” like a celebrity has been rude to him on the job. “When people are distracted, or less chatty, or thinking about other stuff, I don’t take it personally.”

Interestingly, Lopez herself has not directly addressed the controversy. However, she did leave a string of heart emojis under Walliser’s original Glambot video—a subtle gesture that some interpreted as a sign of goodwill or perhaps an olive branch to those following the drama. Page Six reported that they reached out to Lopez’s representatives for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The conversation around Lopez’s demeanor is not entirely new. As some fans pointed out, she has faced similar accusations in the past, with critics quick to label her as “rude” or “difficult.” But Walliser’s defense offers a different perspective, one that recognizes the high-pressure, fast-paced nature of awards shows and the reality that celebrities, like anyone else, may simply be focused on the task at hand.

“It’s not really my place to be like, ‘You should be a certain way,’” Walliser said in his Instagram video. “I’m just sort of, like, reacting in those moments and giving people the best chance to do their best Glambot that they can.” He stressed that some people are naturally more chatty at work, while others are not—and that’s perfectly fine. “Celebrities are ultimately just doing their jobs,” he added, a sentiment echoed by BuzzFeed and Daily Mail.

Walliser’s measured response stands in contrast to the sometimes harsh tone of online commentary. The incident highlights the challenges of interpreting brief, edited moments on social media—especially when they involve public figures under the glare of the spotlight. As Walliser put it, “In the moment, I’m not like, ‘Hey, turn around and look.’ I knew what she was doing.”

For those seeking scandal or drama, the director’s words may be disappointing. But for others, his perspective is a reminder that not every viral moment is what it seems. Sometimes, a celebrity is just getting the job done, with no hidden agenda or slight intended.

As the Golden Globes faded into memory and the internet moved on to its next controversy, Walliser’s words lingered: “That moment didn’t feel rude.” And perhaps, in the chaos of awards season, that’s the most honest answer anyone could give.